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Roy Hardgrave

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
28-07-1906
N/A
15-08-1929
New Zealand
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
31-08-1929 v Widnes
London Highfield
1934- York
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1929-1933
212 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
173
0
0
519

Biography of Roy Hardgrave



HERITAGE NO : 379
Roy Hardgrave by Alex Service

New Zealander Roy `Shaver` Hardgrave had played in the Final Test at Christchurch against the 1928 tourists, which Great Britain won 6-5. Some months later, he wrote to his former adversary Alf Ellaby, expressing a desire to play in England. The astute Saints` legend immediately contacted the Committee with regard to bringing him to St.Helens. Shortly afterwards, at an emergency meeting, it was resolved to sign Hardgrave and, several days later, fellow-international forwards Lou Hutt and Trevor Hall, when it became known that they were available.

At five foot seven inches and nearly eleven stones, Hardgrave had great pace and a fantastic skipping sidestep that baffled opposing defenders. At 22 years of age, The `Newton Flyer` soon settled down in St.Helens and became a try-scoring phenomenon, flying in for 33 in 47 appearances in his first season, as the Saints reached top spot in the league table and clinched the Lancashire League title. Mighty Wigan were also defeated in a famous replay in the semi-final of the Challenge Cup at Mather Lane, Leigh. It was to be a disappointing climax to the season for the Three Hs, however, as the `Team of all the Talents` were defeated in controversial circumstances in the Top Four clash with Leeds, at Knowsley Road, despite a fine try from Hardgrave, and at Wembley against Widnes, in one of the greatest-ever upsets in the competition`s history!

Despite these set-backs, the Saints` wingers were on fire in 1930/31, with Ellaby scoring 43 to Hardgraves` 34. The following season Roy scored 44 tries to Ellaby`s 33 as the Saints clinched second place in the table and lifted the Lancashire League trophy once more. They won the last ten league games in succession and the little Kiwi equalled Ellaby`s feat of 1926/27 of scoring tries in 9 successive club games in March and April 1932. He ended with 44 tries from 42 appearances, an astonishing statistic! The Saints went on to win their first-ever Championship, with a 9-5 success over Huddersfield at Wakefield, on 7 May 1932, ironically without Alf Ellaby, who was already on the boat, having been selected for the Australian Tour.

Roy`s fellow New Zealanders, Hutt and Hall, left St.Helens at the end of the 1930/31 campaign. He remained a Saint, however, and played in the 1932 Lancashire Cup Final defeat by Warrington. Roy continued to score freely, before returning to New Zealand at the end of the 1933/34 campaign. He later came back to play for York for a spell, yet his unbelievable scoring feats of almost a try per match - on a par with the great Tom Van Vollenhoven in that respect - will always hold a special place for him in the history of St.Helens Rugby League Club.

Roy was the son of Arthur Hardgrave, the Taranka, Auckland and New Zealand full back who had played against the touring Lions team in 1914. Back in New Zealand Roy worked in several jobs including operating as a Chamber Hand at one time. He lived in Marlborough Street, Mount Eden, New Zealand and died in February 1982, aged 76.


SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1929~3033 0 0 47
1930~3132 0 0 41
1931~3244 0 0 42
1932~33 34 0 0 46
1933~3430 0 0 36
TOTALS:173 0 0 212
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1930~31 1001
1932~32 0001
TOTALS:1002

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
31st Aug 1929 1
L
 2 Widnes L H 0 3 VIEW
4th Sep 1929 2
L
 2 Leeds L A 5 7 VIEW
7th Sep 1929 3
W
 2 Widnes L A 21 8 1 VIEW
14th Sep 1929 4
D
 2 Hunslet L H 8 8 VIEW
19th Sep 1929 5
W
 2 Leeds L H 22 7 VIEW
22nd Sep 1929 6
W
 2 Rochdale Hornets L A 11 7 1 VIEW
24th Sep 1929 7
W
 2 Oldham L H 20 13 VIEW
2nd Oct 1929 8
L
 2 Hull L A 5 8 1 VIEW
5th Oct 1929 9
L
 2 Halifax L A 13 19 1 VIEW
12th Oct 1929 10
W
 2 Broughton Rangers LC1 A 10 9 VIEW
19th Oct 1929 11
W
 2 Salford L H 18 12 VIEW
23rd Oct 1929 12
D
 2 Salford LC2 H 8 8 VIEW
26th Oct 1929 13
L
 2 Castleford L H 10 20 VIEW
30th Oct 1929 14
L
 2 Salford LC2(rep) A 3 13 1 VIEW
2nd Nov 1929 15
W
 2 Broughton Rangers L A 8 3 1 VIEW
9th Nov 1929 16
W
 2 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 24 5 3 VIEW
16th Nov 1929 17
D
 2 Australia Tour H 18 18 2 VIEW
23rd Nov 1929 18
L
 2 Leigh L A 3 5 VIEW
30th Nov 1929 19
W
 2 York L A 18 5 3 VIEW
7th Dec 1929 20
W
 2 Wigan Highfield L H 8 0 VIEW
14th Dec 1929 21
W
 2 Barrow L A 12 2 2 VIEW
21st Dec 1929 22
W
 2 Barrow L H 19 6 VIEW
25th Dec 1929 23
W
 2 St. Helens Recs L H 8 3 1 VIEW
26th Dec 1929 24
W
 2 Wigan L H 14 5 VIEW
28th Dec 1929 25
L
 2 Castleford L A 0 5 VIEW
1st Jan 1930 26
L
 2 St. Helens Recs L A 0 3 VIEW
4th Jan 1930 27
L
 2 Oldham L A 4 20 VIEW
11th Jan 1930 28
W
 2 Halifax L H 23 2 2 VIEW
18th Jan 1930 29
L
 2 Warrington L A 5 22 1 VIEW
25th Jan 1930 30
W
 2 Rochdale Hornets L H 32 5 2 VIEW
1st Feb 1930 31
W
 2 Wigan Highfield L A 22 0 1 VIEW
8th Feb 1930 32
W
 2 St. Helens Recs CC1 H 9 7 VIEW
15th Feb 1930 33
W
 2 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 16 5 1 VIEW
22nd Feb 1930 34
W
 2 Leeds CC2 A 18 5 VIEW
15th Mar 1930 35
L
 2 Salford L A 2 11 VIEW
22nd Mar 1930 36
W
 2 Hull L H 23 4 1 VIEW
29th Mar 1930 37
D
 2 Wigan CCSF N 5 5 VIEW
2nd Apr 1930 38
W
 2 Wigan CCSF(rep) N 22 10 VIEW
5th Apr 1930 39
L
 2 Hunslet L A 11 14 1 VIEW
9th Apr 1930 40
W
 2 Swinton L A 8 3 2 VIEW
14th Apr 1930 41
W
 2 Warrington L H 23 15 1 VIEW
18th Apr 1930 42
W
 2 Wigan L A 8 3 VIEW
19th Apr 1930 43
W
 2 Broughton Rangers L H 31 17 2 VIEW
21st Apr 1930 44
W
 2 York L H 29 0 1 VIEW
22nd Apr 1930 45
W
 2 Swinton L H 8 4 VIEW
26th Apr 1930 46
L
 2 Leeds ChSF H 6 10 1 VIEW
3rd May 1930 47
L
 2 Widnes CCF N 3 10 VIEW
30th Aug 1930 48
W
 2 Widnes L A 21 7 3 VIEW
6th Sep 1930 49
L
 2 Widnes L H 5 9 VIEW
10th Sep 1930 50
L
 2 Salford L A 5 11 VIEW
13th Sep 1930 51
L
 2 Swinton L A 3 12 VIEW
20th Sep 1930 52
W
 2 Warrington L H 18 12 1 VIEW
27th Sep 1930 53
W
 2 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 21 5 VIEW
4th Oct 1930 54
W
 2 Dewsbury L H 12 10 1 VIEW
11th Oct 1930 55
L
 2 Wigan LC1 A 7 24 1 VIEW
18th Oct 1930 56
L
 2 Leeds L H 8 20 VIEW
25th Oct 1930 57
W
 2 York L A 10 4 1 VIEW
1st Nov 1930 58
W
 2 Bramley L H 34 14 3 VIEW
8th Nov 1930 59
W
 2 Huddersfield L A 10 5 1 VIEW
15th Nov 1930 60
W
 2 Salford L H 7 0 VIEW
22nd Nov 1930 61
W
 2 Barrow L A 7 4 VIEW
29th Nov 1930 62
W
 2 Rochdale Hornets L H 33 15 3 VIEW
6th Dec 1930 63
W
 2 Wigan Highfield L A 10 7 VIEW
13th Dec 1930 64
W
 2 Oldham L H 7 2 VIEW
20th Dec 1930 65
W
 2 Rochdale Hornets L A 9 2 1 VIEW
25th Dec 1930 66
W
 2 St. Helens Recs L H 7 6 VIEW
26th Dec 1930 67
L
 2 Wigan L H 2 23 VIEW
27th Dec 1930 68
L
 2 Leeds L A 0 23 VIEW
1st Jan 1931 69
L
 2 St. Helens Recs L A 3 5 VIEW
3rd Jan 1931 70
W
 2 Halifax L H 20 6 1 VIEW
10th Jan 1931 71
L
 2 Warrington L A 3 14 VIEW
17th Jan 1931 72
W
 2 Swinton L H 8 3 VIEW
24th Jan 1931 73
D
 2 Broughton Rangers L A 0 0 VIEW
31st Jan 1931 74
L
 2 Huddersfield L H 0 10 VIEW
7th Feb 1931 75
W
 2 Keighley CC1 H 46 4 3 VIEW
14th Feb 1931 76
W
 2 Bramley L A 19 8 1 VIEW
21st Feb 1931 77
W
 2 Castleford CC2 A 8 2 VIEW
28th Feb 1931 78
W
 2 Barrow L H 30 0 2 VIEW
7th Mar 1931 79
W
 2 Broughton Rangers CC3 A 8 7 VIEW
21st Mar 1931 80
W
 2 Leigh L H 23 3 1 VIEW
28th Mar 1931 81
L
 2 Halifax CCSF N 2 11 VIEW
3rd Apr 1931 82
L
 2 Wigan L A 2 5 VIEW
4th Apr 1931 83
L
 2 Oldham L A 7 28 VIEW
6th Apr 1931 84
W
 2 York L H 13 3 VIEW
7th Apr 1931 85
L
 2 Halifax L A 13 15 1 VIEW
11th Apr 1931 86
W
 2 Broughton Rangers L H 37 5 4 VIEW
22nd Apr 1931 87
W
 2 Wigan Highfield L H 40 17 3 VIEW
25th Apr 1931 88
W
 2 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 25 5 1 VIEW
9th May 1931 --
W
 2 Barrow * Fr Carnival Cup L 33 7 1 VIEW
29th Aug 1931 89
W
 2 Widnes L H 39 2 3 VIEW
5th Sep 1931 90
D
 2 Widnes L A 7 7 VIEW
9th Sep 1931 91
W
 2 Barrow L A 12 0 2 VIEW
12th Sep 1931 92
W
 2 Wigan Highfield L H 14 10 VIEW
19th Sep 1931 93
L
 2 Huddersfield L A 2 5 VIEW
26th Sep 1931 94
W
 2 Dewsbury L H 49 0 4 VIEW
3rd Oct 1931 95
L
 2 Oldham L A 13 16 VIEW
10th Oct 1931 96
L
 2 Salford LC1 A 5 16 1 VIEW
17th Oct 1931 97
W
 2 Oldham L H 31 17 VIEW
24th Oct 1931 98
L
 2 Broughton Rangers L A 12 24 VIEW
31st Oct 1931 99
W
 2 Bradford Northern L H 35 5 3 VIEW
7th Nov 1931 100
W
 2 Wigan Highfield L A 19 4 1 VIEW
14th Nov 1931 101
W
 2 Salford L H 10 2 VIEW
21st Nov 1931 102
W
 2 Warrington L A 23 8 3 VIEW
28th Nov 1931 103
W
 2 Warrington L H 38 8 3 VIEW
5th Dec 1931 104
W
 2 Bradford Northern L A 31 5 2 VIEW
12th Dec 1931 105
W
 2 Leigh L A 16 8 1 VIEW
19th Dec 1931 106
W
 2 Rochdale Hornets L H 33 12 1 VIEW
25th Dec 1931 107
L
 2 St. Helens Recs L A 2 13 VIEW
26th Dec 1931 108
W
 2 Wigan L H 10 4 VIEW
1st Jan 1932 109
D
 2 St. Helens Recs L H 7 7 1 VIEW
2nd Jan 1932 110
W
 2 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 5 3 VIEW
9th Jan 1932 111
W
 2 Wakefield Trinity L H 11 2 2 VIEW
13th Jan 1932 112
L
 2 Salford L A 3 9 VIEW
23rd Jan 1932 113
W
 2 Halifax L H 24 10 VIEW
30th Jan 1932 114
W
 2 Swinton L A 8 7 VIEW
6th Feb 1932 115
L
 2 Keighley CC1 A 6 12 VIEW
13th Feb 1932 116
L
 2 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 5 8 1 VIEW
27th Feb 1932 117
L
 2 Castleford L A 0 5 VIEW
5th Mar 1932 118
W
 2 Barrow L H 36 15 1 VIEW
12th Mar 1932 119
W
 2 Huddersfield L H 21 8 2 VIEW
19th Mar 1932 120
W
 2 Dewsbury L A 24 15 2 VIEW
25th Mar 1932 121
W
 2 Wigan L A 12 3 1 VIEW
26th Mar 1932 122
W
 2 Castleford L H 24 6 1 VIEW
28th Mar 1932 123
W
 2 Leigh L H 31 2 1 VIEW
29th Mar 1932 124
W
 2 Halifax L A 13 3 2 VIEW
2nd Apr 1932 125
W
 2 Rochdale Hornets L A 16 3 1 VIEW
16th Apr 1932 126
W
 2 Swinton L H 17 5 3 VIEW
18th Apr 1932 127
W
 2 Broughton Rangers L H 21 10 VIEW
23rd Apr 1932 128
W
 2 Wakefield Trinity L A 25 8 2 VIEW
30th Apr 1932 129
W
 2 Leeds ChSF H 9 0 VIEW
7th May 1932 130
W
 2 Huddersfield ChF N 9 5 VIEW
27th Aug 1932 131
L
 2 Widnes L A 10 12 1 VIEW
3rd Sep 1932 132
W
 2 Widnes L H 16 9 VIEW
10th Sep 1932 133
W
 2 Swinton L A 12 7 1 VIEW
17th Sep 1932 134
W
 2 Leigh L H 33 10 3 VIEW
24th Sep 1932 135
L
 2 Hunslet L A 8 15 1 VIEW
26th Sep 1932 136
W
 2 Hunslet L H 21 3 2 VIEW
1st Oct 1932 137
L
 2 Swinton L H 11 37 VIEW
8th Oct 1932 138
W
 2 Widnes LC1 A 10 5 2 VIEW
15th Oct 1932 139
W
 2 Barrow L H 18 11 VIEW
22nd Oct 1932 140
D
 2 Wigan Highfield L A 11 11 1 VIEW
24th Oct 1932 141
W
 2 Broughton Rangers LC2 H 22 4 1 VIEW
29th Oct 1932 142
W
 2 Batley L H 14 7 VIEW
2nd Nov 1932 143
D
 2 Salford LCSF A 2 2 VIEW
5th Nov 1932 144
W
 2 Leigh L A 13 3 VIEW
7th Nov 1932 145
W
 2 Salford LCSF(rep) H 17 10 1 VIEW
12th Nov 1932 146
W
 2 Wigan Highfield L H 34 7 4 VIEW
19th Nov 1932 147
L
 2 Warrington LCF N 9 10 VIEW
26th Nov 1932 148
W
 2 Leeds L H 21 5 1 VIEW
29th Nov 1932 149
L
 2 Batley L A 12 17 1 VIEW
3rd Dec 1932 150
W
 2 Castleford L A 10 7 VIEW
10th Dec 1932 151
L
 2 Warrington L H 16 18 1 VIEW
17th Dec 1932 152
L
 2 Salford L A 5 13 VIEW
24th Dec 1932 153
L
 2 Oldham L A 8 12 VIEW
25th Dec 1932 154
W
 2 St. Helens Recs L H 8 3 VIEW
27th Dec 1932 155
W
 2 Wigan L H 13 10 VIEW
31st Dec 1932 156
L
 2 Leeds L A 0 27 VIEW
7th Jan 1933 157
W
 2 Salford L H 12 5 VIEW
14th Jan 1933 158
L
 2 York L A 5 11 VIEW
28th Jan 1933 159
L
 2 Barrow L A 17 18 1 VIEW
4th Feb 1933 160
W
 2 Halifax L H 5 3 VIEW
11th Feb 1933 161
W
 2 Bradford Northern CC1 A 24 3 VIEW
18th Feb 1933 162
W
 2 Oldham L H 23 0 VIEW
2nd Mar 1933 163
W
 2 Hunslet CC2 H 14 3 1 VIEW
4th Mar 1933 164
D
 2 Broughton Rangers L A 8 8 1 VIEW
11th Mar 1933 165
W
 2 Halifax CC3 H 18 6 VIEW
13th Mar 1933 166
W
 2 York L H 9 8 1 VIEW
18th Mar 1933 167
L
 2 Huddersfield L A 4 27 VIEW
25th Mar 1933 168
L
 2 Warrington CCSF N 5 11 VIEW
1st Apr 1933 169
L
 2 Huddersfield L H 8 31 VIEW
4th Apr 1933 170
L
 2 Rochdale Hornets L A 0 38 VIEW
8th Apr 1933 171
L
 2 Halifax L A 18 25 VIEW
14th Apr 1933 172
L
 2 Wigan L A 12 23 2 VIEW
15th Apr 1933 173
L
 2 Warrington L A 17 24 VIEW
17th Apr 1933 174
W
 2 Broughton Rangers L H 26 0 1 VIEW
22nd Apr 1933 175
W
 2 Rochdale Hornets L H 47 19 2 VIEW
29th Apr 1933 176
W
 2 Castleford L H 39 5 5 VIEW
18th May 1933 --
W
 2 Halifax * Fr Carnival Cup L 35 13 VIEW
26th Aug 1933 177
W
 5 Widnes L H 29 14 1 VIEW
2nd Sep 1933 178
L
 5 Widnes L A 4 12 VIEW
4th Sep 1933 179
W
 5 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 21 11 3 VIEW
9th Sep 1933 180
W
 5 Warrington L A 11 7 VIEW
30th Sep 1933 181
W
 5 Salford LC1 H 12 8 VIEW
7th Oct 1933 182
L
 5 Keighley L A 8 16 1 VIEW
14th Oct 1933 183
W
 5 Leigh L H 20 13 2 VIEW
16th Oct 1933 184
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets LC2 H 52 14 3 VIEW
21st Oct 1933 185
W
 5 Dewsbury L A 11 0 1 VIEW
28th Oct 1933 186
L
 5 Salford L H 2 17 VIEW
2nd Nov 1933 187
L
 5 St. Helens Recs LCSF A 2 9 VIEW
4th Nov 1933 188
L
 5 Rochdale Hornets L A 17 20 VIEW
11th Nov 1933 189
W
 5 Dewsbury L H 30 13 VIEW
25th Nov 1933 190
W
 5 Bradford Northern L H 28 0 VIEW
2nd Dec 1933 191
L
 5 Australia Tour H 11 20 VIEW
9th Dec 1933 192
W
 5 Broughton Rangers L A 11 9 VIEW
16th Dec 1933 193
W
 5 Broughton Rangers L H 36 5 3 VIEW
23rd Dec 1933 194
L
 5 Salford L A 10 17 VIEW
1st Jan 1934 195
W
 5 St. Helens Recs L H 10 2 VIEW
8th Jan 1934 196
L
 5 Leigh L A 6 11 VIEW
13th Jan 1934 197
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L H 29 13 VIEW
20th Jan 1934 198
W
 5 Leeds L H 21 19 1 VIEW
27th Jan 1934 199
L
 5 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 8 23 2 VIEW
3rd Feb 1934 200
L
 5 Huddersfield L H 7 20 1 VIEW
10th Feb 1934 201
W
 5 Bradford Northern CC1 A 34 6 3 VIEW
17th Feb 1934 202
L
 5 Halifax L A 8 16 1 VIEW
24th Feb 1934 203
L
 5 Bramley CC2 A 12 17 VIEW
28th Feb 1934 204
W
 5 Swinton L A 8 5 VIEW
3rd Mar 1934 205
W
 5 Bradford Northern L A 15 11 VIEW
14th Mar 1934 206
L
 5 London Highfield L A 8 16 VIEW
19th Mar 1934 207
W
 5 Warrington L H 7 3 VIEW
24th Mar 1934 208
W
 5 Swinton L H 25 5 2 VIEW
30th Mar 1934 209
L
 5 Wigan L A 3 27 VIEW
7th Apr 1934 210
W
 5 Barrow L H 31 23 1 VIEW
9th Apr 1934 211
L
 3 Halifax L H 9 19 2 VIEW
14th Apr 1934 212
W
 5 London Highfield L H 34 12 3 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 133 | LOSSES : 71 | DRAWS : 10

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