Frank Halloran was a rugby league footballer who played in Auckland, New Zealand. He represented Auckland and made the New Zealand team in 1937, playing two tests against Australia at halfback. When doing so he became the 250th player to represent New Zealand. Halloran played for the Ponsonby United (Ponies) club in the Auckland Rugby League competition from 1934 to 1938. Prior to this he had played for the Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers club as a junior. He later fought in World War 2.
Early life
Frank Halloran was born on November 11, 1912, to Richard Francis Halloran (1876-1956), and Lilian Knox (1889-1961). He was one of 15 children with his other siblings being Evelyn Frances Halloran (1907-?), Josephine Halloran (1909-1913), Myrtle Lilian Halloran (1910-1976), Barbara Kate Halloran (1914-?), Esma Mary Halloran (1916-2003), John Haslett Halloran (1918-2001), Thomas Walter Halloran (1921-2007), Phillip Halloran (1923-2002), Joan Augusta Halloran (1925-2001), William Mervyn Halloran (1926-2001), Robert Halloran (1927-1991), Patricia Moria Halloran (1930-2015), Colleen Halloran (1934-1934), and Maureen Halloran (1935-2016).
The first mention of Frank in the local newspapers was in the Auckland Star and New Zealand Herald on January 11, 1926, when he nearly drowned at Brown's Island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf. He was aged 13 at the time and was there as part of the Colonial Sugar Refinery Company's annual picnic for employees. He "fell into the water, and was in serious difficulties when Mr. Charles Neads, jumped in fully clothed as he was and brought the boy to safety".
Playing career
Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers
Halloran began his rugby league playing career at the Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers club which was based in the Northcote, and Birkenhead suburbs of Auckland's North Shore. His name appeared for the first time in association with the game on May 25 in 1928, in the Sixth Grade A competition. Northcote finished at the bottom of the competition. The following year in 1929 Halloran was still playing in the same side. The team fared better, winning around half of their matches to finish in the top half of the competition. In 1930 Halloran had moved up to Northcote's 5th grade side which finished mid table once more. In 1931 Halloran had progressed into the 4th grade side which performed well winning most of its games and finishing near the top of a 15 team competition.
The 1933 season was where Halloran began to make a name for himself. He was now aged 20 and became the captain of the Northcote 3rd grade intermediate team. They won the championship with an undefeated season scoring a remarkable 346 points and only conceded 6 which all came from penalty kicks. The team was pictured in the Auckland Star. In mid July Halloran applied for financial assistance on behalf of the club for their trip to Taranaki on August 5. The side intended to play against the Taranaki junior side as a curtain-raiser to the Auckland match with Taranaki. The Auckland Rugby League decided to assist the team.
Transfer to Ponsonby United
At the start of the 1934 season Frank Halloran was granted a transfer to the Ponsonby United club. At the time Northcote's highest graded side was their 3rd grade intermediate team while Ponsonby had a long established senior side in the 1st grade Fox Memorial competition. Halloran moved there along with his teammates from Northcote, brothers John and Walter (Wally) Stockley with all three moving straight into the 1st grade side. Walter would go on to represent Auckland 5 times. John was killed in action on December 24, 1943, during World War 2 while in Italy aged 31.