Clifford Allan Martin Satherley (4 June 1907 – 7 January 1947) was a rugby league player who represented New Zealand in three test matches against Australia in 1935. In the process he became the 232nd player to represent New Zealand. Satherley also played for the North Island representative side along with Auckland. He played his club rugby league for Richmond Rovers and Mount Albert United. He also played representative rugby union for Auckland, Hawke's Bay, Bay of Plenty, and Waikato. His rugby union clubs were Manukau Rovers, Ponsonby, Marist Brothers Old Boys (Hawke's Bay), Papamoa (BOP), Frankton Railway (Hamilton), and Technical Old Boys (Hamilton). He also played representative matches for the Te Puke and Hamilton sub-union representative sides.
Early life
Clifford Allan Martin Satherley was born on June 4, 1907, in Blenheim. His parents were Ingress Cecilia Manson, and Charles Herbert Satherley. His mother had been married previously to Soren Hansen however she petitioned for divorce in February 1904. They had two children together, Sorine Elvine Hansen (b.1897) and William Claus Hansen (b.1900). The Star (Christchurch) newspaper reported from the proceedings that "when fifteen years of age, in 1897, she married [Hansen] at Wellington, with her parents' consent, her father being present at the marriage. Respondent was alleged to have led a drunken life. Two years after the marriage her husband came home and said he "had had enough of her, and was off". Since then she had seen nothing of him. He was reported to be in Dannevirke, but inquiries failed to find him. She was ill after his desertion, and her baby [Sorine] 14 months old, died. Justice Cooper remarked upon "criminal conduct of parents in consenting to such early marriages"; a girl didn't know her own mind at fifteen, and she was not fit to bear children. Petitioner had not, at the time of her marriage, even reached the maximum school age”.
She remarried Charles Herbert Satherley in 1905. They had three children, Clifford, Phyllis Ida (1909-1986), and Leslie Charles John Manson (1911-1994). Leslie was more commonly known as 'Jack', and he also represented New Zealand at rugby league in 1937 and 1938.
Playing career
Rugby union
Boys’ Institute Club (Wellington) and Oriental Club
In the early to mid 1920s Satherley was living in Wellington and a player at the Boys’ Institute Club. The Boys Institute was a boarding school for young boys that was founded in 1883 and became located on Tasman Street in 1914. He was a member of the fourth grade side and played as a five eighth before moving to the wing forward position. He also played lower grade rugby for the Oriental Club before moving to Auckland.
Manukau Rovers
When Satherley moved to Auckland he joined the Manukau Rovers club which at that time was based in the Onehunga area. He made his senior debut for them in the Pollard Cup on September 25, 1926 at the age of 19. The Pollard Cup was played for near the end of the season and was often seen as an opportunity to try out junior grade players prior to the following season. He played against Grammar Old Boys in a 9-8 loss which eliminated them from the competition.