Roy Arthur Hardgrave (28 July 1906 – February 1982) was a rugby league player. He represented New Zealand rugby league team in 3 tests in 1928. In the process he became the 189th player to represent New Zealand. Hardgrave also played for Newton Rangers, St Helens (Heritage No. 379), Mount Albert United, York, and Toulouse rugby league clubs, along with the North Island, and Auckland representative sides. His father Arthur Hardgrave also represented New Zealand from 1912 to 1914.
Early life
Roy Arthur Hardgrave was born in New Plymouth on 28 July 1906. His parents were Una George Hardgrave and Arthur Hardgrave. He also had a brother, Edgar Louis who was one year his junior, born on 1 October 1907. Roy's father, Arthur, was a prominent rugby player in the Taranaki area before switching to rugby league and representing the first ever Taranaki team in 1908. The Hardgrave family moved to Auckland in 1912 where he joined the Manukau club. Arthur represented Auckland, and New Zealand from 1912 to 1914.
Playing career
Manukau rugby league club
Roy Hardgrave's "first football was played at Onehunga when he captained his school team to victory on many occasions. On leaving school he followed in the footsteps of his father, who had made football history, and played juniors for the Manukau club". In 1922 and 1923 Hardgrave was playing for the Manukau rugby league club's 6th grade side. In the same team was Cyril Brimble, who's younger brothers Ted Brimble, Walter Brimble, and Wilfred Brimble all went on to represent New Zealand, and Hardgrave's younger brother Edgar. By 1924 he had moved up into the 4th grade side. In July 1924 the entire Manukau club switched to rugby union after becoming unhappy with their treatment by the Auckland Rugby League. Soon after Hardgrave joined the Otahuhu Rovers club where he played for their fifth grade side. In a match against Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers he scored 2 tries and kicked 4 goals in a 17–7 win.
Newton Rangers
Late in the 1924 season Hardgrave moved to the Newton Rangers club which is an inner city suburb of Auckland. He played in their 5th grade side initially but made his senior debut on 4 October in a round 1 match for the Roope Rooster knockout competition. Teams often debuted younger players in this competition which took place late in the year. He scored both of Newton's tries in a 17–8 loss to rivals City Rovers which ended their season. The Auckland Star misspelled his name as "Hargreaves" which was a common misspelling in the early years of his career. His first try came when he "dribbled the ball over the line, and ran on to score". The second came after Arthur Mansill took an intercept and Hardgrave ran in support, taking the pass before "scoring a brilliant try near the posts".
Over the summer Hardgrave competed in athletic competitions including the Athletic Club Sports day which was held at Waiuku to mark their anniversary day. In the 75 yards handicap he was awarded a five and a half yard handicap. He did not place, though his teammate Arthur Mansill ran second.
In 1925 he became a regular in the Newton senior side, playing in 11 matches and scoring 4 tries. In a round 2 championship match against City Rovers on 9 May he was involved in a try after combining with Clarrie Polson "in a clever passing movement" with Alan Clarke scoring. The New Zealand Herald said that Hardgrave was a "young player who showed promise". The Herald again mentioned him following the match against Richmond Rovers on 16 May when they said that he was a "good player… who shows cleverness when attacking". In a loss a week later to Marist Old Boys the Auckland Star said that he played "a great game". In the next round against Devonport United at the Devonport Domain he scored a brilliant try after collecting a kick from Devonport's Bert Laing he "performed the neatest piece of work in the game by making a clear dash through to score between the posts". The Herald reported later in the week that he had gone off injured in the second half which affected the closeness of the match. They also said that his "form was brilliant. Last season played in the fifth grade, and although very small, is one of the most promising players in the league game". Newton were struggling with 6 losses to start the season but they secured their first win against Athletic on 13 June with a 38–11 win at Victoria Park, with Hardgrave scoring 2 tries. The Star reported that he "stood out on the Newton side, and he was ably supported by Polson and [Wally] Somers".