2009 Auckland Rugby League season

The 2009 Auckland Rugby League season was the 2009 season of senior rugby league in Auckland. The Auckland Rugby League ran the various competitions. The season commenced on the 14 of March with the start of the Phelan Shield and ended on the 5 September with the Fox Memorial Grand Final. This was the 100th season of the competition, which began in 1910.

The season followed the same format as 2008, with a qualification series in the first half of the year giving sixteen teams the opportunity to enter the Fox Memorial competition.

Beginning June 7 two games a week were broadcast in both English and Māori on Māori Television and Te Reo respectively.^[1]

Fox Memorial Qualification Series

The Lion Red Fox Memorial Qualification Series involved sixteen teams divided into two pools, with the top eight teams entering the Fox Memorial competition. It started on the 21 March and concluded on 2 May. The bottom eight teams instead entered the Sharman Cup.

Pool A	Pool B
Papakura Sea Eagles Marist Saints Mt Albert Lions Northcote Tigers Richmond Bulldogs Howick Hornets Mangere East Hawks Bay Roskill Vikings	Otahuhu Leopards East Coast Bays Barracudas Te Atatu Roosters Manurewa Marlins Ponsonby Ponies Glenora Bears Pakuranga Jaguars Hibiscus Coast Raiders

Phelan Shield

The Mandron Masonry Phelan Shield began on the 14 March and features eleven teams. The regular season concluded on the 5 September with a grand final. The New Lynn Stags were the defending champions. Minor premiers the Manukau Magpies defeated the Waiheke Rams in the final to win the Shield.

Team Pld W D L B Pts Manukau Magpies 20 16 2 2 2 36 Waiheke Rams 20 14 3 3 2 36 New Lynn Stags 20 13 0 7 2 32 Glenfield Greyhounds 20 13 2 5 2 32 Papatoetoe Panthers 20 10 0 10 2 24 Ellerslie Eagles 20 9 2 9 2 24 Navy/North Shore Dolphins 20 9 1 10 2 23 Otara Scorpions 20 8 0 12 2 20 Mt Wellington Warriors 20 6 1 13 2 17 Waitemata Seagulls 20 4 1 15 2 14 Pt Chevalier Pirates 20 1 2 17 2 6

Semifinals Preliminary Final Grand Final                              Manukau Magpies 24    Waiheke Rams 20          Manukau Magpies 26        Waiheke Rams 28'    Waiheke Rams 16    New Lynn Stags 26    New Lynn Stags 56  Glenfield Greyhounds 8

Sharman Cup

The bottom eight teams in the Fox Memorial Qualification Series took part in the SAS Sharman Cup. The Richmond Bulldogs were the defending champions. The grand final was held on the 5 September and saw minor premiers the Howick Hornets defeat the Glenora Bears 19-12 to win the Cup. Hibiscus Coast were relegated to the Phelan Shield with the Manukau Magpies being promoted.

Team Pld W D L Pts Howick Hornets 14 12 1 1 25 Richmond Bulldogs 14 12 0 2 24 Glenora Bears 14 10 1 3 21 Mangere East Hawks 14 6 1 7 13 Bay Roskill Vikings 14 5 0 9 10 Ponsonby Ponies 14 4 1 9 9 Pakuranga Jaguars 14 3 0 11 6 Hibiscus Coast Raiders 14 2 0 12 4

Semifinals Preliminary Final Grand Final                              Howick Hornets 44    Richmond Bulldogs 14          Howick Hornets 19        Richmond Bulldogs 18    Glenora Bears 12    Glenora Bears 31    Glenora Bears 38  Mangere East Hawks 18

Fox Memorial

The top eight teams in the Fox Memorial Qualification Series took part in the Lion Red Fox Memorial. The Mt Albert Lions were the defending champions and managed to defend their title, defeating the Papakura Sea Eagles 32-10 in the final.

As minor premiers the Otahuhu Leopards were awarded the Rukutai Shield.

Team Pld W D L Pts Otahuhu Leopards 14 11 0 3 22 Mt Albert Lions 14 11 0 3 22 Papakura Sea Eagles 14 10 0 4 20 East Coast Bays Barracudas 14 8 0 6 16 Marist Saints 14 6 0 8 12 Northcote Tigers 14 6 0 8 12 Te Atatu Roosters 14 3 0 11 6 Manurewa Marlins 14 1 0 13 2

Semifinals Preliminary Final Grand Final                              Otahuhu Leopards 24    Mt Albert Lions 40          Mt Albert Lions 32        Otahuhu Leopards 20    Papakura Sea Eagles 10    Papakura Sea Eagles 26    Papakura Sea Eagles 25  East Coast Bays Barracudas 20

Awards

The Auckland Rugby League's 2009 Awards were announced on 24 October.^[2]

Lion Red Fox Memorial Player of the Year: Dylan Davis (Marist)

George Rainey Medal Fox Memorial Team of the Year:
Fullback: James Blackwell (Otahuhu)
Winger: Viliami Taukiuvea (Northcote)
Centre: Toshio Laiseni (Papakura)
Standoff: Zensei Inu (Te Atatu)
Halfback: Aaron Woodhouse (Manurewa)
Prop: Dylan Davis (Marist)
Hooker: Zac Tippins (Te Atatu)
2nd Row: Sala Faalogo (Mt Albert)
Lock: Tui Samoa (East Coast Bays)

Mandron Masonry Phelan Shield Player of the Year: Itaifale Tolefoa (Navy/North Shore Dolphins)
SAS Sharman Cup Player of the Year: Aaron Booth (Glenora Bears)
Maori Television Rookie of the Year: Stephen Shennan (Te Atatu Roosters)
Premiership Coach of the Year: Brent Gemmell (Mt Albert)

References

1. Grassroots Club Rugby League On Maori Television! Maori Television Press Release, 22 May 2009
2. November 2009 Newsletter Auckland Rugby League

External links

• Official Site