The 2023 Auckland Rugby League season is the 115th season since the founding of the Auckland Rugby League in 1909. The Fox Memorial Shield was won for the 7th time by the Point Chevalier Pirates after they defeated the Richmond Rovers 24–16 in the final on August 19 at Mt Smart Stadium 2. Richmond won the Rukutai Shield for the first time since 2001 which was also the last time they had appeared in the Fox Memorial final. Ollie Tuimavave was awarded the Doug Price Medal for player of the match. The women's competition was won for the first time by the Howick Hornets who beat the Mt Albert Lionesses 36–6 in the final also on August 19. They were awarded the newly made Steele-Shanks Cup. Zayde Sarah-Baldwin won the player of the match award. Mt Albert won the men's Plate competition with a 22–16 win over Te Atatū Roosters with both teams finishing the regular season in 7th and 8th positions in the Fox Premiership. The Sharman Cup was won by the Otara Scorpions who beat Northcote Tigers 30–20 on August 12. It was the second time they had won it with the first being in 2014. Papatoetoe Panthers won the Sharman Cup plate final with a 23–20 win over the Pakuranga Jaguars. Ōtāhuhu Leopards took out the Fox reserve grade competition with a 26–22 win over the reigning champions, the Pt Chevalier Pirates, with Manurewa Marlins winning the Sharman Cup reserve grade competition when they beat Papatoetoe 32–16. The Auckland Rugby League revived the Open Age Restricted competition (90 kg) but only 3 teams fielded sides in the regular season. It is hoped to grow the competition further in 2024. Te Atatū qualified for the final after beating Mt Albert in the semi final, but were defeated comfortably 26–0 by Manurewa in the grand final. Several of the matches were screened live on Sky Sports and a Glenora team then competed in two post season matches against Mt Albert and Te Atatū which were televised on consecutive Wednesday nights. They beat Mt Albert before losing to Te Atatū.
News Premier competitions The Fox Memorial Shield competition began after a 3-week grading competition. Due to covid disrupted seasons the Auckland Rugby League decided that “2023 will work as a bridge between the 2022 shortened season and by 2025 will see a return to a more exclusive Fox Memorial Premiership competition”. The 3-year plan is for the top 4 teams in the 2023 Sharman Cup to qualify for the qualifying competition in 2024 with 4 pools once more, with the 2025 season seeing only 8 teams in the Fox Memorial premiership, down from the 12 teams that there will be in 2023 and 2024. The women's competition features just the one grade with seven teams in it, down from two grades in 2022 with 13 total teams. The Pt Chevalier and Ponsonby clubs have fielded a combined side named "City" and they will play matches at Victoria Park. The Mt Albert club is fielding a team for the first time in a few seasons, named the "Lionesses". The women's competition saw a new grand final trophy named after Cherie Steele-Shanks "whose pioneering efforts began nearly five decades ago when, in 1976, she became a pivotal member of the Glenfield Rugby League club committee". She served as chair, secretary and treasurer and "left an unforgettable mark" on the game after "creating the New Zealand Women's Rugby League committee in 1996" with the first national women's tournament following. Both the men's and women's competitions will feature a match each Wednesday night at North Harbour Stadium which will be screened live on Sky TV.
Players of the year awards On Tuesday, August 15 Auckland Rugby League celebrated their 2023 season award night in the Mad Butcher Lounge at Mt Smart Stadium. Sione Feao (Ōtāhuhu) won the George Rainey Men's Player of the Year award, while Lavinia Tauhalaliku (City) won the Cathy Friends Women's Player of the Year award. The Sharman Cup Player of the Year award went to Tony Siligi (New Lynn).
Club Players of the Year Fox Memorial Premiership
Bay Roskill: Joshua Tanielu Glenora: Phillip Kingi Howick: Jethro Friend Māngere East: Apichart Korhomklang Manukau: Samuel Nati Marist: Johnny Falelua Malio Mt Albert: Trent Schaumkel Ōtāhuhu: Sione Feao Papakura: Joseph Price Pt Chevalier: Ollie Tuimavave Richmond: Beau Cordtz Te Atatū: Fine Vakautakalala
Women's Premiership
City: Lavinia Tauhalaliku Howick: Mele Fotu-Moala Manurewa: Jodeci Joseph Mt Albert: Lydia Turua-Quedley Ōtāhuhu: Onjeurlina Leiataua Ōtara: Annessa Biddle Taniwharau: Manirewa Howell
Sharman Cup
Ellerslie: Sione Tu'a Glenfield: Isaac Bahn Hibiscus Coast: Sam Waterworth Manurewa: Amerika Uili New Lynn: Tony Siligi Northcote: Tawhiri Heremaia Ōtara: Robert Fatialofa Pakuranga: Kelepi Fakalata Papatoetoe: Chesire Carson Ponsonby: Dion Fraser
Individual Awards Men's Top Goal Kicker Fiohiva Siale Fianga'a (Ōtāhuhu) & Emmanuel Cerei (Marist) Women's Top Goal Kicker Paulina Morris-Ponga (City) Men's Top Try-Scorer Geronimo Doyle (Ōtāhuhu) Women's Top Try-Scorer Lavinia Tauhalaliku (City) The StreamShop Men's Best Try Doux Kauhiva (Marist) The StreamShop Women's Best Try Summer Van Gelder (Mt Albert) Men's Coach of the Year Simon Ieremia (Marist) Women's Coach of the Year Tasha Davie (Mt Albert) Men's Manager of the Year Teamalu Schaaf (Pt Chevalier) Women's Manager of the Year Marie Scanlan (City)
Teams of the Year George Rainey Fox Memorial Team of the Year Fullback - Ollie Tuimavave (Pt Chevalier) Winger - Joshua Cooper (Howick) Centre - Lani Graham-Taufa (Marist) Centre - Joshua Tanielu (Bay Roskill) Winger - Lewis Soosemea (Papakura) Standoff - James Aspden (Mt Albert) Halfback - Samuel Nati (Manukau) Prop - Manu Fatialofa (Howick) Hooker - Jethro Friend (Howick) Prop - Trent Schaumkel (Mt Albert) Second Row - Jeremiah Schuster (Richmond) Second Row - Sione Feao (Ōtāhuhu) Lock - Jamel Hunt (Ōtāhuhu) Cathy Friend Women's Team of the Year Fullback - Paris Pickering (City) Winger - Cassie Ormsby (Howick) Centre - Lavinia Tauhalaliku (City) Centre - Leah-Rhys Toka (Taniwharau) Winger - Carmel Uhila (Ōtāhuhu) Standoff - Sade Schaumkel (Ōtāhuhu) Halfback - Lydia Turua-Quedley (Mt Albert) Prop - Cilia-Marie Po'e-Tofaeono (Howick) & Mia Holo (City) Hooker - Avery-Rose Carmont (Ōtāhuhu) Prop - Karlene Lesoa (Ōtara Scorpions) Second Row - Shaniece Manshchau (Mt Albert) Second Row - Noia Fotu-Moala (Ōtara) Lock - Onjeurlina Leiataua (Ōtahuhu)
Sharman Cup Team of the Year Fullback - Molisoni Faiva (Pakuranga) Winger - Manu Tukia (Pakuranga) Centre - Kavan Te Kiri-Ryan (Hibiscus Coast) Centre - Amerika Uili (Manurewa) Winger - Fuamaila Gatapu (Ōtara) Standoff - Daylee Dutton (Manurewa) Halfback - Dion Fraser (Ponsonby) Prop - Kelepi Fakalata (Pakuranga) Hooker - Chesire Carson (Papatoetoe) Prop - Robert Fatialofa (Ōtara) Second Row - Heitoni Talagi (Ponsonby) Second Row - Taylor Daniels (Northcote) Lock -Tony Siligi (New Lynn)
Club teams and grade participation
TeamPremResOARSBMast1818G1616G151414G1313G1212G11109876TotalManurewa Marlins211111021232214143443750Otara Scorpions210121121120212123244439Mangere East Hawks110011001121213144334236Otahuhu Leopards210011111121112032222229Mount Albert Lions211011101111001012222223Te Atatu Roosters111010010000200022142422Papakura Sea Eagles110010000011002022223220Glenora Bears110010000000101033233120Marist Saints110020011100101021121117Richmond Rovers110011001001101111211116Ellerslie Eagles110010010110001012120215Waitemata Seagulls000120000010101012212115Bay Roskill Vikings110010010011101011101113Manukau Magpies110130000000001011201113Howick Hornets210010100010001011111113Point Chevalier Pirates110100000000111011211113Northcote Tigers110010010010001011112113Hibiscus Coast Raiders110010101001000011112113Pakuranga Jaguars100110001000100010121212Papatoetoe Panthers110001010100000012020111New Lynn Stags100010000010101011111111Glenfield Greyhounds100010000010101001121111Ponsonby Ponies10011000000000000000014East Coast Bays Barricudas00011000000000000000013Pukekohe Pythons00000000000000001000113Taniwharau Taniwha10000000001000000000002Mt Wellington Warriors00002000000000000000002City10000001000000000000002Tuakau Broncos00000000000000000000112Avondale Wolves00010000000000000000001Rodney Rams00001000000000000000001Waiheke Rams00000000000000000100001Waikato Masters00001000000000000000001Waiuku00000000000000000000011Total29183931751299199185264363835414045448
Fox Memorial Competition The men's premiership competition started on April 15 with a 3-round grading competition. There were 16 teams competing divided into 4 pools based on their seeding from their finishing positions at the end of the 2021 regular season (with the playoffs cancelled due to covid lockdowns). The Fox Memorial premiership competition began on May 3 with a Wednesday night game between Pt Chevalier and Glenora.
Fox Memorial Qualifying The 4 pools for qualifying were as follows with seedings in brackets based on the 2021 finishing positions: Pool A Pool B Pool C Pool D (1) Point Chevalier (2) Mt Albert (3) Glenora (4) Ōtāhuhu (8) Māngere East (7) Bay Roskill (6) Marist (5) Howick (9) Manukau (10) Richmond (11) Northcote (12) Te Atatū (16) Pakuranga (15) Hibiscus Coast (14) Papakura (13) Ōtara
Pool A Standings
TeamPldWDLFA%PtsPoint Chevalier Pirates3300190161187.5%6Manukau Magpies320110262164.5%4Māngere East Hawks31025614040%2Pakuranga Jaguars30032615616.70
Round 1
Round 2 Freedom Vahaakolo scored his first points for Pt Chevalier in their 24–12 win over Manukau at Moyle Park. The match saw an even first half with the teams level at the break 6–6 before Pt Chevalier opened up an 18–6 lead and held on. The Māngere East - Pakuranga match was the live streamed match of the round and saw the home team, Māngere, winning 30–10. It was a tight first half with just 2 tries scored before it opened up in the second with Māngere scoring 5 tries and Pakuranga 2, including 1 to Counties-Manukau U20 representative Stanley Hingano.
Round 3 Pt Chevalier trounced Māngere East 90–4 at Walker Park, though both teams had already progressed to the Fox Memorial competition. At Ti Rakau Park, Manukau won easily 50–16 with Omni Mesake scoring 4 tries for the winners.
Pool B Standings TeamPldWDLFA%PtsBay Roskill Vikings33009460156.7%6Richmond Rovers32019848204.2%4Mt Albert Lions3102369040%2Hibiscus Coast Raiders3003467660.5%0
Round 1 The match between Bay Roskill and Richmond at Blockhouse Bay Reserve was filmed by Petes Filming. The home side, Bay Roskill won 30-28 holding off a late Richmond comeback.
Round 2 Bay Roskill continued their good early season form, beating Mt Albert 32–16 with former Warrior Ben Henry, who had now been playing for Bay Roskill for several seasons scoring one of their 6 tries. Josh Tanielu kicked 4 goals to add to his 2 tries. Richmond beat Hibiscus Coast 24–18 in a tight match at Grey Lynn Park with Connor Hohepa converting all 4 of their tries. For Hibiscus Coast former St Helens player, Nathan Ashe scored one of their 3 tries.
Round 3 Richmond thrashed Mt Albert at Fowlds Park 46–0 to comfortably secure their place in the Fox competition after jumping out to a 26–0 lead in as many minutes. If Hibiscus Coast had been able to defeat Bay Roskill then Mt Albert would have found themselves competing for the Sharman Cup but Bay Roskill overturned a 6–10 halftime deficit to win 32–16 to record their third straight win and confine Hibiscus Coast to the Sharman Cup competition for 2023.
Pool C Standings
TeamPldWDLFA%PtsMarist Saints33009860163.3%6Papakura Sea Eagles32018656153.6%4Glenora Bears3102667983.5%2Northcote Tigers30035010547.6%0
Round 1
Round 2 In Glenora's 34–12 win over Northcote at the Birkenhead War Memorial, Kadiyae Ioka scored a double and kicked 3 goals, while for Northcote Kevin Locke converted Northcote's 2 tries. In Marist's 2 point win over Papakura, Emmanuel Cerei crucially had his kicking boots on, converting all 4 of Marist's tries.
Round 3