The 2024 season is the 116th season since the founding of the Auckland Rugby League in 1909.
In the Fox Memorial competition the top 6 teams qualified for the playoffs, with the top 4 from the Steel-Shanks Women's Premiership and Sharman Cup making their respective playoffs. Richmond Rovers won their first Fox Memorial Shield title in 44 years after last winning it in 1980. It was their 12th title in their 111-year history. Their 15–14 win over Papakura Sea Eagles came in extra time after the scores were locked at 14-14. Beau Cordtz broke the dead lock with a drop goal in the 10th minute of extra time. It was the 4th occasion that extra time had been played in a Fox Memorial grand final. Te Atatu made their first semi final for 14 years but lost to the Papakura Sea Eagles who were in their first final since 2016 when they won the championship. The Sharman Cup (2nd division) was won by the Northcote Tigers 22 to 12 over the Ponsonby Ponies on August 16.
The premier women's competition was won by the Papakura women's side who came back to beat Richmond 18–16 in the grand final at Mt Smart. Otara Venom won the Women's Championship grade (2nd division) after beating Richmond 26–24.
In the reserve grade men's competitions Papakura beat Point Chevalier 24–0 in the Fox reserve grade final, while Hibiscus Coast beat Papatoetoe Panthers in the Sharman Cup equivalent. The Manukau Spartans won the Ray Cranch Cup (Senior B) competition beating Otara Scorpions 20–14 in the final, with Waitemata Seagulls taking out the Bowl competition 24–22 over Manurewa Marlins. In the Open Age Restricted competition the Waiheke Rams won after beating Mt Albert 'Mad Dogs' 22–20 in the final. In the Under 18 grades Papatoetoe won the men's competition with Mangere East winning the women's.
As in 2023 the men's senior season began with a 3-round qualifying competition where there were 4 pools of 4, with the top 3 teams from each qualifying for the Fox Memorial Premier competition. The 4 teams which failed to qualify were Ponsonby, Hibiscus Coast, Northcote, and Mangere East. Mangere East were the only team to have missed out from the previous season with the Otara Scorpions from the 2022 Sharman Cup competition moving up to gain a place in the top flight. The Fox Memorial Premiership, Steele-Shanks Women's Premiership, Sharman Cup and all other grades officially started on May the 4th with 12 teams in the Fox Memorial Premiership, 7 in the Women's Premiership, and 10 in the Sharman Cup. The Open Age Restricted competition which had disappeared for several season before reviving in 2023 with 3 teams grew in 2024 with 6 sides competing (Asian Dragons/Otahuhu, Te Atatu, Glenora, Howick, Waiheke, and Mt Albert). The women's competition featured the same number of teams from 2023 (7), however a championship competition formed which included 4 teams from Otara, Richmond, Manurewa, and Glenfield.
News Premier competitions The Fox Memorial Shield competition will begin after a 3-week Fox Qualifying competition. Due to covid disrupted seasons from 2020 to 2022 the Auckland Rugby League decided that “2023 and 2024 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”, with the 2025 season seeing only 8 teams in the Fox Memorial premiership, down from the 12 teams of 2023 and 2024.
Fox Memorial Competition The men's premiership competition started on April 6 with a 3-round grading competition. There are16 teams competing divided into 4 pools based on their seeding from their finishing positions at the end of the 2023 regular season.
Fox Memorial Qualifying The 4 pools for qualifying were as follows with seedings in brackets based on the 2023 finishing positions: Pool A Pool B Pool C Pool D (1) Richmond (2) Point Chevalier (3) Howick (4) Papakura (8) Te Atatū (7) Mt Albert (6) Marist (5) Ōtāhuhu (9) Glenora (10) Manukau (11) Bay Roskill (12) Māngere East (16) Ponsonby (15) Hibiscus Coast (14) Northcote (13) Ōtara
Pool A Standings TeamPldWDLFA%PtsTe Atatu Roosters330012234359%6Richmond Rovers320112230407%4Glenora Bears31024813236%2Ponsonby Ponies30032812423%0
Round 1 Te Atatū beat last years runners up Richmond at Grey Lynn Park 18–16. Richmond scored first through Ropati Tupa'i but Te Atatū edged the next 60 minutes with a physical display on attack and defence, scoring tries to Shane Hannam, Penu Figota, and James Hickey, all converted by Nickolas Lythgo. Hooker Khalan Clyde nearly sealed the win with a 50-metre break away run but was hauled down by Trent Schaumkel and Viliame Cerei on the try line. Richmond responded late with two tries to James Gavet, both converted by Beau Cordtz but ran out of time. At Victoria Park a new look Glenora side struggled to beat Ponsonby, with Lonnie Papani's 58th minute try giving Glenora the breathing room needed to hang on.
Round 2 Richmond beat Glenora 60–12 with Jeremiah Schuster, Benjamin Kosi, Ropati Tupa'i, and Anthony Goulton scoring doubles and Beau Cordtz converting 8 of their 11 tries. At Te Atatū the Roosters lead 16–6 at HT into a strong wind. In the second half they dominated territory with Fine Vakautakakala and Khalan Clyde making several breaks. Polima Siaki scored 3 tries with Jeremiah Poutu scoring 2 and kicking a conversion, while Cyprus Schuman scored 2 tries on the left wing. Ponsonby's points came from a converted try to Daymon Abbey. The match was streamed on the iknowitNZ YouTube channel.
Round 3 Solomon Vasuvulagi was on debut for Richmond and scored a hat trick in their easy 46–0 win over Ponsonby which confined the Ponies to the Sharman Cup for the 2024 season. Anthony Goulton also scored 3 tries while Beau Cordtz scored one and added 4 conversions. At Jack Colvin Park the Roosters took the Dennis Williams Cup off Glenora for the first time in well over a decade with a comfortable 50–12 win. Polima Siaki opened the scoring against his former club with Jeremiah Poutu scoring 3 tries, and Cyprus Schuman and Khalan Clyde both scoring doubles. Nickolas Lythgo converted 7 of their 9 tries.
Pool B Standings TeamPldWDLFA%PtsMount Albert Lions33009620480%6Manukau Magpies3201447658%4Point Chevalier Pirates31027046152%2Hibiscus Coast30033410233%0
Round 1 Point Chevalier had a comfortable 42–12 win over Hibiscus Coast who are looking to come up to the Fox competition for the first time in several years. Point Chevalier trailed until the 21st minute and only lead 14–6 at halftime. Siapo Pasene scored 3 tries for Point Chevalier with veteran Francis Leger also scoring twice. Mount Albert thrashed Manukau 46–0 with William Piliu scoring 2 tries as did Herman Retzlaff who has joined from Point Chevalier. Dion Fraser converted 7 from 8.
Round 2 The live streamed match of the round was played between Point Chevalier and Mount Albert at Walker park in Point Chevalier. For the second time in a row Mount Albert handed the Pirates a defeat, coming home strongly to take the match with two second half tries. William Piliu ran into a hole for Mount Albert to score what turned out to be the winner with Dion Fraser converting it. Ratu Noborisi from the NZ Warriors SG Ball 2023 side scored a double for Point Chevalier. At Stanmore Bay the visiting Manukau side scored 4 tries in 22 minutes, however Hibiscus Coast replied with 3 tries all converted by Caleb Carter to tie the scores at halftime. With the game in the balance and both sides hopes of qualifying for the Fox on the line it was the Magpies who came home the strongest with Kahn Munokoa giving them the lead in the 76th minute with a converted try, then Samuel Nati sealed win with an 80th minute try.
Round 3 Manukau caused the upset of the round handing Point Chevalier their second straight defeat out at Moyle Park. After the Pirates took a 12–4 lead the Magpies scored in the 5th minute to Yijo John, and the 60th minute to Aisake Tauatina with Samuel Nati converting both to secure the 4 point win. At Fowld's Park, Hibiscus Coast scored first with Suliasi Kalekale crossing, but the Lions scored at regular intervals to ease to a 32–4 win with Kristian Petty scoring twice. The Raiders will now spend the season in the Sharman Cup finishing last of the 4 in their pool.
Pool C Standings TeamPldWDLFA%PtsBay Roskill Vikings330013244300%6Howick Hornets32018658148%4Marist Saints3102648674%2Northcote Tigers30034614033%0
Round 1 Howick started strongly with a 30–10 win over Marist with Hirini Holmes, a Counties Manukau junior rep from Pukekohe High School on debut scoring twice. Manurewa Marlins junior and recent school leaver from De La Salle, Norman Cameron Tuipulotu scored a try and kicked two goals while also on debut. Bay Roskill made short work of Northcote on their opponents ground with a 52–22 win, with the Tanielu brothers, Jarvis (3 tries), Joshua (6 conversion), and Zion (1 try) accounting for 28 of their points.
Round 2 Bay Roskill continued their good start to the season beating a strong Howick side 38–16. Nixon Leaso and Jarvis Leaoseve both scored doubles for the Vikings with Joshua Tanielu kicking 3 conversions to go with a try. For Howick, Te Waaka Popata-Henare scored twice. Marist moved out to a 26–4 lead over Northcote before going on to make it a comfortable 48–14 win. Holyfield Kapsin scored twice, with Doux Kauhiva converting 6 of their 9 tries.
Round 3 At Paparoa Park in the live streamed match the Tigers lost heavily and will be down in the Sharman Cup following their 3 defeats. For Howick, Sione To'a had a hat trick inside 15 minutes before adding a 4th and 5th in the second half. Bay Roskill dominated Marist at Blockhouse Bay, scoring regularly for an easy 42–6 win. The Saints only points came when Holyfield Kapsin sprinted the length of the field on halftime. Joshua Tanielu put in his usual hard working display and scoring their first and last tries and kicking 3 conversions with Mackenzie Kata also crashing over for 2 tries.
Pool D Standings TeamPldWDLFA%PtsŌtāhuhu Leopards330011628414%6Papakura Sea Eagles320111858203%4Ōtara Scorpions3102568467%2Mangere East Hawks30032814819%0
Round 1 The live streamed match on the Auckland Rugby League YouTube channel was between Papakura and Ōtara at Prince Edward park in Papakura. Making his first ever first grade appearance for his junior club was Manu Vatuvei. He scored a try in the 14th minute with the conversion by Fuamaila Gatapu giving them a 10–4 lead which became 20–16 at halftime. Vatuvei was sinbinned late in the first half on advice from a touch judge. However Papakura completely dominated the second half running in 4 tries to add to James Soosemea's first half hat trick. James Dowie, who had moved across from Mangere East converting 5 of their 7 tries to win by 18. Ōtāhuhu beat Māngere East with Tevita Mikaele scoring a hat trick and kicking 6 goals for a personal haul of 24 points. Bostyn Hakaraia, who had moved from Te Atatū also scored 3 tries, while Kelepi Manuika scored twice.
Round 2 Papakura and Otahuhu both secured their places in the Fox Memorial competition with easy wins. Papakura thrashed Mangere East 62–8 with James Dowie converting 7 of their 12 tries and also scoring once for a personal haul of 18 points. Cortez Taulu scored 3 tries and Daylee Dutton 2 for the Sea Eagles. In Ōtara the scores were locked at 6–6 after 30 minutes before Bostyn Hakaraia broke the deadlock, putting the Leopards in front. They then took control of the game, scoring once more in the first half and three more in the second.
Round 3