Hibiscus Coast Raiders
Encyclopedia
The Hibiscus Coast Raiders are a rugby league
club based on the Hibiscus Coast
, New Zealand
. They compete in Auckland Rugby League
's Fox Memorial competition and between 2000 and 2005 were also involved in the Bartercard Cup
competition.
.
In 1997 the club moved from its original location at Edith Hopper Park to Stanmore Bay Reserve.
Before Brian McClennan
took over as coach in the late 1990s they were a third division side, but the club enjoyed success and growth to the point where in 1998, the Premiers won the Northern Regional Cup and we were invited to move up into the Fox Memorial Tournament. They were then invited to be part of the New Zealand Rugby League
's new Bartercard Cup
in 2000 and the club won the 2001 Bartercard Cup.
, Aaron Heremaia
, Ben Te'o, Iafeta Paleaaesina
, Odell Manuel
and Vinny Dunn
.
in 2000 and competed in the competition until they were replaced by Harbour League
in 2006. Harbour League represented all of the North Shore clubs.
The Raiders missed out on a top five spot in their debut year but turned things around so much in 2001 that they dominated the competition, winning the Grand Final. They made the Grand Final again in 2002, losing to the Mt Albert Lions
. They were never a major threat in the competition after this however, either bowing out in the first round or not making the play-offs at all. In a way they were a victim of their own success, many players were bought up into the New Zealand Warriors
squad and their coach was headhunted by Mt Albert.
* Two points for a bye awarded as the Ngongotaha Chiefs
left the competition.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club based on the Hibiscus Coast
Hibiscus Coast
The Hibiscus Coast is a stretch of the Hauraki Gulf coast located in New Zealand's Rodney District, 10 minutes north of the former North Shore City by car. It contains the northernmost part of the Auckland metropolitan area....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. They compete in Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
's Fox Memorial competition and between 2000 and 2005 were also involved in the Bartercard Cup
Bartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
competition.
History
The club was formed in 1982 by a group of players that included former Kiwi Ken StirlingKen Stirling
Ken Stirling is a New Zealand former rugby league player, coach and administrator who represented his country in the 1975 World Championship.-Playing career:...
.
In 1997 the club moved from its original location at Edith Hopper Park to Stanmore Bay Reserve.
Before Brian McClennan
Brian McClennan
Brian "Bluey" McClennan is the head coach for the New Zealand Warriors of the National Rugby League . He was previously the head coach of the New Zealand national team and then England's Leeds Rhinos club...
took over as coach in the late 1990s they were a third division side, but the club enjoyed success and growth to the point where in 1998, the Premiers won the Northern Regional Cup and we were invited to move up into the Fox Memorial Tournament. They were then invited to be part of the New Zealand Rugby League
New Zealand Rugby League
The New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....
's new Bartercard Cup
Bartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
in 2000 and the club won the 2001 Bartercard Cup.
Notable players
Notable former players include; Daniel Floyd, Karl TemataKarl Temata
Karl Temata is a New Zealand rugby league player. Temata is a Cook Islands international.-Playing career:...
, Aaron Heremaia
Aaron Heremaia
Aaron Aspin Heremaia is a New Zealand rugby league player who currently plays for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League...
, Ben Te'o, Iafeta Paleaaesina
Iafeta Paleaaesina
Iafeta Iakopo Palea'aesina , is a rugby league footballer of Samoan heritage) currently playing for the Salford City Reds of Super League...
, Odell Manuel
Odell Manuel
Odell Manuel is a former New Zealand rugby league player and almost the Australian Powerlifting champion.-Early years:Growing up in Auckland, Manuel was a Otahuhu Leopards junior and in 1997 was selected for the Junior Kiwis.-Rugby league career:...
and Vinny Dunn
Vinny Dunn
Vincent "Vinny" Dunn is a New Zealand professional wrestler and former rugby league player who has competed in several Australasian independent wrestling promotions since his debut in 2005. He has worked for the Australasian Wrestling Federation, Kiwi Pro Wrestling and is currently signed to Impact...
.
Bartercard Cup
The Raiders were invited to be part of the inaugural Bartercard CupBartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
in 2000 and competed in the competition until they were replaced by Harbour League
Harbour League
Harbour League were a franchise in the now defunct Bartercard Cup rugby league competition in New Zealand. They represented Aucklands North Shore City...
in 2006. Harbour League represented all of the North Shore clubs.
The Raiders missed out on a top five spot in their debut year but turned things around so much in 2001 that they dominated the competition, winning the Grand Final. They made the Grand Final again in 2002, losing to the Mt Albert Lions
Mt Albert Lions
The Mount Albert Lions are a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. The Lions home ground is at Fowlds Park. Their patron is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark. In 2008 and 2009 the Lions won the Fox Memorial....
. They were never a major threat in the competition after this however, either bowing out in the first round or not making the play-offs at all. In a way they were a victim of their own success, many players were bought up into the New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
squad and their coach was headhunted by Mt Albert.
| Season | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Position (Teams) | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 544 | 578 | ||||
| 19 | Eight (Twelve)) | N/A | ||||||||
| 2001 | 21 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 742 | 425 | 317 | 35* | Minor Premiers (Twelve) | Champions |
| 2002 | 16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 536 | 377 | 159 | 22 | Second (Twelve) | Lost Grandfinal |
| 2003 | 16 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 573 | 319 | 254 | 24 | Fourth (Twelve) | Lost Elimination Play-off |
| 2004 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 266 | 503 | ||||
| 6 | Wooden Spoon (Twelve) | N/A | ||||||||
| 2005 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 512 | 362 | 150 | 20 | Fifth (Twelve) | Lost Elimination Play-off |
Ngongotaha Chiefs
The Ngongotaha Chiefs are a New Zealand rugby league club. They are from Ngongotaha in the Bay of Plenty. In 2000 and 2001 they competed in the Bartercard Cup but now they compete in the Bay of Plenty Rugby League competition.-Notable players:...
left the competition.