The Marist Richmond Brothers were a 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...

 rugby league

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...

 franchise that played 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...

. They were a joint venture between two 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...

 clubs, the Richmond Bulldogs and the Marist Saints

Marist Saints

The Marist Saints is a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand. They regularly feature in the Fox Memorial, the premier division in Auckland Rugby League...

. In 2005 the competition was reorganised and the club, along with 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....

, formed the Auckland Lions

Auckland Lions

The Auckland Lions were a rugby league club that had teams in both the New Zealand Bartercard Cup and the NSWRL Premier League. They were mostly based around the Mt Albert Lions Rugby League club...

. Despite this many former players and the coach instead became involved in the Waitakere Rangers

Waitakere Rangers

The Waitakere Rangers were a franchise in the now defunct Bartercard Cup rugby league competition in New Zealand. They represented five clubs based in Waitakere City including the Glenora Bears who previously represented the City in the Bartercard Cup. The other four clubs were the Waitemata...

 franchise.

Notable players

Notable players included: Motu Tony

Motu Tony

Iosefo Motu Tony is a Samoan-New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and previously played for Hull and Whitehaven...

, Misi Taulapapa

Misi Taulapapa

Misi Taulapapa is a New Zealand rugby league player who currently plays for the Sheffield Eagles in the Co-operative Rugby League competition. He has previously played professionally in Australia and England...

, Karl Guttenbeil, Marcus Perenara

Marcus Perenara

Marcus Perenara is a New Zealand rugby league player who played professionally for the Parramatta Eels.He is the brother of Henry Perenara.-Playing career:...

, Tevita Latu

Tevita Latu

Tevita Leo-Latu is a professional rugby league footballer for the Central Queensland Comets of the Queensland Cup. He previously played for the New Zealand Warriors and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League...

, Steve Matai

Steve Matai

Stephen "Steve" Matai is a professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League. He plays as a centre. He is a New Zealand international of Samoan Heritage...

, Jerome Ropati

Jerome Ropati

Jerome Ropati is a professional rugby league footballer for the New Zealand Warriors of the National Rugby League. Ropati was a member of the World Cup-winning New Zealand team in 2008...

, Evarn Tuimavave

Evarn Tuimavave

Evarn Tuimavave is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League. He has also represented the New Zealand Kiwis and was part of the 2008 World Cup-winning squad...

 and Tangi Ropati

Tangi Ropati

Tangi Ropati is a Samoan rugby league player who currently plays for Widnes Vikings in England. He usually plays at Centre or Full Back.-Playing career:Ropati played for the Marist Richmond Brothers in the 2004 Bartercard Cup....

.

Results

The Brothers started the competition poorly, missing the playoffs in the first two years. However they turned things around for 2002 and made the playoffs for the first time. In 2003 they finished third on the table but then went on the qualify for the Grand Final, losing to the Canterbury Bulls

Canterbury Bulls

The Canterbury rugby league team are a rugby league team who represent the Canterbury Rugby League. They are currently nicknamed the Bulls but have previously had other nicknames such as the Reds. They are based at Rugby League Park in Christchurch....

. They dominated in 2004, claiming the Minor Premiership but went down 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....

 in the finals. They again missed the playoffs in 2005, their final season in the competition.

Season	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Position (Teams)	Finals
2000	22	9	0	13	558	707
18	Ninth (Twelve))	N/A
2001	21	8	2	11	675	595	80	20*	Eighth (Twelve)	N/A
2002	16	9	1	6	581	449	132	19	Fifth (Twelve)	Lost Elimination Semifinal
2003	16	12	1	3	627	406	221	25	Third (Twelve)	Lost Grand Final
2004	16	13	1	2	500	306	194	27	Minor Premiers (Twelve)	Lost Grand Final
2005	16	8	2	6	399	387	12	18	Seventh (Twelve))	N/A

*Two points for a bye awarded as the Ngongotaha Chiefs

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.