Otahuhu Leopards
Encyclopedia
The Otahuhu Leopards are a 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...
club based in Otahuhu
Otahuhu
Otahuhu is a suburb of Auckland. It is located to the southeast of the city centre, on a narrow isthmus between an arm of the Manukau Harbour to the west and the Tamaki River estuary to the east...
, 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...
. The club competes in the Fox Memorial competition run by the 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...
. They are coached by Peter Caccioppoli. Between 2000 and 2003 they also competed 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...
.
The team are the current holders
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...
of both the Rukutai Shield (minor premiers) and Roope Rooster (Challenge Shield). The Leopards have held the Roope Rooster since defeating the Northcote Tigers
Northcote Tigers
The Northcote Tigers are a rugby league club based in Northcote, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1910 as the Northcote Warriors.The Tigers compete in the Fox Memorial competition run by the Auckland Rugby League. Between 2000 and 2002 the Northcote Tigers competed in the national Bartercard...
20-14 on 16 August 2009.
Notable players
The Otahuhu Club has had a long and proud history of producing top quality rugby league players. Some of these include;Kiwi Captains
To date the Leopards have produced five captains of the New Zealand Kiwis:- Roy ChristianRoy ChristianFletcher Roy Christian MBE is a New Zealand retired international rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 1970s. A centre three-quarter, he captained his country in the sport.-Playing career:...
(1970 - 1972) - Mark GrahamMark Graham (rugby league)Mark Kerry Graham is a New Zealand retired rugby league footballer and coach. A back-rower and former captain of the New Zealand national rugby league team, he has been named as the greatest player the country has produced in the century from 1907 to 2006.-Playing career:An Otahahu junior, Graham...
(1980 - 1986) - Hugh McGahanHugh McGahanHugh Joseph McGahan MBE is a former rugby league footballer and coach who represented New Zealand...
(1985 - 1990) - Richard Barnett (1999 - 2000)
- Ruben WikiRuben WikiRuben Wiki, ONZM is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New Zealand international representative centre-turned-prop forward, he retired with the record for most number of international appearances of any rugby league player in history...
(2003 - 2005)
Other players
- Thomas LeuluaiThomas LeuluaiThomas Leuluai is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League. His position is at half-back...
- Richard Blackmore
- Paul Goodwin
- Tawera NikauTawera NikauTawera Nuieia Nikau is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New Zealand international representative forward, he played club football at a number of different clubs in New Zealand, England and Australia during his career, including the Melbourne Storm's victory...
- Gary ProhmGary ProhmGary Prohm is a New Zealand former rugby league player and coach who represented his country, including in matches that counted towards the 1988 World Cup.-Playing career:...
- Tea RopatiTea RopatiTea Faa'tea Ropati is a former rugby league player who represented New Zealand and Western Samoa...
- Clinton ToopiClinton ToopiClinton Toopi is a professional rugby footballer who is currently playing for the Gold Coast Titans of the National Rugby League. His usual position is centre.-Playing career:...
- Jonathan SmithJonathan Smith (rugby league)Jonathan Smith is a former New Zealand rugby league player. His position of preference was in the Second Row.-Playing career:...
- Paul AtkinsPaul Atkins (rugby league)Paul Atkins is a former New Zealand rugby league player. He played for the Otahuhu Leopards from 2002–2003, the Otahuhu-Ellerslie Leopards from 2004–2005, the Tamaki Leopards in 2006 and the Howick Hornets from 2007-2009.-Playing career:...
- Manu VatuveiManu VatuveiManu Vatuvei is a New Zealand rugby league player for the New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League competition. His position of choice is on the wing. He is the cousin of Japanese Rugby Union player Ruatangi Vatuvei. Vatuvei was a member of the New Zealand Kiwis squad that won the 2008...
- Cooper VunaCooper VunaKerry Cooper Vuna is a professional rugby union player. He played league, on the wing for the Newcastle Knights , before switching to rugby union to play wing for the Melbourne Rebels.-Early years:...
- George CarmontGeorge CarmontGeorge Carmont is a professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of the Super League competition...
- Isaac JohnIsaac JohnIsaac John is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer currently signed with the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats of the English Super League...
Bartercard Cup
With the creation of the 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 by 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....
the Leopards were one of the seven Auckland sides invited to join. They dominated the competition in the inaugural season, finishing up Minor Premiers before going down 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....
in the Grand Final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
. More heartbreak was to follow for the club, losing in the Elimination Play-Off and the Preliminary Final the next two seasons before missing the final series all together in 2003.
| Season | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Position (Teams) | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 22 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 782 | 440 | 342 | 36 | Minor Premiers (Twelve) | Runner Up |
| 2001 | 22 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 691 | 528 | 163 | 29 | Fourth (Twelve) | Lost Elimination Play-Off |
| 2002 | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 636 | 393 | 243 | 20 | Third (Twelve) | Lost Preliminary Final |
| 2003 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 432 | 594 | ||||
| 11 | Ninth (Twelve) | N/A |
Otahuhu Ellerslie Leopards
In 2004 the Counties Manukau Jetz replaced the Manurewa MarlinsManurewa Marlins
The Manurewa Marlins are a rugby league club based in Manurewa, New Zealand. The Marlins compete in Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition. Between 2000 and 2003 they competed in the national Bartercard Cup competition.-Notable players:...
in the competition. As a result the number of clubs involved with the Eastern Tornadoes
Eastern Tornadoes
The Eastern Tornadoes were a New Zealand rugby league franchise that competed in the New Zealand Rugby League's Bartercard Cup and Auckland Rugby League's Super 12 competitions. They were formed to represent the rugby league clubs of East Auckland.-History:...
increased and the clubs orientation shifted southwards. The Ellerslie Eagles left this franchise and joined with Otahuhu to form the Otahuhu Ellerslie Leopards. The club made the finals again, again losing in the Preliminary Final. In 2005 the club missed the finals for the second time in three seasons.
| Season | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Position (Teams) | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 16 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 476 | 321 | 155 | 24 | Second (Twelve) | Lost Preliminary Final |
| 2005 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 442 | 412 | 30 | 18 | Sixth (Twelve) | N/A |
Tamaki Leopards
In 2006 the number of Auckland Bartercard Cup sides was reduced from eight to five. This resulted in the Otahuhu-Ellerslie Leopards and the Eastern TornadoesEastern Tornadoes
The Eastern Tornadoes were a New Zealand rugby league franchise that competed in the New Zealand Rugby League's Bartercard Cup and Auckland Rugby League's Super 12 competitions. They were formed to represent the rugby league clubs of East Auckland.-History:...
merging to form the Tamaki Leopards franchise. In 2007 the side was re-named the Tamaki Titans and finished fifth.