2009 New Zealand rugby league season

International competitions

The New Zealand national rugby league team defeated Tonga in Rotorua before heading to Europe to compete in the Four Nations where they finished third. By defeating Tonga the Kiwis retained the Peter Leitch QSM Challenge Trophy. Coached by Stephen Kearney, the Four Nations squad included; Adam Blair, Greg Eastwood, Nathan Fien, Kieran Foran, Bryson Goodwin, Bronson Harrison, Lance Hohaia, Thomas Leuluai, Jeff Lima, Issac Luke, captain Benji Marshall, Steve Matai, Ben Matulino, Fuifui Moimoi, Frank-Paul Nu'uausala, Sam Perrett, Frank Pritchard, Junior Sau, Iosia Soliola, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Kevin Locke and Eddy Pettybourne.

Earlier in the year New Zealand lost 10-38 to Australia. Manu Vatuvei, Roy Asotasi, Dene Halatau, David Fa'alogo, Simon Mannering, Jason Nightingale, Sika Manu and Jerome Ropati played in this match but did not tour at the end of the year.

Bartercard Premiership Selection

A Bartercard Premiership Selection defeated a Samoan Residents side 62-14 on 10 October 2009. Canterbury coach Brent Stuart coached the Bartercard selection. Ruben Wiki came out of retirement to play in the match and all the proceeds were donated to the Samoan tsunami relief fund. The match was broadcast on Māori Television.

Bartercard Premiership Selection: Jonny Aranga (Cant), 2-Junior Salevao (Cant), 3-Craig Smith (Cant), 4-Gunther Schaumkel (Auck), 5-James Blackwell (Auck), 6-William Heta (Auck), 7-Kelvin Wright (Auck), 8-Vince Whare (Auck), 9-Nathan Sherlock (Cant), 10-Fred Turuwhenua (Auck), 11-Chris Bamford (Cant), 12-Sialli Tufeao (Auck), 13-Jonny Limmer (Cant). Interchange: 14-Dylan Davis (Auck), 15-Patrick Matulino (Auck), 16-Sione Tongia (Auck), 17-Suaia Matagi (Auck), 18-Darren Kingi (Waikato). Coach: Brent Stuart.

National competitions

Rugby League Cup

Canterbury defeated Auckland on 23 August to win the Rugby League Cup. As in 2008 the New Zealand Rugby League ruled that the Rugby League Cup would be defended in all Bartercard Premiership matches, home and away.

Bartercard Premiership

The 2009 season was the second and final Bartercard Premiership. Auckland were the defending champions. The same six provinces as in 2008 again took part in the competition. The Canterbury Bulls won the minor premiership and defeated Auckland 26–20 in the final.

Auckland included Sala Fa'alogo.

Television

The semi-finals and grand final of the Bartercard Premiership were shown live on SKY Network Television and also delayed on free to air.

Season standings

Warm Up Matches

In a warm up match Canterbury lost to the West Coast 20-14. This was reportedly the first time since 1989 that the West Coast had defeated Canterbury.

Fixtures and results

Round 1

Round 2

Canterbury vs. Bay of Plenty and Wellington vs. Taranaki matches were originally unable to take place as scheduled due to air travel issues. They were rescheduled to be mid-week games.

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Semi finals

Grand final

Junior Grades

Each of the Bartercard Premiership matches was preceded by a National Junior Competition Under 16 and Under 18 game. These two competitions ran in parallel with the senior competition. Auckland won the Under-16s final 11-10 over Taranaki while the Auckland under 18s defeated Wellington 34-10 to win that competition. Both finals were held in Cornwall Park, Auckland.

Australian competitions

Main article: 2009 New Zealand Warriors season

The New Zealand Warriors competed in the National Rugby League competition. They finished 14th out of 16 teams and failed to make the playoffs.

The Junior Warriors finished seventh before losing their Qualifying Final match.

The Auckland Vulcans competed in the NSW Cup and finished 11th out of eleven teams.

Club competitions

Auckland

Main article: 2009 Auckland Rugby League season

The Mt Albert Lions defeated the Papakura Sea Eagles 32–10 in the Grand Final to win the Fox Memorial. As minor premiers, the Otahuhu Leopards were awarded the Rukutai Shield. Papakura were coached by Dean Clark and included Toshio Laiseni.

Howick won the Sharman Cup while the Manukau Magpies won the Phelan Shield.

Wellington

The Porirua Vikings won the Wellington Rugby League title.

Canterbury

Hornby won the Canterbury Rugby League title.

Shane Endacott was the Celebration Lions' assistant coach while Phil Prescott coached Halswell.

The Timaru Warriors rejoined the CRL competition, after being in recess for four years.

Other Competitions

The Taniwharau Rugby League Club won the Waikato Rugby League competition.

Tokoroa's Pacific won the Bay of Plenty Rugby League competition while Otumoetai won the combined Coastline-Gisborne premiership, defeating the Paikea Whalers 34–8. The Hawke's Bay's Flaxmere Falcons competed in the Bay of Plenty competition. Matthew Spence was the Turangi Dambusters' player-coach.

The Paikea Whalers won the Gisborne Tairawhiti Rugby League competition, defeating the Kaiti Devils 76–14 in the grand final.

Blair Sims was named the West Coast Rugby League's player of the season.

References

References

1. [http://www.voxy.co.nz/sport/tonga-confirms-team-face-kiwis-rotorua/5/27096 Tonga Confirms Team To Face Kiwis In Rotorua] ''voxy.co.nz'', 13 October 2009
2. [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/article.cfm?c_id=79&objectid=10602494 It's just like riding a bike... ] ''New Zealand Herald'', 11 October 2009
3. [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/article.cfm?c_id=79&objectid=10599673 Lure of home final adds incentive for Canterbury] ''New Zealand Herald'', 26 September 2009. Accessed 2009-09-25. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121021093858/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/article.cfm?c_id=79&objectid=10599673 Archived] 2009-09-27.
4. [http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/2929642/Wiki-to-make-comeback-for-tsunami-benefit Wiki to make comeback for tsunami benefit] ''NZPA'', 4 September 2009
5. [http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/2930466/Canty-victory-eases-the-pain Canty victory eases the pain] ''The Press'', 5 October 2009
6. Geoff Longley [http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=16-4977-0-0-0&sID=64815&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=12287793&sectionID=64815 It's go the South Island, No Bull] ''The Press'', 4 June 2010
7. link. (28 July 2011 ''nzwarriors.co.nz'')
8. [http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=0-4977-0-0-0&sID=64815&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=9769961&sectionID=64815 Coast Go it Alone and Win] ''The Press'', 17 August 2009. Accessed 2009-08-27. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121010011139/http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=0-4977-0-0-0&sID=64815&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=9769961&sectionID=64815 Archived] 2009-09-05.
9. [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10599943&ref=rss Auckland, Canterbury in final] ''New Zealand Herald'', 28 September 2009. Accessed 2009-09-27. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121021094053/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10599943&ref=rss Archived] 2009-09-30.
10. [http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/2930465/Canterbury-Bulls-clinch-comeback-league-win Canterbury Bulls clinch comeback league win] ''The Press'', 5 October 2009
11. [http://nzrl.sitesuite.ws/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=28497 Bartercard National Provincial Premiership Kicks Off - 21 August 2009] ''NZRL.co.nz'', 21 August 2009. Accessed 2009-08-27. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090913205607/http://nzrl.sitesuite.ws/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=28497 Archived] 2009-09-05.
12. [http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/papakura-courier/2406693/Thriller-showdown-expected Thriller showdown expected] ''Papakura Courier'', 13 May 2009
13. [http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/rugby-league/5906004/Porirua-Vikings-true-champions Porirua Vikings rugby league's true champions] ''The Press'', 4 November 2011
14. [http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/rugby-league/5161181/Shane-Endacott-continues-league-family-tradition Shane Endacott continues league family tradition] ''The Press'', 16 June 2011
15. [http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/sport/local/2345809/Timaru-Warriors-reflect-on-loss-at-home Timaru Warriors reflect on loss at home] ''Timaru Herald'', 20 April 2009
16. [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-21470933.html Panthers too good for Taniwharau]{{dead link. (February 2019)
17. [http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/sport/news/otumoetai-eels-fall-over-in-crucial-game/3959842/ Otumoetai Eels 'fall over' in crucial game] ''Bay of Plenty Times'', 18 July 2011
18. [http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/sport/news/make-over-revamps-local-league/3908904/ Make-over revamps local league] ''The Daily Post'', 21 January 2010
19. link. (20 January 2011 ''Coastline Rugby League'')
20. [http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/sport/news/falcons-make-bay-league-debut/3800224/ Falcons make Bay league debut] ''The Daily Post'', 3 April 2009
21. [http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/sport/news/star-spence-in-roving-dambusters-role/3901266/ Star Spence in roving Dambusters role] ''The Daily Post'', 13 July 2009
22. [http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/article/?id=14086 Paikea champions] ''The Gisborne Herald'', 30 September 2009
23. [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/pike-river-miners/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503001&objectid=10689138 Blair Sims] ''New Zealand Herald'', 24 November 2010