1997 Auckland Warriors season explained

Year:1997
League:SL
League Rank:7th
Cup:Challenge Cup
League Wins:7
League Draws:0
League Losses:11
Points For:332
Points Against:406
Ceo Title:CEO
Ceo:Bill MacGowan
Coach:John Monie
Frank Endacott
Captain:Matthew Ridge
Stadium:Ericsson Stadium
Avg Attendance:15,442
Top Tries:Sean Hoppe (11)
Top Goals:Marc Ellis (25)
Top Points:Marc Ellis (71)
Prev Season:1996
Next Season:1998

The Auckland Warriors 1997 season was the Auckland Warriors 3rd first-grade season. The club competed in Australasia's Super League. The coach of the team was John Monie until he was replaced by Frank Endacott after Round 9 while Matthew Ridge was the club's captain.

Milestones

Jersey & Sponsors

The Warriors adopted a new in 1997 that matched the Super League style used by the other nine teams in the competition. The jerseys were made by Nike, Inc.

Fixtures

See also: List of New Zealand Warriors results. The Warriors used Ericsson Stadium as their home ground in 1997, their only home ground since they entered the competition in 1995.

Regular season

DateRound Opponent VenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceReport
1 MarchRound 1 Brisbane BroncosLoss 2 - 14 Ridge (1)42,361
8 MarchRound 2 Hunter MarinersWin 18 - 14 Hoppe (2), EruRidge (3)20,300
17 MarchRound 3 Cronulla SharksLoss 8 - 34 BettsRidge (2)16,860
21 MarchRound 4 Adelaide RamsLoss 12 - 16 Jones, TuimavaveEllis (2)13,000
29 MarchRound 5 Penrith PanthersWin 16 - 14 Betts, Hoppe, T.RopatiEllis (1), Ridge (1)19,400
7 AprilRound 6 Canberra RaidersWin 31 - 24 Henare, Hoppe, Jones, Kearnery, I.RopatiEllis (5 + FG)15,061
12 AprilRound 7 Hunter MarinersLoss 10 - 18 Hoppe, I.RopatiEllis (1)7,719
19 AprilRound 8 Canterbury BulldogsLoss 24 - 38 Eru, Jones, I.Ropati, T.RopatiEllis (4)17,000
27 AprilRound 9 North Queensland CowboysLoss 22 - 30 Endacott, Hoppe, T.RopatiEllis (5)12,464
4 MayRound 10 Brisbane BroncosLoss 18 - 34 Hoppe (2), T.RopatiEllis (3)16,471
26 MayRound 11 Canberra RaidersLoss 10 - 20 Ellis, RidgeEllis (1)15,100
1 JuneRound 12 Western RedsLoss 12 - 24 Eru, HoppeNgamu (2)10,203
6 JuneWCC 1 St Helens R.F.C.Win 42 - 14 Hoppe (2), A.Swann (2), Jones, Kearney,
T.Ropati
Ridge (7)8,911
14 JuneWCC 2 Bradford BullsWin 20 - 16 Jones, Ridge, StaladiRidge (4)13,133
23 JuneWCC 3 Warrington WolvesWin 56 - 28 T.Ropati (4), A.Swann (2), Kearney, Ngamu,
Ridge, Vagana
Ridge (8)4,428
29 JuneRound 13 Penrith PanthersLoss 22 - 26 Eru (2), Jones, StaladiNgamu (3)4,446
6 JulyRound 14 Cronulla SharksWin 11 - 8 EllisRidge (3), Jones (FG)12,568
11 JulyRound 15 Adelaide RamsWin 18 - 8 Oudenryn, T.RopatiEllis (3)13,278
18 JulyWCC 4 Bradford BullsWin 64 - 14 T.Ropati (3), Hoppe (2), Betts, Ellis, Eru,
Ngamu, Oudenryn
Ngamu (12)12,500
25 JulyWCC 5 St Helens R.F.C.Win 70 - 6 Ngamu (3), Eru (2), Hoppe (2), Oudenryn (2),
Betts, Ellis, Jones
Ridge (11)18,354
3 AugustWCC 6 Warrington WolvesWin 16 - 4 Eru, Jones, KearneyRidge (2)5,500
11 AugustRound 16 Canterbury BulldogsLoss 18 - 40 Hoppe, Oudenryn, A.SwannRidge (3)5,126
16 AugustRound 17 Western RedsWin 30 - 22 Ridge (2), Betts, Jones, KearneyRidge (5)13,142
24 AugustRound 18 North Queensland CowboysWin 50 - 22 Ellis (3), Jones (2), Bailey, Hoppe,
Oudenryn, A.Swann
Ngamu (7)12,000

World Club Challenge Finals

DateRound Opponent VenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttendanceReport
3 OctoberQualifying Final Bradford BullsWin 62 - 14 Hoppe (2), Ridge (2), Ellis, Eru, Jones, Malam,
Ngamu, A.Swann, L.Swann
Ridge (9)12,063
10 OctoberSemi-final Brisbane BroncosLoss 16 - 22 Oudenryn (2), EndacottRidge (2)9,686

Ladder

WCC Australasia Pool A

Club Played Won Lost Drawn For Against Diff. Points
6 6 0 0 270 52 218 12
6 6 0 0 268 82 186 12
6 6 0 0 230 54 176 12
6 6 0 0 256 120 136 12
6 5 1 0 302 108 194 10
6 4 2 0 218 121 97 8

Squad

See also: List of New Zealand Warriors players. The Warriors used 29 players in 1997, including four players making their first grade debuts.

No.NameNationalityPositionWarriors DebutAppTGFGPts
2FB / HK10 March 199520000
3WG10 March 199518110044
6FE10 March 199517012024
10PR / HK10 March 199510000
11SR10 March 1995172008
13 / PR / LK10 March 199571004
15 / CE / FE10 March 19951650020
18 / PR18 March 1995170000
19HK28 March 19951850020
24HB23 April 19951870129
28SR4 June 19951430012
29FB / WG31 March 199616525171
30PR / SR31 March 1996150000
33 / SR14 April 199640000
35CE19 April 1996530012
36 / CE23 June 1996182008
37PR23 June 1996150000
38SR23 July 1996111004
40FB1 March 19979318048
41PR1 March 199790000
42SR1 March 1997130000
43FE17 March 199720000
44FE29 March 199781004
45WG27 April 199741004
46CE / LK1 June 199710000
47WG6 July 1997540016
48HB29 June 199710000
49CE11 August 199731004
50 / PR16 August 199710000

Staff

Coaching Staff

Transfers

Gains

Player Previous Club Length Notes
Manly Sea EaglesHad initially signed and trained with the side in 1996, until the Super League season was postponed.
South Queensland Crushers
Canterbury Country Cardinals
Gold Coast Seagulls

Losses

Player Club Notes
Whitehaven
Wigan Warriors
Warrington Wolves
Auckland Rugby Football Union
Salford City Reds
NEC Green Rockets
Warrington Wolves
Retired
Penrith Panthers
Leeds Rhinos

Awards

Stacey Jones won the club's Player of the Year award.[2]

Other Teams

The Warriors fielded teams in both Super League's reserve grade and the Under-19 competition (The Mal Meninga Cup). The Reserve Grade side finished fourth and then beat Cronulla, Perth and North Queensland to make the Grand Final while the Under 19's finished the regular season as minor premiers, beating Penrith to make the Grand Final. Ultimately however both sides lost their respective Grand Finals, with the reserve grade going down 12-40 and the Under-19's losing 12–27.

Grand Final Teams

Reserve Grade: Glen Coughlan, Iva Ropati, David Bailey, Joe Galuvao, Paul Staladi, Meti Noovao, Aaron Whittaker, Hitro Okesene, Steve Buckingham, Grant Young, Tony Tuimavave, Jerry Seu Seu, Bryan Henare. Bench: Ben Fahey, Frank Watene, Paul Rauhihi, Ricky Henry. Coach: Gary Kemble.

Under-19: Junior Lemafa, Odell Manuel, Tai Savea, Peter Lewis, Mark Fakahua, Monty Betham, Anthony Clyde, David Solomona, Lee Wetherill, Pewhairangi Jones, Kylie Leuluai, Filimone Lolohea, Ali Lauitiiti. Bench: Steve Murray, Scott Dewhurst, Fale Falemoe, Jonathan Smith. Coach: John Ackland.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Frank Endacott with John Coffey Being Frank:The Frank Endacott Story. Auckland, Hodder Moa Beckett, 2002. .
  2. John Coffey Jones honoured as `Player of the Year' The Press, 29 August 1997