# 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 14 March with the start of the Phelan Shield and ended on 5 September with the Fox Memorial Grand Final. This was the 100th season of the competition, which began with the 1910 season.
The season followed the same format as 2008, with a qualification series in the first half of the year giving sixteen teams the opportunity to enter the Fox Memorial competition.
Beginning 7 June two games a week were broadcast in both English and Māori on Māori Television and Te Reo respectively.

## Fox Memorial Qualification Series

The Lion Red Fox Memorial Qualification Series involved sixteen teams divided into two pools, with the top eight teams entering the Fox Memorial competition. It started on 21 March and concluded on 2 May. The bottom eight teams instead entered the Sharman Cup.
| Pool A | Pool B |
| Papakura Sea Eagles Marist Saints Mt Albert Lions Northcote Tigers Richmond Bulldogs Howick Hornets Mangere East Hawks Bay Roskill Vikings | Otahuhu Leopards East Coast Bays Barracudas Te Atatu Roosters Manurewa Marlins Ponsonby Ponies Glenora Bears Pakuranga Jaguars Hibiscus Coast Raiders |

## Phelan Shield

The Mandron Masonry Phelan Shield began on 14 March and features eleven teams. The regular season concluded on 5 September with a grand final. The New Lynn Stags were the defending champions. Minor premiers the Manukau Magpies defeated the Waiheke Rams in the final to win the Shield.
| Team Pld W D L B Pts Manukau Magpies 201622236 Waiheke Rams 201433236 New Lynn Stags 201307232 Glenfield Greyhounds 201325232 Papatoetoe Panthers 2010010224 Ellerslie Eagles 20929224 Navy/North Shore Dolphins 209110223 Otara Scorpions 208012220 Mt Wellington Warriors 206113217 Waitemata Seagulls 204115214 Pt Chevalier Pirates 20121726 | SemifinalsPreliminary FinalGrand FinalManukau Magpies24Manukau Magpies26Waiheke Rams20Waiheke Rams16Waiheke Rams28'New Lynn Stags26New Lynn Stags56Glenfield Greyhounds8 |

## Sharman Cup

The bottom eight teams in the Fox Memorial Qualification Series took part in the SAS Sharman Cup. The Richmond Bulldogs were the defending champions. The grand final was held on 5 September and saw minor premiers the Howick Hornets defeat the Glenora Bears 19–12 to win the Cup. Hibiscus Coast were relegated to the Phelan Shield with the Manukau Magpies being promoted.
| Team Pld W D L Pts Howick Hornets 14121125 Richmond Bulldogs 14120224 Glenora Bears 14101321 Mangere East Hawks 1461713 Bay Roskill Vikings 1450910 Ponsonby Ponies 144199 Pakuranga Jaguars 1430116 Hibiscus Coast Raiders 1420124 | SemifinalsPreliminary FinalGrand FinalHowick Hornets44Howick Hornets19Richmond Bulldogs14Glenora Bears12Richmond Bulldogs18Glenora Bears31Glenora Bears38Mangere East Hawks18 |

## Fox Memorial

The top eight teams in the Fox Memorial Qualification Series took part in the Lion Red Fox Memorial. The Mt Albert Lions were the defending champions and managed to defend their title, defeating the Papakura Sea Eagles 32–10 in the final.
As minor premiers the Otahuhu Leopards were awarded the Rukutai Shield.
| Team Pld W D L Pts Otahuhu Leopards 14110322 Mt Albert Lions 14110322 Papakura Sea Eagles 14100420 East Coast Bays Barracudas 1480616 Marist Saints 1460812 Northcote Tigers 1460812 Te Atatu Roosters 1430116 Manurewa Marlins 1410132 | SemifinalsPreliminary FinalGrand FinalOtahuhu Leopards24Mt Albert Lions32Mt Albert Lions40Papakura Sea Eagles10Otahuhu Leopards20Papakura Sea Eagles26Papakura Sea Eagles25East Coast Bays Barracudas20 |

## Awards

The Auckland Rugby League's 2009 Awards were announced on 24 October.
Lion Red Fox Memorial Player of the Year: Phillip Kahui (Mt Albert)
George Rainey Medal Fox Memorial Team of the Year: Fullback: James Blackwell (Otahuhu) Winger: Phillip Kahui (Mt Albert) Centre: Toshio Laiseni (Papakura) Standoff: Zensei Inu (Te Atatu) Halfback: Aaron Woodhouse (Manurewa) Prop: Dylan Davis (Marist) Hooker: Zac Tippins (Te Atatu) 2nd Row: Sala Faalogo (Mt Albert) Lock: Tui Samoa (East Coast Bays)
Mandron Masonry Phelan Shield Player of the Year: Itaifale Tolefoa (Navy/North Shore Dolphins) SAS Sharman Cup Player of the Year: Aaron Booth (Glenora Bears) Māori Television Rookie of the Year: Stephen Shennan (Te Atatu Roosters) Premiership Coach of the Year: Brent Gemmell (Mt Albert)