1996 Auckland Warriors season

February 2020 1996 ARL 11th Challenge Cup 10 0 11 412 427 CEO Ian Robson John Monie Greg Alexander Denis Betts Ericsson Stadium 20,126 John Kirwan (10) Gene Ngamu (50) Gene Ngamu (120) 1995 1997 The Auckland Warriors 1996 season was the Auckland Warriors 2nd season in first-grade. The club competed in Australasia's Australian Rugby League competition. The coach of the team was John Monie while Greg Alexander was the club's captain. Milestones 29 July - Round 18 - Gene Ngamu scores 28 points (3 tries, 8 goals) in the defeat of the North Queensland Cowboys, setting the club's point scoring record. Jersey and sponsors rightThe Warriors retained the same jersey design as in 1995. The official jersey supplier were Lenco. The Jersey was blue with a Green, Red and White "V". Only one jersey was used for both home and away games. The main sponsor was DB Bitter. Asics, Coca-Cola and Mitsubishi also had sponsorship deals. Super League Super League war As the Auckland Warriors had, along with seven other clubs, signed with News Limited they did not originally intend to compete in the Australian Rugby League's Optus Cup in 1996. Instead Super League was scheduled to start on 1 March 1996.December 2024 Legal proceedings had been ongoing between the ARL and News Ltd since 1995 and on 23 February 1996 Justice James Burchett ruled the new Super League competition to be illegal. As a result, the eight Super League clubs were obliged to compete in the Optus Cup in 1996. However the competition, which was originally planned to kick off on 1 March was delayed and commenced on 22 March. As a result of the court action the Warriors were not invited to participate in the ARL's 1996 Rugby League World Sevens but many of their players instead took part in Super League's 1996 World Nines, which were won by New Zealand.December 2024 All Super League clubs apart from the Warriors forfeited Round One of the Optus Cup. The Warriors board instead directed reserve grade coach Frank Endacott to organise two teams of un-affiliated players to fly to Brisbane. Endacott did so, assembling teams largely made up of the Otahuhu Leopards and Ellerslie Eagles senior sides, and the Warriors first and reserve grade sides were awarded a win each via forfeit as Brisbane refused to play.Frank Endacott with John Coffey Being Frank:The Frank Endacott Story. Auckland, Hodder Moa Beckett, 2002. 1-86958-922-X. p.78 Auckland Warriors players were again ineligible for the New South Wales and Queensland State of Origin sides and the Australian Kangaroos due to the Warriors Super League stance. In October 1996 New Limited won an appeal and Super League was allowed to go ahead in 1997. Fixtures List of New Zealand Warriors results The Warriors used Ericsson Stadium as their home ground in 1996, their only home ground since they entered the competition in 1995. Trial Matches Date Round Opponent Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance ReportFebruaryMatch 116px Cronulla SharksEricsson Stadium, AucklandLoss 24 - 38 Regular season Date Round Opponent Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance ReportRound 116px Brisbane BroncosWin* 31 MarchRound 216px Illawarra SteelersEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 18 - 10T.Ropati (2), BlackmoreAlexander (2), Hill (1)17,2464 AprilRound 316px Western Suburbs MagpiesCampbelltown Stadium, SydneyLoss 8 - 22J.VaganaAlexander (1), Hill (1)10,0881 AprilRound 416px North Sydney BearsEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 12 - 8JonesHill (2), Alexander (1), Ellis (1)22,5007 AprilRound 516px Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesBrookvale Oval, SydneyLoss 10 - 22Blake, NgamuNgamu (1)18,58816 AprilRound 616px Illawarra SteelersSteelers Stadium, Wollongong Win 30 - 20Alexander, Blake, Ellis, Jones, TatupuNgamu (3), Hill (2)8,05523 AprilRound 716px Parramatta EelsEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 28 - 4Kirwan (2), Alexander, Hoppe, HoroNgamu (3), Hill (1)23,43230 AprilRound 816px Sydney City RoostersSFS, SydneyLoss 16 - 28Blackmore, Hoppe, T.RopatiNgamu (1), Hill (1)13,4717 MayRound 916px Newcastle KnightsEricsson Stadium, AucklandLoss 18 - 22Kirwan (2), BettsNgamu (1), Ellis (1)17,00014 MayRound 1016px Cronulla SharksEricsson Stadium, AucklandLoss 24 - 28Hoppe, Kearney, Kirwan, NgamuNgamu (4)22,8104 JuneRound 1116px Sydney TigersLancaster Park, ChristchurchLoss 22 - 34Blackmore, Ellis, Kirwan, T.RopatiNgamu (2), Ellis (1)10,00018 JuneRound 1216px Penrith PanthersPenrith Park, SydneyWin 26 - 16Ellis (2), Hoppe, Horo, KirwanNgamu (3)6,98125 JuneRound 1316px Western Suburbs MagpiesEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 32 - 16Jones (2), Alexander, Eru, Hoppe, KirwanNgamu (4)17,5001 JulyRound 1416px South Sydney RabbitohsEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 24 - 10Eru (2), Jones, KirwanNgamu (4)20,0009 JulyRound 1516px Gold Coast ChargersCarrara Stadium, Gold CoastWin 28 - 14Ellis, Henare, Horo, Kearney, SwannNgamu (4)11,87016 JulyRound 1616px Western RedsWACA Ground, PerthLoss 12 - 32Ellis, SwannNgamu (2)12,76023 JulyRound 1716px South Queensland CrushersEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 16 - 12Blackmore, SwannNgamu (3), Ellis (1)17,00029 JulyRound 1816px North Queensland CowboysEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 52 - 6Ngamu (3), Betts, Blake, Hoppe, Horo, Jones, KirwanNgamu (8)14,6006 AugustRound 1916px St George DragonsKogarah Oval, SydneyLoss 6 - 35GuttenbeilNgamu (1)14,25611 AugustRound 2016px Canterbury BulldogsEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 18 - 12Betts, Blackmore, RopatiNgamu (3)23,30018 AugustRound 2116px Canberra RaidersBruce Stadium, CanberraLoss 6 - 30BlackmoreNgamu (1)14,52827 AugustRound 2216px Brisbane BroncosEricsson Stadium, AucklandLoss 6 - 38HoppeNgamu (1)26,000 *Brisbane forfeited Round One. The Warriors had sent a team to Brisbane consisting of players un-signed to Super League. Ladder TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 16x16px Manly-Warringah22 1804549191+358362 16x16px Brisbane211704607263+344343 16x16px North Sydney221525598325+273324 16x16px Sydney City221516521321+200315 16x16px Cronulla-Sutherland211425399268+131306 16x16px Canberra211317538384+154277 16x16px St. George211218443360+83278 16x16px Western Suburbs221219394434−40259 16x16px Newcastle2110110416388+282310 16x16px Canterbury2111010375378−32211 16x16px Auckland2110011412427−152212 16x16px Balmain2211011319459−1402213 16x16px Parramatta219111404415−112114 16x16px Illawarra228014403444−411615 16x16px Penrith217113363464−1011516 16x16px Western Reds216114313420−1071317 16x16px North Queensland216015288643−3551218 16x16px Gold Coast225116359521−1621119 16x16px South Sydney225116314634−3201120 16x16px South Queensland213018220496−2768 Squad List of New Zealand Warriors players The Warriors used twenty eight players in 1996, including nine who made their first grade debuts. No.NameNationalityPositionWarriors debutAppTGFGPts 2Phil BlakeAUSFB / HK10 March 19951830012 3Sean HoppeNZLWG10 March 19952070028 6Gene NgamuNZLFE10 March 1995205500120 7Greg AlexanderAUSFB / FE / HB10 March 19951634020 8Gavin HillNZLPR10 March 1995708016 10Hitro OkeseneNZLPR / HK10 March 199540000 11Stephen KearneyNZLSR10 March 1995212008 12Tony TatupuNZL / WSMSR10 March 1995111004 13Tony TuimavaveNZL / WSMPR / LK10 March 199550000 15Tea RopatiNZL / WSMCE / FE10 March 19952050020 18Joe VaganaNZL / WSMPR18 March 1995201004 19Syd EruNZLHK28 March 19951130012 22John Kirwan John Kirwan (rugby)NZLWG16 April 199519100040 23Andy PlattENGPR23 April 1995210000 24Stacey JonesNZLHB23 April 19952160024 26Richie Blackmore Richie Blackmore (rugby league)NZLCE14 May 19951760024 28Denis BettsENGSR4 June 19951730012 29Marc Ellis Marc Ellis (rugby footballer)NZLFB / WG31 March 19961864032 30Mark HoroNZLPR / SR31 March 19962140016 31Mark Carter Mark Carter (rugby)NZLSR31 March 199680000 32Nigel VaganaNZL / WSMCE4 April 199610000 33Awen GuttenbeilNZL / TONSR14 April 1996141004 34Doc MurrayNZLFB19 April 199610000 35Iva RopatiNZLCE19 April 199620000 36Anthony SwannNZL / WSMCE23 June 1996930012 37Brady MalamNZLPR23 June 199680000 38Bryan HenareNZLSR23 July 199631004 39Aaron LesterNZLHK28 July 199630000 Staff Chairman: Peter McLeod Chief Executive Officer: Ian Robson Football Manager: Laurie Stubbing Coaching staff Head coach: John Monie Reserve Grade Coach: Frank Endacott Development Officer: John Ackland Transfers Gains Player Previous club NotesMarc EllisOtago Rugby Football UnionMark Horo Western Suburbs MagpiesMark CarterAuckland Rugby Football UnionAwen GuttenbeilManly Sea EaglesIva RopatiParramatta Eels Losses Player Club NotesDean BellRetiredManoa ThompsonReleasedWhetu TaewaNorth Queensland CowboysDuane MannReleasedSe'e SolomonaNorth Queensland CowboysJason MackieReleasedMartin MoanaHalifax Blue SoxWillie PochingNorth Queensland CowboysLogan EdwardsReleasedMike DorreenSydney TigersFrano BoticaLlanelli RFC Other teams The Warriors participated in the ARL's Reserve grade competition that mirrored the senior draw. The Reserve grade side again made the finals, finishing third. Unlike in 1995, the Warriors did not field a Colts side in the Lion Red Cup. In the Club Championship the Warriors finished fifth overall. In the Reserve Grade Finals the Warriors first bet Sydney City 19–18 in the Quarterfinals. In the Semifinals they defeated Brisbane 18-12 to make the Grand Final. However, in the Grand Final the Warriors went down 14-12 to the Cronulla Sharks, the second year in a row that a Warriors team had lost a Grand Final.Australian Competitions 1996 https://web.archive.org/web/20050901111654/http://users.hunterlink.net.au/~maajjs/aus/sum/aus1996.htm#Australia 1 September 2005 The VaultDoc Detects Pain Sunday Star Times 29 September 1996 The cost of the finals campaign to the club was estimated at between $70,000 and $75,000.Warriors reserve success comes at big price Sunday Star Times 29 September 1996 Awards Stephen Kearney won the club's Player of the Year award.New Zealand Rugby League Annual 2002, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 2002. p.50 References External links Warriors official site 1996 Warriors Season rugbyleagueproject.org Category:New Zealand Warriors seasons Auckland Warriors season War