Otahuhu Leopards


The Otahuhu Leopards are a rugby league club based in Ōtāhuhu, Auckland. Founded in 1911, the club has produced 49 New Zealand national rugby league team players. The club competes in the Fox Memorial competition run by Auckland Rugby League. Otahuhu has won the Fox Memorial Shield 12 times, the Rukatai Shield 16 times, Roope Rooster 12 times and the Stormont Shield 12 times.

History

The Otahuhu Leopards were founded in 1911. Their first ever Kiwi was selected in 1914 when Arthur Hardgrave played against the touring England side. He had joined Otahuhu at the start of the season after the Manukau side he was with had dropped out of first grade the season prior. 1930 saw the club win its first ever senior grade trophy when their top side won the Senior B competition. In 1943, playing in blue and white, Otahuhu produced their first Fox Memorial side though they had played as a combined City Rovers-Otahuhu side in the Fox Memorial competition in 1942 due to there being so many players away at World War II. The Auckland Rugby League forced several mergers for that season. By 1945 Otahuhu had won their first Fox Memorial title. In that year the team featured four brothers Ivan, Joffre, Mick, and Norm Johnson, along with brothers Dick and Jim Fogarty, and Royce and J. Speedy. Their main point scorer was Colin Riley who was the leading goal kicker in the competition in 1944 and 1945. In 1947 their first Kiwi's were selected since Arthur Hardgrave in 1914. They were Joffre Johnson and Claude Hancox who toured Britain and France in 1947–48.
Otahuhu Leopards is where Kiwi coach Graham Lowe first made a name for himself coaching U18s in 1974 and becoming a first grade coach in 1977, winning the Fox Memorial competition in his first year.

Bartercard Cup

With the creation of the Bartercard Cup in 2000 by the New Zealand Rugby League 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 in the Grand Final. 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.

Otahuhu Ellerslie Leopards

In 2004 the Counties Manukau Jetz replaced the Manurewa Marlins in the competition. As a result, the number of clubs involved with the Eastern Tornadoes 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.

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 Tornadoes merging to form the Tamaki Leopards franchise. In 2007 the side was renamed the Tamaki Titans and finished fifth.

Fox Memorial

The club competes in the Fox Memorial competition run by Auckland Rugby League. Otahuhu has won the Fox Memorial Shield 12 times, the Rukatai Shield 16 times, Roope Rooster 12 times and the Stormont Shield 12 times.
As a junior, Richard Blackmore who started his rugby league at Otahuhu became head coach from 2006 to 2010 successfully taking ownership of the Stormont Shield and Roope Rooster and leading the team to a Fox Memorial grand final victory over Mt Albert in 2010.

Notable players

The Otahuhu Club has had a long and proud history of producing top quality rugby league players.

Kiwi Captains

To date the Leopards have produced five captains of the New Zealand national rugby league team:

Other players

Season records

Otahuhu Senior Team Records (1912–1945, 1990–2007, 2022–25)

The season record for the most senior men’s team in the club.
SeasonGradeTeamPlayWDLPFPAPDPtsPosition
19122nd GradeOtahuhu Rovers960394514312Approx 2nd of 8
19132nd GradeOtahuhu Rovers9711763739152nd of 7
19141st Grade Otahuhu Rovers911764115−5136th of 6
19151st GradeOtahuhu Rovers910848111−6326th of 6
19161st GradeOtahuhu Rovers1021762175−11355th of 6
19171st GradeOtahuhu Rovers40041255−4306th of 6
19182nd GradeOtahuhu Rovers22002802841st of 5, full results unknown
19191st GradeOtahuhu Rovers1001328−2508th of 8
19204th GradeOtahuhu Rovers42113313205Approximately 4th of 10, full results unknown
19212nd GradeOtahuhu Rovers42021824−64Approximately 3rd of 10, full results unknown
19222nd GradeOtahuhu Rovers210215592Approximately 9th of 13, full results unknown
19232nd GradeOtahuhu Rovers147063517+1814Approximately 3rd of 12, full results unknown
19242nd GradeOtahuhu Rovers440060164481st of 12, lost KO final v Kingsland 3–6
1925B DivisionOtahuhu Rovers116148548+37132nd of 5
1926B DivisionOtahuhu Rovers1442868124−56105th of 6
1927B DivisionOtahuhu Rovers1220963123−6047th of 7
1928B DivisionOtahuhu Rovers12714123115+8152nd of 7
1929B DivisionOtahuhu Rovers1181222344+179172nd of 6
1930B DivisionOtahuhu Rovers13111118381+102231st of 7
19311st Grade Otahuhu-Ellerslie12111085237−15237th of 7
19322nd GradeOtahuhu Rovers171205895435242nd of 9
19332nd GradeOtahuhu Rovers129121304288192nd of 7
19342nd GradeOtahuhu Rovers141121823448241st of 6
1935Sen. B Otahuhu Rovers980113516+119161st of 4
1936Sen. B Otahuhu Rovers85037767+10102nd of 5
19373rd GradeOtahuhu Rovers--------1st of 13
1938Sen. B Otahuhu Rovers129128561+24191st of 6
1939Sen. B Otahuhu Rovers86118321+62131st of 6
1940Sen. B Otahuhu Rovers970210554+51141st of 5
1941Sen. B Otahuhu Rovers77009726+71141st of 9, Roope Rooster: W v Papakura 25–5, L v City 13–12, Phelan Shield: L v Richmond 18–14
19421st Grade City-Otahuhu151005247132115202nd of 6
19431st Grade Otahuhu Rovers15429122204−82106th of 9
19441st Grade Otahuhu Rovers18100822215963207th of 10
19451st Grade Otahuhu Rovers141112266103163231st of 10
PlayoffsOtahuhu Rovers21012933L 18–28 v Ponsonby in Major SF, W 11–5 v Richmond in Major Championship Final
1990Lion Red PremOtahuhu Leopards2111010484336132.2223rd of 8
PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards33006732W v 39–18 Glenora in SF, W v Northcote, W 28–14 v Te Atatū in GF
1991Lion Red PremOtahuhu Leopards181224492307160.3262nd of 10
PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards3102---
1992Lion Red PremOtahuhu Leopards--------
1993Lion Red PremOtahuhu Leopards18828359357100.6186th of 10
1994Lion Red PremOtahuhu Leopards221615561464120.9331st of 12
PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards31024652L 10–20 v Northcote, W 24–0 v Hibiscus Coast, L 12–32 v Northcote
1995Lion Red PremOtahuhu Leopards241815814457178.1412nd of 13
PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards1100320W 32–0 v Marist in the Grand Final
1996Lion Red PrelOtahuhu Leopards13913392211185.8193rd of 14
Lion Red Rukutai ShieldOtahuhu Leopards7601182108168.5121st of 8
PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards10012836L 28–36 v Otara in GF after triple over time
1997Lion Red Super 10Otahuhu Leopards181206631381165.6242nd of 10
PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards------
1998Super 10Otahuhu Leopards18909501485103.3185th of 10
1999Rukutai Shield Super 12Otahuhu Leopards221507737455162304th of 12
2000Mad Butcher Fox Memorial Top 8Otahuhu Leopards141121589216272.7242nd of 8
PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards22004724W 26–10 v Richmond in minor SF, W 21–14 v Richmond in GF
2001Mad Butcher Fox Memorial Top 8Otahuhu Leopards1480639040895.6165th of 8
PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards32016266W 32–28 v Manukau in prelim SF, W 16–10 v Ponsonby in minor SF, L 14–28 v Northcote in major SF
2002Fox Memorial Top 8Otahuhu Leopards14905402337119.3183rd of 8
PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards420298129L 10–42 v Hib. Coast in prelim SF, W 22–19 v Marist in minor SF, W 26–24 v Papakura in major SF, L 40–44 v Hib. Coast in GF in double extra time
2004Mad Butcher Fox MemorialOtahuhu Leopards14211137858664.5158th of 8
2000Bartercard CupOtahuhu Leopards221804782440342361st of 12, L v Canterbury Bulls in the GF
2001Bartercard CupOtahuhu Leopards221417691528163294th of 12, lost elimination play off
2002Bartercard CupOtahuhu Leopards161006636393243203rd of 12, lost preliminary final
2003Bartercard CupOtahuhu Leopards165110432594−16211
2004Bartercard CupOtahuhu Ellerslie Leopards161204476321155242nd of 12
2005Bartercard CupOtahuhu Ellerslie Leopards1990744241230186th of 12
2006Bartercard CupTamaki Leopards1892754644010620
2007Bartercard CupTamaki Titans18101752646462215th of 10
20221st Grade, Otahuhu Leopards9801504140364162nd of 9 in sect. 2, W v Richmond 20–12 in Fox QF, L v Glenora in Fox SF
PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards210138380W 20–12 v Richmond in QF, L 18–26 v Glenora in SF
2023Fox Memorial QualifyingOtahuhu Leopards33009662154.861st of 4
Fox Memorial PremiershipOtahuhu Leopards11704368128287.5145th of 12
PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards10011014L 10–14 v Papakura in QF
2024Fox Memorial QualifyingOtahuhu Leopards330011628-61st of 4
Fox MemorialOtahuhu Leopards11704340239-144th of 10
Fox Memorial PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards10011623-0L v Pt Chevalier 16-23
2025Fox Memorial QualifyingOtahuhu Leopards330027210-61st of 4
Fox MemorialOtahuhu Leopards12120052288-241st of 12
Fox Memorial PlayoffsOtahuhu Leopards22001629184W v Papakura 21-14 in SF, W v Mt Albert 8-4 in the GF
1912–45, 1990–2007, 2022–2025TOTAL-788475342751728012282-956

Club titles (1912–43)

21 championship titles
  • 1913 Fourth Grade
  • 1916 Second Grade
  • 1918 Second Grade and Fifth Grade
  • 1921 Fourth Grade
  • 1924 Second Grade
  • 1926 Schoolboys
  • 1927 Schoolboys
  • 1930 B Division
  • 1934 Second Grade
  • 1935 Senior B
  • 1936 Seventh Grade
  • 1937 Third Grade and Fifth Grade
  • 1938 Senior B
  • 1939 Senior B and Third Grade
  • 1940 Senior B and Third Grade
  • 1941 Senior B and Third Grade

All time top point scorers (1914–17, 1919, 1931, 1942–45)

The point scoring lists are compiled from matches played in matches from the first grade championship, the Roope Rooster, Phelan Shield, and Sharman Cup only. One off matches and exhibition matches are not included. The matches and point scorers includes the combined Otahuhu-Ellerslie side of 1931, and the combined Otahuhu-City side of 1942.