Otahuhu Leopards

The Otahuhu Leopards are a rugby league club based in Otahuhu, Auckland. Founded in 1911, the club has produced 49 New Zealand national rugby league team. 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.

Otahuhu Leopards
Club information
Full nameOtahuhu Rovers Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)Leopards
Founded1911 (1911)
Websiteotahuhuroversrugbyleague.co.nz
Current details
CompetitionAuckland Rugby League, New Zealand Rugby League
Records
Premierships1945, 1964, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2010
Runners-up2011
Minor premiership1942, 1945, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1994, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2010
National Club Champions1964, 1983
Roope Rooster1957, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1994, 2009, 2010
Stormont Shield1965, 1971, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2010, 2012
Sharman Cup1935, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1950, 2017

History

The Otahuhu Leopards were founded in 1911. In 1943, playing in blue and white, Otahuhu produced their first Fox side at Carlaw Park and by 1945 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 (also captain). In 1946 their first Kiwi's were selected, Toff Johnson and Claude Hancox who toured Britain and France in 1947–48.

Otahuhu Leopards is where the famous Graham Lowe first made a name for himself coaching U18s in 1974 and becoming a first grade coach in 1977 and winning the Fox Memorial 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.

Season Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Position (Teams) Finals
2000 22180478244034236Minor Premiers (Twelve)Runner-up
2001 22141769152816329Fourth (Twelve)Lost Elimination Play-off
2002 16100663639324320Third (Twelve)Lost Preliminary Final
2003 165110432594−16211Ninth (Twelve)N/A

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.

Season Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Position (Teams) Finals
2004 16120447632115524Second (Twelve)Lost Preliminary Final
2005 169074424123018Sixth (Twelve)N/A

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
Otahuhu in the 2010 grand final

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
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References
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