1997 Auckland Warriors season


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

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

The Warriors used Ericsson Stadium as their home ground in 1997, their only home ground since they entered the competition in 1995.

Regular season

World Club Challenge Finals

Ladder

WCC Australasia Pool A

Squad

The Warriors used 29 players in 1997, including four players making their first grade debuts.
No.NameNationalityPositionWarriors DebutAppTGFGPts
2FB / HK10 March 199520000
3†WG10 March 199518110044
6†FE10 March 199517012024
10PR / HK10 March 199510000
11†SR10 March 1995172008
13† / PR / LK10 March 199571004
15† / CE / FE10 March 19951650020
18† / PR18 March 1995170000
19†HK28 March 19951850020
24†HB23 April 19951870129
28†SR4 June 19951430012
29†FB / WG31 March 199616525171
30†PR / SR31 March 1996150000
33† / SR14 April 199640000
35CE19 April 1996530012
36† / CE23 June 1996182008
37†PR23 June 1996150000
38SR23 July 1996111004
40†FB1 March 19979318048
41PR1 March 199790000
42†SR1 March 1997130000
43FE17 March 199720000
44†FE29 March 199781004
45†WG27 April 199741004
46CE / LK1 June 199710000
47†WG6 July 1997540016
48HB29 June 199710000
49CE11 August 199731004
50 / PR16 August 199710000

Gains

Losses

Awards

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

Other Teams

The Warriors fielded teams in both Super League's reserve grade and the Under-19 competition. 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.