The Mount Albert Lions are a rugby league club based in Mount Albert, New Zealand that plays in the Auckland Rugby League. The Lions’ home ground is at Fowlds Park. Their patron is Helen Clark, a former Prime Minister of New Zealand. In 2008 and 2009 the Lions won the Fox Memorial.
As of 2025 the team is coached by Trent Wallace.
History
The club was founded in 1928, after a meeting was held in April of that year. They fielded teams in the 3rd and 4th grades. In the early 1930s the club moved to its current location at Fowlds Park in Morningside. In their initial seasons they had trained on Springleigh Avenue at what is now Phyllis Street Reserve. Up until 1934 the club had played in mauve colours but in April of that year they applied to the junior management committee to change their club colours to blue and gold. They gained senior status from the Auckland Rugby League in 1935.
The club has won the Fox Memorial trophy fifteen times; in 1939, 1947, 1950, 1951, 1968, 1969, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2009. In 1984 the Lions won the National Club Competition and in 2002, 2004 and 2005 they won the Bartercard Cup.
2000s
In 2006 the Lions defended the Roope Rooster Challenge trophy in all eleven of their games and went on to win the Fox Memorial. In early 2007 they lost the trophy to the Te Atatu Roosters. In 2025 they won the Roope Rooster from Ponsonby Ponies at Victoria Park before losing it weeks later to Otahuhu Leopards.
Notable players New Zealanders
Des Herring (1938) Clarry McNeil (1938) Bob Banham (1939) Bunty Afoa Bert Leatherbarrow (1939) Arthur McInnarney (1939) Moses Leota Ray Cranch (1951) Don Hammond (1959) Ray Wilson (1969) Richard Bolton (1972) John Ackland (1983) Shane Cooper (1985)
Australians Nathan Cleary
Other NZ representatives Players who represented New Zealand before or after playing for Mt Albert.
Gordon Campbell Claude List Wilf Hassan Roy Hardgrave Cliff Satherley Ted Mincham
Auckland Representatives (1935-1945) Des Herring (1935-1939) Robert Morrissey (1936) Clarrie Petersen (1936) Joseph Gunning (1937-1939) Bert Leatherbarrow (1937) William McCallum (1937) Clarry McNeil (1938) Richard Shadbolt (1938-1945) Walter Cameron (1939) Bruce Donaldson (1939) Bill Walker (1939) Jack Tristram (1941) Les Clement (1944-1945) Ivan Sumich (1944) Bob Borich (1945) Alan Wiles (1945) Selwyn Thomassen (1945)
Bartercard Cup Between 2000 and 2005 the Lions competed in the national Bartercard Cup competition. Under the guidance of Brian McClennan they were the most successful club in the competition's history, being champions three times and twice winning the minor premiership. However the club had a slow start to the competition, not making the playoffs in the first two years. Their place in the Bartercard Cup was taken over by the Auckland Lions, an entity which represented Mount Albert as well as other neighbouring clubs. In 2007 the Auckland Lions also competed in the NSWRL Premier League but they were replaced in 2008 by the Auckland Vulcans.
SeasonPldWDLPFPAPDPtsPosition (Teams)Finals2000221219593584925 Sixth (Twelve)N/A2001218013414630-21618*Tenth (Twelve)N/A200216150162027035030 Minor Premiers (Twelve)Champions200316130353032820226 Second (Twelve)Defeated in Preliminary Final200416120452237814424Third (Twelve)Champions200516120457032624424 Minor Premiers (Twelve)Champions
*Two points for a Bye as the Ngongotaha Chiefs withdrew from the competition
Mount Albert Senior Team Records (1928-1944) & (2022-26) The season record for the most senior men’s team in the club. SeasonGradeNamePlayWDLPFPAPDPtsFinishing position & notes1928 3rd Grade Mount Albert United15111314831117232nd of 141929 2nd GradeMount Albert United12100214137+104202nd of 71930 B GradeMount Albert United1141682101-1923rd of 71931 2nd GradeMount Albert United15110412826102222nd of 81932 2nd Grade Mount Albert United16815965244174th of 9, lost Ko final 15-18 to Māngere United1933 2nd GradeMount Albert United1241756105-4995th of 71934 2nd Grade Mount Albert United146178196-15133rd of 6, lost semi final of KO competition 5-13 to Papakura1935 1st Grade (Fox)Mount Albert United1383218414836192nd of 7 (lost Phelan Shield final 8-11 v Ponsonby)1936 1st Grade (Fox)Mount Albert United137151551496154th of 81937 1st Grade (Fox)Mount Albert United14100421912495202nd of 8 (lost Phelan Shield final 18-22 v North Shore)1938 1st Grade (Fox)Mount Albert United16110527720572222nd of 91939 1st Grade (Fox)Mount Albert United161312284165119271st of 9 (lost Roope Rooster final 11-13 v Marist, won Stormont Shield 21-9 v Marist)1940 1st Grade (Fox)Mount Albert United16100628520679203rd of 9 (lost Phelan Shield final 14-20 v Manukau)1941 1st Grade (Fox)Mount Albert United155010187238-51108th of 91942 1st Grade (Fox)Newton-Mount Albert15609160208-48124th of 6 (combined side with Newton due to WW2 weakening senior playing numbers)1943 1st Grade (Fox)Mount Albert United1690720716245185th of 91944 1st Grade (Fox)Mount Albert United19114419015832262nd of 10 (lost championship final to City 7-17, won v Otahuhu in RR R1, lost v Ponsonby 2-17 in RR SF.1945 Fox MemorialMount Albert United1490517513936184th of 10 Roope RoosterMount Albert United320149454W v Manukau 18-15, W v Ponsonby 19-13, L v North Shore 12-17 in SF Phelan ShieldMount Albert United1001525-20L v City 5-25 in SF2022 1st Grade (Fox)Mt Albert Lions8503274170104103rd of 9 in section 1 Playoffs11015862-4W v Otara 36-18 in PF, L v Pt Chevalier 40-22 in QF 2023 Fox QualifiersMt Albert Lions31023690-5423rd of 4 Pool B Fox Memorial11416219260-4197th of 12 2024 Fox QualifiersMt Albert Lions33009620+7661st of 4 Pool B Fox Memorial11515302280+22116th of 12 Playoffs10011022-1211L v Te Atatu 10-22 in SF2025 Fox MemorialMt Albert Lions12903320171+149182nd of 10 Playoffs21012624+22W v Manukau 22-16 in SF, L v Otahuhu 4-8 in Final2026 Fox MemorialMt Albert Lions14716270293-23153rd of 8 Playoffs32017050+20-W v Pt Chevalier 32-18 in min. SF, W v Manukau 22-12 in maj. SF, L v Otahuhu 16-20 in Grand Final1928-44 + 2022-2026TOTAL445236221857,3306,527+803480
All time top point scorers (1935-1945) The point scoring lists are compiled from all matches played in matches for the first grade side irrespective of whether they were organised Auckland Rugby League competition games, games against touring sides, or friendly matches outside of Auckland. The matches and point scorers includes the combined Newton-Mount Albert side of 1942. Top point scorersNoPlayerStartEndGamesTriesConPenDGPts1Basil Cranch1935194514347846204332Bert Leatherbarrow1937194310148231302203Les Clement193919451194515501754Des Herring193419408835211001675Robert Morrissey19351936305292401216Bruce Donaldson1939-209291611197Joseph Gunning19351941111363101168Bob Banham1939194032326170959Richard Shadbolt19351945146291008910Cliff Satherley19361937181281007911Colin Cowley1939194355232107512Arthur McInnarney1938194153240007213=Jack Tristram1937194190200006013=Clarry McNeil1935193934200006015William McCallum1937193820190005716Roy Hardgrave1934193926180005417=Martin Hansen1937193944160105017=Roy Niwa1942-112111105019Ted Mincham1938-8310604120Arnold Jones19431944361300039
References
External links Official Club Website Mount Albert's NZRL Page