ANNUAL REPORT 2017 / 2018 CONTENTS 2 NEW ZEALAND RUGBY LEAGUE ANNUAL REPORT 2017/18 17,000 33 50% INCREASE SUPPORTERS PART OF CLUBS INVOLVED IN THE CHAMPION CLUB THE ‘BE A SPORT’ SIDELINE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME WHICH INCLUDED 15 CLUBS CAMPAIGN REGISTRATIONS UNDERTAKING THE ‘STATE OF MIND’ WORKSHOP 459,200 27,100 30,100 FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM FANS FOLLOWERS FOLLOWERS UP BY UP BY UP BY 8,200 2,800 4,900 CONTENTS NEW ZEALAND RUGBY LEAGUE ANNUAL REPORT 2017/18 3 CONTENTS From the Chairman & Acting CEO....................................... 4 League 4 Life ..................................................................... 32 New Zealand Kiwis .............................................................. 6 Physical Disability Rugby League ..................................... 33 Kiwi Ferns ............................................................................ 9 New Zealand Universities and Tertiary Students Rugby League .................................................... 35 Junior Kiwis ....................................................................... 10 New Zealand Defence Force Rugby League .................... 37 Development ..................................................................... 12 New Zealand Police Rugby League .................................. 38 New Zealand Schools Selection ........................................ 13 Coaching ........................................................................... 39 New Zealand Resident 16s ............................................... 14 Referees ............................................................................ 40 New Zealand Secondary Schools ..................................... 16 Commercial ....................................................................... 42 Youth ................................................................................. 17 Communications ................................................................ 43 Women .............................................................................. 18 2017 Awards ...................................................................... 44 Premiership ....................................................................... 19 Financial Statements ......................................................... 46 Community ........................................................................ 20 Auditor’s Report ................................................................. 60 Wellbeing ........................................................................... 24 Life Members ..................................................................... 61 Zones................................................................................. 26 Our People ........................................................................ 62 Museum ............................................................................. 30 Sponsors & Partners ......................................................... 63 Māori Rugby League ......................................................... 31 CONTENTS 4 NEW ZEALAND RUGBY LEAGUE ANNUAL REPORT 2017/18 FROM THE CHAIRMAN & ACTING CEO The last twelve months have been a challenging time for New Zealand Rugby League. The Kiwis exiting the Rugby League World Cup in the quarter finals was a particularly low point. The many achievements during the year were, in large part over shadowed by the disappointing result in the Rugby League World Cup. Reon Edwards Hugh Martyn The outcome of the Rugby League World Cup The Castle Report has driven changes that are and the findings of The Castle Report that in play at the time of writing this report which followed that campaign, have been a catalyst for include recruiting a new CEO and recruiting “The Castle Report has driven changes substantial change within NZRL. That said some an experienced, qualified High Performance that are in play at the time of writing this of the changes at NZRL preceded the Rugby Manager. The Board is also looking to recruit a report which include recruiting a new League World Cup in that The Board has a new Board member with experience in implementing CEO and recruiting an experienced, Chairman and three new Directors have joined high performance programmes. We believe that qualified High Performance Manager. ” the Board. The Board is absolutely focused on with these additional resources we will have the growing the game from the grassroots level right skill-set to implement all the recommendations through to the elite level. of The Castle Report. The bulk of those recommendations will be implemented by the We have already made some changes as a end of the 2018 calendar year. result of The Castle Report with the opening up of the Kiwis Head Coach position to The Board has also chosen to revisit the draft non-New Zealand residents and with the Strategic Plan that had been circulated earlier in appointment of a specialised recruitment the year. We want to ensure that the Strategic panel both for the selection of the Head Coach Plan adopts the recommendations of The Castle and to assist in player selection. Report. Just as importantly we want to take some more time to engage with our Zones so CONTENTS NEW ZEALAND RUGBY LEAGUE ANNUAL REPORT 2017/18 5 that we are confident that the plan best reflects the direction that our communities want for our great game and all those involved in it. As stated earlier there were many positives during the year. They include to mention but a few: The Kiwi Ferns making the final of the Rugby League World Cup, the opportunity to expand our game into North America, new sponsorship agreements with Save My Bacon and Mainstream, and many more that will be highlighted throughout this report. We finish the year with a sense of optimism that we are making changes that will deliver better outcomes at all levels. We are conscious that this can take time but we can say there is a heightened spirit of wanting to further and better engage with the rugby league community for better outcomes. There is also a confidence that with the changes being made, we will have better resources, and be better positioned to help in delivering those outcomes. Reon Edwards Hugh Martyn NZRL CHAIR NZRL DEPUTY CHAIR CONTENTS 6 NEW ZEALAND RUGBY LEAGUE ANNUAL REPORT 2017/18 NEW ZEALAND KIWIS A cold and disappointing night in Canberra saw old foes, the Kangaroos come out on top with a 30-12 victory. The battling Kiwis defence was tested and stretched on many occasions and despite racking up more metres run than their opposition, they couldn’t convert their early attempts on attack into points. Leaving the anguish of the ANZAC Test behind, Tongan side fought back. They managed to the Kiwis embarked on their 2017 Rugby bridge the gap to 16-12 and with a surge, found League World Cup campaign in high spirits. themselves in the lead a few minutes out from Playing on home soil for the first time since the siren where they would stay - the Kiwis 2014, their campaign started with the much going down 28-22. anticipated match-up against Samoa. The buzz A much needed comeback from the Kiwis was of the home crowd gave the Kiwis the edge as not to be. In a gruelling quarter-final against Fiji, they scored five unanswered tries in the second both teams were kept tryless, one penalty goal half to blow the scoreline out to 38-8 on the final being the difference that sent Fiji through to the whistle. semi-final. While they couldn’t crack the Kiwis After an evenly matched 18-all draw when brick wall defence, a 4-2 victory was enough. the two teams last went head to head in The 2017 Rugby League World Cup saw the Workington, the Kiwis were not about to show first time a Kiwis team hasn’t appeared in a mercy against Scotland. In front of a roaring World Cup semi-final and following this result, Christchurch stadium, the boys in black and a full review of the campaign was conducted by white amassed a staggering 14 tries, both Peta Tim Castle and Raelene Castle (not related). Hiku and Te Maire Martin collecting hat-tricks, - This identified the need to provide more high final score, 74 -6. performance expertise to the head coach ahead TO CLEARCUT Then came the clash that would see traffic of the ground-breaking Test in Denver set to jams from Auckland to Hamilton as Kiwis and take place on 23 June. This Test will showcase Tongan supporters packed into FMG Stadium. the highest level of rugby league to the Fans watched on as New Zealand took a 16-2 North American market at the 76,000 capacity lead in the opening 40 minutes, but a relentless Mile High Stadium. CONTENTS NEW ZEALAND RUGBY LEAGUE ANNUAL REPORT 2017/18 7 ANZAC TEST RUGBY LEAGUE 18 November, Wellington 2017 WORLD CUP 2017 Stadium, Wellington KIWIS 2 (Johnson Penalty Goal) FIJI 4 (Apisai Koroisau 2 Penalty Goal) 5 May, Canberra Stadium, 27 October, Mt Smart Canberra, Australia Stadium, Auckland Team: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Russell NZ KIWIS 12 (Mannering, Tuivasa- NZ KIWIS 38 (Rapana, Johnson, Packer, Martin Taupau, Jared Sheck tries; Kahu 2 goals) Takairangi, Nikorima, Liu, Tuivasa- Waerea-Hargreaves, Nelson Asofa- KANGAROOS 30 (Dugan, Sheck, Asofa-Solomona tries; Solomona, Bradley Takairangi, Ferguson, Chambers, Frizell, Johnson 5 goals) Joseph Tapine, Addin Fonua- Trbojevic tries; Thurston 5 goals) SAMOA 8 (Maumalo, Paulo tries) Blake, Kodi Nikorima, Danny Levi, Team: Te Maire Martin, Gerard Beale, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Russell Jordan Rapana, Peta Hiku, Kenny Bromwich, Elijah Taylor, Dean Packer, Martin Taupau, Jared 4 November, Christchurch Whare,