General Bartercard / Lion Red Cup

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playdaball

playdaball

Heritage Member
Apr 23, 2012
2,132
What are your memories of the BC or LR Cup?

The Trust / ARL believe that it was a competition that rivalled the NSW / QLD Cup and that it being such a strong competition it'll stop young NZ'ers going to Australia.

I can also recall watching a comp played in front of a handful of fans, a competition that was weaker than the local Fox comp and at times a competition where the standard of football was pretty low. It started out okay but in the end was a shocker!

I have doubts if The standard will not be anywhere near NSW Cup.

What are your memories?
 
mt.wellington

mt.wellington

Warriors Orange Peeler
Jun 21, 2012
22,630
Mt. Wellington, Auckland
My mate was captain of the Eastern Tornadoes mid 2000's. Best player on their team was probably Glen Fisiiahi's brother Paul. Watched every one of his home games at Mt Smart and got to see a lot of juniors who would go onto play for the Warriors. Was always impressed with Sonny Fai who carved up back then and at such a young age. Also remember watching youngsters like Russell Packer and Ben Matulino who were like 16 years old and playing against men. Those two were earmarked way back then for NRL.

Ben Matulino and Russell Packer (1).jpg​

Went and watched the Warriors U20's first hit out in 2007 against the BarterCard All Stars team. U20s won! Will never forget Constantine Mika playing fullback and scoring a 105 metre try. He grabbed a grubber in his inzone right by the touchline. He ran back infield and beat two defenders while still in the inzone. Running towards the goal posts he all of a sudden he breaks a 180 sidestep, straightens up and carves a line through another 5 defenders who barely get a finger on him. With only the winger to beat head on he fakes left and puts on the biggest right foot step I have ever seen and leaves the winger clutching at air. He looked like he had transported to the left of the winger. Was truly a breathtaking individual try...
 
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matiunz

matiunz

All Out!
Contributor
Jul 15, 2013
7,577
Sydney
Although the standard probably wasn’t amazing I always liked watching the Lion Red cup games on tv2 (I think?) even though my local team (go unicorns!) was crap I liked it being more provincial than the BarterCard cup-who I wasn’t even sure who I was supposed to support
 
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matiunz

matiunz

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Jul 15, 2013
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Defence

Defence

Warriors 1st Grader
May 9, 2012
5,954
Lion red cup I remember sitting in a car at the lights one day and a car pulled up next to us full of shiners players ( must've been on their way to training) and even tho I was a cardinals supporter I knew who they all were- I was a bit star struck haha- they had a bit of a profile back then.
Bartercard was a bIt different coz I was playing premiers myself then and the majority of the bulls squad came from our club side- and that's when they were dominating bartercard.
They had some good sides then but the crowds were dismal.
 
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snake77

snake77

Warriors 1st Grader
Jul 12, 2013
9,037
I saw more Lion Red Cup. I can't recall watching any Bartercard.

It was a different situation then especially when it first started. The UK season hadn't moved to their summer so we had guys coming back from the UK playing in their off season.

Also seemed like we had a lot more local stars or young guys coming through. Seemed like there were more name players in the Lion Red Cup's early years that I could see compared to what we'd get now.
 
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snake77

snake77

Warriors 1st Grader
Jul 12, 2013
9,037
My mate used to play for the Bay of Plenty Stags. Remember them playing above their weight as they were expected to be easy beats.

Also challenging getting guys from a larger area together for training sessions. Especially at a level guys are still working.
 
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matiunz

matiunz

All Out!
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Jul 15, 2013
7,577
Sydney
snake77 said:
I saw more Lion Red Cup. I can't recall watching any Bartercard.

It was a different situation then especially when it first started. The UK season hadn't moved to their summer so we had guys coming back from the UK playing in their off season.

Also seemed like we had a lot more local stars or young guys coming through. Seemed like there were more name players in the Lion Red Cup's early years that I could see compared to what we'd get now.
Click to expand...

I wonder wether it’s worth playing league in Summer in NZ? UK didn’t want to compete with Soccer so they changed.
Rather than compete with union and Isp/qland cup why do we play alternate season? Might see some players down on form or up and comers play in NZ for an opportunity as well as maybe convert some Union players wanting to play off season. Only really cricket to compete against- could be worth a shot
 
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snake77

snake77

Warriors 1st Grader
Jul 12, 2013
9,037
I think my mate that played Lion Red Cup also played in the Bartercard if I have my years right. He did play for Waicaoa Bay, they were in the Bartercard Cup?

He was playing for a side Tank Gordon had a bit to do with. Either coaching or managing as he was keen on getting one of our other mates over to the UK as he was also in the side.
 
Horriors2013

Horriors2013

1st Grade Fringe
May 24, 2013
2,099
playdaball said:
What are your memories of the BC or LR Cup?

The Trust / ARL believe that it was a competition that rivalled the NSW / QLD Cup and that it being such a strong competition it'll stop young NZ'ers going to Australia.

I can also recall watching a comp played in front of a handful of fans, a competition that was weaker than the local Fox comp and at times a competition where the standard of football was pretty low. It started out okay but in the end was a shocker!

I have doubts if The standard will not be anywhere near NSW Cup.

What are your memories?
Click to expand...

The standard was probably lower than NSW/QLD cups, but it uncovered a lot of talent. I remember Martin Moana from Cougars/Waicoa Bay, and Charlie Kennedy from Unicorns. Warriors had so much to pick from, but really you need a solid foundation of experienced NRL players to bring those guys standard up. Doc Murray was an old fave. Vai Afoa-Northcote. Probably the standouts in the Lion Red were the Paul bros. Players like Toopi, Mika, Vatuvei they get found in these kinds of comps. I'd love to see a national comp return.

I'd like to see a team from Waikato again. Throw Tigers and COB teams together-maybe even a few Taniwharau youngsters. Elite players get hunted by Chiefs, but I can tell you that that if the national comp were a feeder to the Warriors, there are tons of players shunned by Chiefs who would defect.

I think the climate is better now, in terms of the Warriors profile and that the players from the smaller regions are hungry to play top level footy and get paid. Rugby have a massive overflow of players not as suited as others to the 15 man game. They tend to go play overseas. But a National comp has an opportunity from what I've seen and discussed with rugby and league heads down here.
 
surfin

surfin

Warriors 1st Grader
May 9, 2012
6,002
Coromandel
mt.wellington said:
Been after a CRC Vulcans 95 jersey for ages to add to the collection. Only have this one at the moment.


Here is the one I am after.


Few others that mates have...

Click to expand...

My father has one of every team, looked to sell the lot as a set a few years ago on Trademe.
mt.wellington said:
Seen one on Trademe a few years ago but it part of a complete set that was going for $1500. Should have bought it back then...
Click to expand...

That's the set I'd guess. All never been worn.
 
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surfin

surfin

Warriors 1st Grader
May 9, 2012
6,002
Coromandel
I had a lot to do with the Cougars, Joe Gwynn was the coach, the team included the world famous Gavin Hill, but also guys like Francis Leota, Marty Moana, Lance Hohaia's brother Tama, and Wairangi Koopu's cuzzy James.
The first time I ever say Stacey play was at Davies Park when he ripped up and destroyed the Cougars.
Oddly they wanted to call them the Chiefs but a few people jumped up and down that it was an insult and disrespectful as you had to earn the right to use the name. They went with the Cougars and oddly a year or so later there is a union team using that name.

Great idea for a comp and Graham Cardin talked a good game, like Ian Robson, unfortunately he was as equally dodgy.
 
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