There will be a new look to the Auckland Rugby League’s Premiership structure in 2019.

Two Premiership competitions become three, with the newly-formed Crown Lift Trucks Fox Championship joining the SAS Fox Memorial Premiership and SAS Sharman Cup. 

WATCH THE EXPLANATION VIDEO HERE

The season will start with two separate qualifying pools:

1. The 12-team Fox Memorial Premiership Qualifiers, made up of the 10 first division clubs from last year, and the two highest-placed Sharman Cup teams from last year (Bay Roskill and Manurewa)
2. The 13-team Fox Championship Qualifiers, made up of the remaining teams, who played in the Sharman Cup last year  

After each team has played each other once in the Qualifiers, the top eight teams in the Fox Memorial Premiership Qualifiers will advance to contest the first division Fox Memorial Premiership competition, while the bottom four from the Fox Memorial Premiership Qualifiers, will join the top four from the Fox Championship Qualifiers, to form the eight-team Fox Championship competition. 

The remaining nine teams from Championship Qualifiers will play in the Sharman Cup.

Come play-off time, the top four sides in the Fox Memorial Premiership and Fox Championship will qualify for the finals, while in the case of the Championship, those top four will also automatically secure promotion to the Premiership Qualifiers for the following year. 

The Sharman Cup will be split into top-tier Premiership and second-tier Championship competitions, with a title up for grabs in both. 

2019 PREMIERSHIP STRUCTURE SUMMARY

Qualifiers

Fox Championship Qualifiers (start March 23)

• 13 teams all play each other once, with the top four qualifying for the Fox Championship, and the rest dropping down to form the Sharman Cup

Fox Memorial Premiership Qualifiers (start April 6)

• 12 teams all play each other once, with the top eight qualifying to contest the Fox Memorial Premiership, and the bottom four dropping down to the Fox Championship

Competition proper

Fox Memorial Premiership (starts June 29)

• Made up of the top 8 teams from Fox Memorial Premiership qualifying
• 7-game regular season where everyone plays each other once
• The top 4 teams make the play-offs

Fox Championship (starts June 29)

• Made up of the bottom 4 teams from the Fox Memorial Premiership Qualifiers and the top 4 sides from the Fox Championship Qualifiers
• 7-game series season where everyone plays each other once
• The top 4 teams make the play-offs, and automatically secure promotion to the Fox Memorial Premiership Qualifiers for the following season

Sharman Cup

• Made up of all Premiership teams not contesting the Fox Memorial Premiership or Fox Championship.
• Split into a top tier and second tier, with two trophies up for grabs

Article added: Friday 22 February 2019