2023 NRFL Leagues

The 2023 NRFL Leagues was the 59th and 57th seasons respectively of the NRFL Championship and NRFL Conference, football competitions in New Zealand. Established in 1965, currently twelve teams compete in the Championship while 8 teams compete in the Northern and Southern sections of the Conference League.

NRFL Leagues

Season	2023
← 2022 2024 →

Northern League

Main article: 2023 New Zealand National League § 2023 Northern League

The Northern League sits above the two NRFL Divisions and is also overseen by Northern Region Football, despite being run by New Zealand Football as part of the New Zealand National League.

Twelve teams competed in the league – the top ten teams from the previous season and the two teams promoted from the 2022 NRFL Division 1. The promoted teams are West Coast Rangers and Manurewa. This was both Manurewa's first season in the Northern League. West Coast have returned at the first time of asking after being relegated in 2021.^[1] They replaced Waiheke United (one season) and North Shore United (two seasons).

Northern League table

This section is transcluded from 2023 New Zealand National League. (edit | history)

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Auckland City (C)	22	19	3	0	64	9	+55	60	Winner of Northern League and qualification to National League Championship
2	Eastern Suburbs	22	17	5	0	51	17	+34	56	Qualification to National League Championship
3	Auckland United	22	13	4	5	50	24	+26	43
4	Manurewa	22	11	3	8	46	37	+9	36
5	Western Springs	22	10	3	9	39	35	+4	33
6	Hamilton Wanderers	22	8	6	8	39	49	−10	30
7	West Coast Rangers	22	8	2	12	33	49	−16	26
8	Birkenhead United	22	7	4	11	46	44	+2	25
9	Melville United	22	6	5	11	30	47	−17	23
10	Bay Olympic	22	4	3	15	33	55	−22	15
11	Takapuna (R)	22	4	3	15	23	50	−27	15	Relegation to NRFL Championship
12	Manukau United (R)	22	3	3	16	26	64	−38	12

Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss^[2]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Championship

NRFL Championship

Season	2023
Dates	25 March 2023 - 9 September 2023
Champions	Tauranga City
Promoted	Tauranga City East Coast Bays
Relegated	Waiheke United
Matches played	132
Goals scored	468 (3.55 per match)
Top goalscorer	Jonty Bidois (22 goals)
Best goalkeeper	Louie Caunter Josh Precious (10 clean sheets)
Biggest home win	Tauranga City 9–1 Waiheke United (29 April 2023)
Biggest away win	Metro 0–8 Tauranga City (22 July 2023)
Highest scoring	Tauranga City 9–1 Waiheke United (29 April 2023)
← 2022 2024 →

Each team can field a maximum of five foreign players as well as one additional foreign player who has Oceania Football Confederation nationality. Over the course of the season, each team must also ensure players aged 20 or under account for 7% of available playing minutes.^[3]

Following their 7–1 win over Mount Albert-Ponsonby on the final day, Tauranga City were crowned champions.^[4] They were promoted alongside East Coast Bays a week earlier.^[5]

Championship teams

Twelve teams competed in the league – eight teams from the previous season, the two teams relegated from the 2022 Northern League and two teams promoted from the 2022 NRFL Division 2. The relegated teams were Waiheke United and North Shore United,^[6] while the promoted teams are Hibiscus Coast and Ngaruawahia United.^[7][8] West Coast Rangers were promoted alongside Manurewa, while Albany United and Waitemata were relegated.^[9][10][11]

Team	Location	Stadium	2022 season
East Coast Bays	Northcross, Auckland	Bay City Park	4th
Ellerslie	Ellerslie, Auckland	Michaels Avenue	7th
Fencibles United	Pakuranga, Auckland	Riverhills Domain	9th
Hibiscus Coast	Stanmore Bay, Auckland	Stanmore Bay Park	1st in Division 2 (promoted)
Metro	Mount Albert, Auckland	Phyllis Street	8th
Mount Albert-Ponsonby	Mount Albert, Auckland	Anderson Park	5th
Ngaruawahia United	Ngāruawāhia	Centennial Park	2nd in Division 2 (promoted)
North Shore United	Devonport, Auckland	Allen Hill Stadium	12th in Northern League (relegated)
Northern Rovers	Glenfield, Auckland	McFetridge Park	6th
Onehunga-Mangere United	Māngere Bridge, Auckland	Māngere Domain	10th
Tauranga City	Mount Maunganui, Tauranga	Links Avenue	3rd
Waiheke United	Waiheke Island, Auckland	Onetangi Sports Park	11th in Northern League (relegated)

Championship personnel and kits

Team	Manager	Captain	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
East Coast Bays	Joe Hall[12]	Louie Caunter[13]	Lotto Sport Italia	None
Ellerslie	Ben Fletcher[14]	Seb Poelman[15]	Lotto Sport Italia	Trillian Trust
Fencibles United	Marty Rodwell[16]		Nike	New World Howick
Hibiscus Coast	Ryan Faithfull[17]		Lotto Sport Italia	RNB Transport
Metro	Scott MacKay[18]
Mount Albert-Ponsonby	Darren White[19]	Lewis Black[20]	Lotto Sport Italia	Woodview Construction
Ngaruawahia United	Kyle Park[21]		Joma	None
North Shore United	Dylan Burns[22]		Nike	Atlas Concrete
Northern Rovers	Paul Gothard[23]	Dion Buckingham[24]	Lotto Sport Italia	None
Onehunga-Mangere United	Tim Ragg[25]		Nike	None
Tauranga City	Barry Gardiner[26]		Adidas	None
Waiheke United	Sam Negash[27]		Nike	Fullers 360

Championship table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Tauranga City (C, P)	22	17	2	3	73	20	+53	53	Promotion to Northern League
2	East Coast Bays (P)	22	17	0	5	60	18	+42	51
3	Ngaruawahia United	22	12	6	4	48	31	+17	42
4	Mount Albert-Ponsonby	22	13	2	7	47	38	+9	41
5	Hibiscus Coast	22	11	4	7	31	24	+7	37
6	North Shore United	22	11	6	5	47	37	+10	39
7	Ellerslie	22	8	5	9	41	45	−4	29
8	Fencibles United	22	7	7	8	32	40	−8	28
9	Northern Rovers	22	6	2	14	23	42	−19	20
10	Onehunga-Mangere United	22	3	5	14	19	44	−25	14
11	Metro	22	2	4	16	27	64	−37	10
12	Waiheke United (R)	22	2	3	17	20	65	−45	9	Relegation to NRFL Northern Conference

Source: Northern Region Football^[28]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss^[3]
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

• Metro won 3–0 against Northern Rovers, but Metro fielded an ineligible player. Result upgraded to a 3–0 win for Northern Rovers.^[29]
• Metro drew 1–1 with Onehunga-Mangere United, but Metro fielded an ineligible player. Result upgraded to a 3–0 win for Onehunga-Mangere.^[29]

Championship results table

Home \ Away	ECB	ELL	FEN	HBC	MET	MAP	NGA	NSU	NTR	OHM	TGA	WHU
East Coast Bays	—	5–0	3–1	2–1	4–0	6–0	3–1	0–1	5–0	4–1	1–0	7–0
Ellerslie	0–3	—	3–3	2–0	3–1	4–1	1–2	1–4	3–4	1–1	1–2	2–1
Fencibles United	0–2	1–1	—	1–1	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	0–2	2–1
Hibiscus Coast	1–3	1–2	1–0	—	3–0	2–1	1–0	1–1	1–0	2–0	0–3	5–0
Metro	2–4	1–1	2–3	2–2	—	1–5	1–2	1–2	0–3[a]	2–1	0–8	3–3
Mount Albert-Ponsonby	0–1	2–1	2–4	4–0	2–2	—	2–2	3–2	2–0	1–0	2–0	3–0
Ngaruawahia United	2–0	3–2	7–1	2–0	1–0	5–2	—	2–3	3–1	3–3	2–2	4–1
North Shore United	2–0	1–3	2–2	1–1	3–1	0–2	1–1	—	2–1	6–0	2–6	2–1
Northern Rovers	0–2	1–2	0–1	0–4	2–1	0–1	3–0	3–3	—	1–0	1–4	1–0
Onehunga-Mangere United	1–0	2–2	1–3	0–1	3–0[b]	1–4	1–2	1–2	1–1	—	0–5	1–0
Tauranga City	3–2	5–3	2–0	0–2	4–2	7–0	1–1	4–0	3–0[c]	1–0	—	9–1
Waiheke United	2–3	1–3	1–1	0–1	4–2	0–6	1–2	1–5	1–0	1–1	0–2	—

Source: UltimateNZSoccer
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:

1. Metro won 3–0, but Metro fielded an ineligible player. Result upgraded to a 3–0 win for Northern Rovers.^[30]
2. Metro drew 1–1 with Onehunga-Mangere, but Metro fielded an ineligible player. Result upgraded to a 3–0 win for Onehunga-Mangere.^[30]
3. Tauranga City won 3–0 after Northern Rovers defaulted.^[31]

Championship scoring

Championship top scorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals[32]
1	Jonty Bidois	Tauranga City	22
2	Stjepan Kovacic	Ngaruawahia United	14
3	Dylan Stansfield	East Coast Bays	12
4	Reuben Henderson	Ngaruawahia United	11
	Gilberto Souza	Metro
6	Colby Brennan	Tauranga City	10
7	Thomas Page	North Shore United	9
	Brennen Priestley	Fencibles United
9	Nick Petherick	North Shore United	8
	Sam Tutton	Mt Albert Ponsonby

Northern Conference

NRFL Northern Conference

Season	2023
Dates	25 March 2023 - 2 September 2023
Champions	Franklin United
Promoted	Franklin United
Relegated	West Auckland Central United
Matches played	72
Goals scored	276 (3.83 per match)
Biggest home win	Northland 6–0 Central United (26 August 2023)
Biggest away win	Central United 0–6 Bucklands Beach (20 May 2023)
Highest scoring	Franklin United 5–5 Beachlands Maraetai (10 June 2023) Albany United 6–4 West Auckland (24 June 2023)
← 2022 2024 →

Northern Conference teams

Nine teams are competing in the league – the top six northern teams from Division 2 last season, the two teams relegated from the 2022 NRFL Division 1 and the champions of the 2022 NRF Championship. The relegated teams are Albany United and Waitemata.^[9] Originally, although Central United won the 2022 NRF Championship, they were unable to be promoted due to their MoU with Auckland City. As a result, Oratia United were reprieved of relegation.^{[33][34][35][11]} However, after Central United successfully appealed to the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand, they were entered into the competition three weeks after it commenced.^[36][37] As a result NRF decided the league would restart, voiding all previously played matches.^[38][39]

Team	Location	Stadium	2022 season
Albany United	Albany, Auckland	Rosedale Park	11th in Division 1 (relegated)
Beachlands Maraetai	Beachlands, Auckland	Te Puru Park	7th
Bucklands Beach	Pakuranga Heights	Lloyd Elsmore Park	4th
Central United	Sandringham	Kiwitea Street	1st in NRF Championship (promoted)[a]
Franklin United	Drury	Drury Sports Grounds	5th
Northland	Morningside, Whangārei	Morningside Park	6th
Oratia United	Oratia, Auckland	Parrs Park	10th[a]
Waitemata	Beachlands, Auckland	Te Puru Park	12th in Division 1 (relegated)
West Auckland	Kelston, Auckland	Brains Park	3rd

1. Oratia United were reprieved from relegation as Central United were originally unable to gain promotion due to their MoU with Auckland City.^[40][41] After appeal to the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand, Central United were re-entered into the competition.^[36]

Northern Conference table

Table before restart

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification 1 Albany United 3 2 1 0 8 3 +5 7 Qualification for Conference play-offs 2 Bucklands Beach 3 2 1 0 6 3 +3 7 3 West Auckland 3 2 0 1 6 1 +5 6 4 Franklin United 3 2 0 1 3 2 +1 6 5 Beachlands Maraetai 3 1 1 1 5 6 −1 4 6 Waitemata 3 0 2 1 2 5 −3 2 7 Northland 3 0 1 2 2 5 −3 1 8 Oratia United 3 0 0 3 1 8 −7 0 Relegation to NRF League One Updated to match(es) played on 15 April 2023. Source: Northern Region Football[42] Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss[43]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Franklin United (C, P)	16	11	5	0	36	18	+18	38	Qualification for Conference play-offs
2	Bucklands Beach	16	9	4	3	38	17	+21	31
3	Oratia United	16	8	2	6	35	32	+3	26
4	Waitemata	16	5	6	5	26	26	0	21
5	Beachlands Maraetai	16	5	4	7	31	37	−6	19
6	Albany United	16	4	6	6	32	34	−2	18
7	Northland	16	4	3	9	24	27	−3	15
8	West Auckland (R)	16	4	3	9	32	43	−11	15	Relegation to NRF League One
9	Central United (R)	16	4	3	9	22	42	−20	15

Source: Northern Region Football^[44]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss^[45]
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Northern Conference results table

Results before restart

Round 1 Albany United 3–0 Waitemata Bucklands Beach 2–1 Northland Franklin United 1–2 Beachlands Maraetai Oratia United 0–4 West Auckland Round 2 Beachlands Maraetai 2–2 Albany United Oratia United 0–1 Franklin United Waitemata 1–1 Bucklands Beach West Auckland 2–0 Northland Round 3 Albany United 3–1 Oratia United Bucklands Beach 3–1 Beachlands Maraetai Franklin United 1–0 West Auckland Northland 1–1 Waitemata

Home \ Away	ALB	BLM	BUC	CEN	FRA	NOR	ORA	WTM	WAK
Albany United	—	2–0	0–5	2–2	2–3	2–1	5–0	1–1	6–4
Beachlands Maraetai	3–2	—	1–1	4–1	0–4	4–0	1–4	1–3	0–2
Bucklands Beach	1–1	4–2	—	6–1	1–1	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–1
Central United	1–1	3–1	0–6	—	0–2	0–3	4–0	1–2	3–0
Franklin United	2–0	5–5	1–0	2–2	—	2–1	4–2	1–0	2–1
Northland	0–0	1–3	0–2	6–0	0–1	—	1–5	2–2	2–2
Oratia United	4–3	2–2	1–0	3–4	1–3	0–1	—	2–0	2–2
Waitemata	2–2	2–2	0–1	2–0	1–1	1–0	1–2	—	4–2
West Auckland	5–3	1–2	2–3	2–0	2–2	0–5	0–4	6–3	—

Source: UltimateNZSoccer
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Southern Conference

NRFL Southern Conference

Season	2023
Dates	25 March 2023 - 16 September 2023
Champions	Waikato Unicol
Matches played	84
Goals scored	368 (4.38 per match)
Biggest home win	Cambridge 10–1 Te Awamutu (1 July 2023)
Biggest away win	Te Awamutu 0–7 Taupo (10 June 2023)
Highest scoring	Cambridge 10–1 Te Awamutu (1 July 2023)
← 2022 2024 →

Southern Conference teams

Eight teams are competing in the league – the top two southern teams from Division 2 last season, and the top 6 from the 2022 WaiBOP Premiership.^[46][47][11]

Team	Location	Stadium	2022 season
Cambridge	Cambridge	John Kerkhof Park	8th
Claudelands Rovers	Claudelands, Hamilton	Galloway Park	9th
Ngongotahā Lakes	Ngongotahā, Rotorua	Tamarahi Reserve	6th in WaiBOP Premiership (promoted)[A]
Otumoetai	Matua, Tauranga	Fergusson Park	2nd in WaiBOP Premiership (promoted)
Papamoa	Papamoa Beach, Papamoa	Gordon Spratt Reserve	4th in WaiBOP Premiership (promoted)
Taupo	Tauhara, Taupō	Crown Park	3rd in WaiBOP Premiership (promoted)
Te Awamutu	Te Awamutu	The Stadium	5th in WaiBOP Premiership (promoted)
Waikato Unicol	Silverdale, Hamilton	Jansen Park	1st in WaiBOP Premiership (promoted)

1. Ngongotaha AFC finished 6th last season. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Lakes FC at the end of the 2022 season to have a combined team for the 2023 season onwards.^[48]

Southern Conference table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Waikato Unicol (C)	21	17	2	2	70	23	+47	53	Qualification for Conference play-offs
2	Cambridge	21	17	1	3	80	32	+48	52
3	Taupo	21	12	2	7	49	35	+14	38
4	Claudelands Rovers	21	7	3	11	40	35	+5	24
5	Papamoa	21	6	4	11	37	60	−23	22
6	Otumoetai	21	5	4	12	38	47	−9	19
7	Ngongotahā Lakes	21	4	4	13	29	63	−34	16
8	Te Awamutu	21	4	4	13	25	73	−48	16

Source: Northern Region Football^[49]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss^[50]
(C) Champions

Southern Conference results table

Home \ Away	CAM	CLR	NGO	OTU	PAP	TAU	TAW	WKU	CAM	CLR	NGO	OTU	PAP	TAU	TAW	WKU
Cambridge	—	1–4	6–0	3–2	3–1	3–1	10–1	3–1	—	6–3	—	—	4–0	4–2	—	4–1
Claudelands Rovers	0–2	—	3–1	4–0	1–2	2–1	7–0	1–4	—	—	—	0–0	—	—	4–0	1–3
Ngongotahā Lakes	1–1	2–2	—	1–0	1–2	0–2	2–2	1–2	1–4	1–0	—	—	—	1–6	—	—
Otumoetai	1–5	1–0	1–2	—	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–2	2–3	—	6–1	—	—	7–0	—	—
Papamoa	1–7	2–0	3–3	1–3	—	0–2	2–1	3–3	—	3–3	5–1	3–4	—	—	—	—
Taupo	4–1	2–1	5–3	5–2	5–1	—	3–0	0–4	—	1–0	—	—	1–0	—	0–0	1–3
Te Awamutu	1–2	1–3	2–4	3–2	2–6	0–7	—	1–1	2–7	—	2–1	2–0	3–0	—	—	—
Waikato Unicol	3–1	2–1	4–1	3–0	6–0	2–0	6–1	—	—	—	5–1	5–2	5–0	—	5–0	—

Source: UltimateNZSoccer
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Conference play-offs

16 September 2023 (2023-09-16)

14:00 NZST

Franklin United	1–0	Waikato Unicol
Sage 63'	Report

Gower Park, Hamilton

Women's Premiership

Main article: 2023 New Zealand Women's National League § 2023 NRFL Premiership

The NRFL Women's Premiership acts as a qualifier for the New Zealand Women's National League.

Eight teams are competing in the league – the top seven teams from the previous season and the promoted side from the 2022 NRF Championship. The promoted team is Hibiscus Coast as winners of the NRF Championship.

Women's Premiership table

This section is transcluded from 2023 New Zealand Women's National League. (edit | history)

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Auckland United (C)	14	11	1	2	42	13	+29	34	Winner of Northern League and qualification to National League Championship
2	Eastern Suburbs	14	10	1	3	52	18	+34	31	Qualification to National League Championship
3	Western Springs	14	7	3	4	42	22	+20	24
4	Ellerslie	14	7	2	5	23	21	+2	23
5	West Coast Rangers	14	7	1	6	28	15	+13	22
6	Hamilton Wanderers	14	5	1	8	18	34	−16	16
7	Hibiscus Coast	14	4	1	9	13	36	−23	13
8	Northern Rovers (R)	14	0	0	14	3	62	−59	0	Relegation to NRFL Women's Championship

Source: Northern Region Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss^[51]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Women's Championship

NRFL Women's Championship

Season	2023
Dates	24 March 2023 – 10 September 2023
Champions	Fencibles United
Promoted	Fencibles United
Relegated	Te Atatu
2024 →

Women's Championship table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Fencibles United (C, P)	21	16	3	2	69	16	+53	51	Promotion to NRFL Women's Premiership
2	Onehunga Sports	21	14	2	5	57	27	+30	44
3	Franklin United	21	11	6	4	48	25	+23	39
4	Tauranga City	21	12	3	6	54	34	+20	39
5	Otumoetai	21	10	2	9	47	47	0	32
6	Manukau United	21	5	2	14	20	44	−24	17
7	Central United	21	3	2	16	17	57	−40	11
8	Te Atatu (R)	21	3	0	18	18	80	−62	9	Relegation to NRF Women's Conference

Source: Northern Region Football^[52]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Goals against; 5) Head to head; 6) Disciplinary record; 7) Coin toss^[53]
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated