The Eastern Tornadoes were a

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...

franchise that competed in the

New Zealand Rugby League The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league, rugby league football in New Zealand.#SPARC-2009, SPARC, 2009: 13 The NZRL was founded on 25 April 1910 in preparation for a 1910 Great Britain Lions tour o ...

Bartercard Cup The Bartercard Cup (successor of the Lion Red Cup) was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Ze ...

and

Auckland Rugby League The Auckland Rugby League (ARL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. Founded in 1909, the ARL has played a pivotal role in the development and promotion of rugby league in Auckland and beyond. ...

's Super 12 competitions. They were formed to represent the

clubs of

East Auckland East Auckland () is one of the major geographical regions of Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. Settled in the 14th century, the area is part of the traditional lands of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki. The area was developed into farmland in the ...

History

The Eastern Tornadoes were formed in 1999 to compete in the

's Super 12 competition. They were a merger of the Mt Wellington, Otara and

Pakuranga Pakuranga is an eastern suburb of Auckland, in northern New Zealand. Pakuranga covers a series of low ridges and previously swampy flats, now drained, that lie between the Pakuranga Creek and Tamaki River, two estuary, estuarial arms of the ...

senior sides. In 2000 they joined the new national

competition. The team originally included players from the

Ellerslie Eagles The Ellerslie Eagles are a rugby league club based in Ellerslie, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1912 and competes in Auckland Rugby League competitions. Its premier team competes in the Sharman cup. The club celebrated its centenary Queen ...

but in 2004 they joined the

Otahuhu Leopards The Otahuhu Leopards are a rugby league club based in Ōtāhuhu, Auckland. Founded in 1911 Auckland Rugby League season, 1911, the club has produced 49 New Zealand national rugby league team players. The club competes in the Fox Memorial compet ...

to form the Otahuhu Ellerslie Leopards, being replaced by the

Manurewa Marlins The Manurewa Marlins are a rugby league club based in Manurewa, New Zealand. In 2018 the Marlins will compete in Auckland Rugby League's Sharman Cup competition. Between 2000 and 2003 they competed in the national Bartercard Cup competition. ...

.Coffey, John and Bernie Wood ''Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909-2009'', 2009. . In 2006 the competition was revamped and they were merged with the Otahuhu Ellerslie Leopards to form the Tamaki Leopards.

Notable players

Notable players included:

Jeremiah Pai Jeremiah Pai is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Hibiscus Coast Raiders in the Sharman Cup (2024). Early years He was first noticed when playing for the Eastern Tornadoes in the Bartercard Cup before ...

, Gary Tupou, Herewini Rangi, Zebastian Lucky Luisi,

David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...

and Paul Fisiiahi and Hare Te Rangi. They were coached by

James Leuluai A'au James Leuluai (born 4 February 1957) is a New Zealand former international rugby league . Background He is the father of former Widnes Vikings player Macgraff Leuluai and Wigan Warriors and New Zealand international Thomas Leuluai, and t ...

.Bulls brace for potent tornado
''The Press'', 5 May 2001

Bartercard Cup

The team was always a force in the early years, losing the Grand Final in 2001. However, in 2004 and 2005 the club was a shadow of its former self and failed to qualify for the playoffs. *Two points for a bye awarded as the Ngongotaha Chiefs left the competition.

References

{{Rugby League in Auckland Rugby league teams in Auckland Rugby clubs established in 1999 Defunct rugby league teams in New Zealand Mount Wellington Warriors 1999 establishments in New Zealand 2006 disestablishments in New Zealand Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 2006