Warriors (NRL) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
 Warriors 

Club information
Full name	New Zealand Warriors Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Warriors, The Wahs
Website	warriors.kiwi
Colours	Blue      Green      Red      White
Founded	1995 as Auckland Warriors
Current details
Ground(s)	Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland (25,000)
CEO	Cameron George
Chairman	Ken Reinsfield
Coach	Andrew Webster
Captain	Tohu Harris
Competition	NRL Men's Premiership
2024 season	13th
Home colours Away colours
Records
Premierships	0
Runners-up	2 (2002, 2011)
Minor premiership	1 (2002)
Wooden spoons	0
Most capped	301 - Simon Mannering
Highest points scorer	1,476 - Shaun Johnson

The Warriors are a professional rugby league football club. They are based in Auckland, New Zealand. They play in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. The Warriors are the only team in the NRL that is not from Australia.

The club started in 1995 as the Auckland Warriors. People often call them the Wahs. The current coach is Andrew Webster. The team captain is Tohu Harris. The Warriors play their home games at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland.

In 1995, the Auckland Warriors were the first club from outside Australia to join the Australian Rugby League's top competition. This happened when the league grew from 16 to 20 teams. Because of a big disagreement in rugby league called the Super League war in the mid-1990s, Auckland played in the Super League in 1997. Then, they joined the new, combined NRL the next year. In 2001, they changed their name to the New Zealand Warriors.

As of 2023, the club has not won a premiership. They won one minor premiership in 2002. They have reached the grand finals twice (in 2002 and 2011). The team has made it to the finals eight times in total.

History

How the Warriors Started

Rugby league in New Zealand has mostly been focused in Auckland. This started when the New Zealand Rugby League began in 1909. Many players for the New Zealand national team came from Auckland. Some of these players went on to play professionally in Australia or England.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the Auckland team often played very well against visiting teams. An Auckland team joined the mid-week ARL Amco Cup competition in 1978. In their first year, they reached the semi-finals. They lost to the Eastern Suburbs Roosters, who won the competition that year. The Auckland team stayed in this competition until the early 1980s. In 1987, an Auckland team toured Great Britain. They won games against strong clubs like Leeds and Wigan.

In 1988, people started seriously looking into an Auckland team joining the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL). This idea was mainly pushed by Mount Albert, one of the strongest rugby league clubs in New Zealand at the time. On May 17, 1992, it was announced that a club from Auckland would join the Australian Rugby League competition in 1995. This decision came after many people attended NSWRL games played in Auckland.

The new team was named the Auckland Warriors. It was managed by the Auckland Rugby League. The original team colours were blue, white, red, and green. Blue and white are traditional sports colours for Auckland. Red and green were the colours of the Warriors' first sponsor, DB Bitter. The first logo was designed by Francis Allan.

First Season: 1995

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
10th (of 20)	22	13	0	9	–	544	493	+51

The first coach for the new team was John Monie. He had coached Parramatta and Wigan before. Many experienced players joined the team, like Greg Alexander and Andy Platt. Captain Dean Bell was a very good player for the team. Later, former Rugby union players like John Kirwan and Marc Ellis also joined.

The Warriors' first year in the Australian Rugby League was 1995. Their first game was against the Brisbane Broncos on March 10, 1995. About 30,000 people watched the game at a newly improved Mount Smart Stadium. The Warriors were leading 22–10 in the second half. However, Brisbane won the game 25–22.

A record crowd of 32,174 people came to Mount Smart Stadium in Round 6 of the 1995 ARL season. This record was not broken until Round 1 of the 2011 NRL season. However, that later game was played at Eden Park, not Mount Smart Stadium.

The Warriors lost two competition points because of a mistake. In a game against Western Suburbs, the Warriors used five interchange players instead of the allowed four. The Warriors won that game 46–12. This mistake meant the club missed out on the finals by just two points. In this season, future star Stacey Jones made his debut. He scored a try in his first game, a 40–4 win against the Parramatta Eels in Sydney.

Second Year: 1996

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
11th (of 20)	21	10	0	11	–	412	427	−15

The Australian Rugby League season 1996 was a mixed year for the Warriors. The Warriors sided with the Super League during the Super League War. This happened when the New Zealand Rugby League joined the new competition. They had their first 'victory' over the Brisbane Broncos in Round 1. This was after all Super League clubs decided not to play the first round in protest. The Warriors won two points when they traveled to Brisbane with players who had not signed with Super League. This forced the Broncos to forfeit the game.

With four games left, the Warriors were in sixth place. It looked like they would make the finals. However, they lost all four of their last games. This meant they missed out on the finals.

Super League War: 1997

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
7th (of 10)	18	7	0	11	–	332	406	−74

In 1997, the Warriors played in the separate Super League Telstra Cup competition. Even with fewer teams, they did not perform very well. Coach Monie was replaced by Frank Endacott during the 1997 season. The only good part of the year was the team's performance in the World Club Challenge. The Warriors beat strong UK teams like Wigan, St Helens, and Warrington. The Warriors were knocked out in the semi-finals by the Brisbane Broncos, who went on to win. The score was 16–22.

Joining the NRL: 1998

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
15th (of 20)	24	9	0	15	–	417	518	−101

The first season of the new, combined competition did not have many highlights for the club. It was clear that the club needed a fresh start and a new way of doing things. Luckily for them, they were in a better position than the other two clubs that joined in 1995.

New Owners: 1999

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
11th (of 17)	24	10	0	14	–	538	498	+40

Former Kiwi player Mark Graham became the coach in 1999. The club was sold to a group that included former Kiwi coach Graham Lowe and the Tainui tribe. The team's performance on the field was still disappointing. However, after a mid-season challenge, the team finished the season strongly. They won five of their last six games. This looked promising for the new millennium.

Financial Troubles and a Fresh Start: 2000

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
13th (of 14)	24	8	2	16	–	426	662	−236

In National Rugby League season 2000, the Warriors finished second to last. This season included their second-biggest loss ever, 54–0 to St. George Illawarra in Wollongong. More importantly, the club faced serious money problems. The main owners were in financial trouble, and the club's future looked very uncertain.

Businessman Eric Watson bought the main parts of the club. However, this did not include player contracts. Many players were released and had to fight to get the money they were promised. In the end, only 10 players from the 2000 season stayed with the team.

The club was re-named the New Zealand Warriors. They also got new colours: black and grey, which are like New Zealand's national sports colours. The new coach, Daniel Anderson, and CEO Mick Watson focused on signing talented but unknown players from New Zealand. In 2001, there were only six Australian players in the squad. Only three players from the original team were left: Monty Betham, Stacey Jones, and Logan Swann.

First Time in the Finals: 2001

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
8th (of 14)	26	12	2	12	–	638	629	+9

In this season, many people thought the re-named New Zealand Warriors would finish second to last. However, the team surprised everyone. They made it to their first-ever finals series in the National Rugby League season 2001.

In Round 8, the Warriors were part of one of the biggest near-comebacks in NRL history. They were losing 24–8 to the Bulldogs with less than six minutes left. The Warriors scored three tries very quickly. They only lost the game because Stacey Jones missed a conversion kick right at the end.

After a tough period in the middle of the season, the Warriors upset the top team, Parramatta, 29–18 at home. This was a highlight game.

Then, with their season on the line, the team won four games in a row. They had impressive home wins against other finals teams: 34–8 against the Bulldogs, 30–0 against Cronulla, and 14–8 against the Sydney Roosters. The Warriors also scored 24 points without reply in the last part of the game to beat the Panthers 48–32. They secured their first finals spot with a tough 24–24 draw with the Melbourne Storm at Colonial Stadium. However, this tough game affected them a week later. The Warriors lost 30–18 at home to the Cowboys. This win helped the North Queensland team avoid finishing last.

In their first-ever finals game, they lost to the top team, the Parramatta Eels, 56–12. At the time, this was the biggest loss in finals history.

Minor Premiership and Grand Final: 2002

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
1st (of 15)	24	17	0	7	2	688	454	+234

The Warriors had their best year so far in the National Rugby League season 2002. They won the Minor Premiership. This meant they finished in first place at the end of the regular season. This happened after the Bulldogs lost 37 competition points due to breaking salary cap rules. The club played the first finals game ever held outside Australia at Mt Smart Stadium. This was in the first week of the Finals Series. The Warriors beat the Canberra Raiders 36–20 after a tough start.

For the Preliminary Final against the Cronulla Sharks at Stadium Australia, the Warriors' sponsors, like Vodafone New Zealand and Eric Watson, bought 15,000 tickets. They gave these tickets away for free to anyone with a New Zealand passport. It was reported that in the crowd of 45,000, there were more Warriors fans than Cronulla fans. This was amazing because Cronulla is a Sydney-based club. The Warriors won 16–10. John Carlaw scored a famous try after a perfect kick from Stacey Jones.

The Grand Final against the Sydney Roosters was a close game for the first hour. The Warriors were losing 2–6 at halftime. But they took the lead just after halftime when Jones scored a great try. He ran 40 metres, leaving defenders behind him. The Roosters took control in the last 20 minutes. This happened after their captain Brad Fittler had a head clash with Warriors player Richard Villasanti. The final score was 8–30.

Back to the Finals: 2003

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
6th (of 15)	24	15	0	9	2	545	510	+35

2003 was another successful year for the Warriors.

After losing an early 16–0 lead to the Newcastle Knights in Round 1, the Warriors won five games in a row. This showed they were serious contenders for the season. However, the Warriors then struggled in the middle of the season. They lost a 26–12 lead with eight minutes left to the Parramatta Eels, losing 28–26. They also had a poor 10–30 loss in Townsville to the North Queensland Cowboys. They played their first-ever extra time game, beating South Sydney 31–30. They came back from being 6–24 down in that game.

The Warriors secured their spot in the playoffs. They finished sixth based on points difference. This was a risky position, as teams finishing sixth had been knocked out in the first week of the playoffs in the previous three seasons.

Their first finals game was against the Bulldogs in Sydney. The Warriors played one of their best games ever. They surprised the Bulldogs early, leading 16–4 at halftime. After Canterbury tied the score at 16-all, the Warriors scored five tries in 16 minutes. They blew the Bulldogs away, winning 48–22. Winger Francis Meli scored five tries, which was a finals record. This made Graham Lowe, who often criticised the Warriors, say that they would win the premiership. The next week, a Stacey Jones field-goal in the last minutes helped the Warriors beat the Canberra Raiders 17–16. However, they lost in the Preliminary Final to the top team and eventual champions, the Penrith Panthers, 20–28. It was a disappointing loss for the Warriors. They never led in the game. They missed a chance to take the lead early in the second half when Henry Fa'afili dropped the ball with the try line open.

A Tough Year: 2004

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
14th (of 15)	24	6	0	18	2	427	693	−266

Before the National Rugby League season 2004 began, many people thought the Warriors would have a very successful season. These predictions were wrong. The Warriors only won six games and finished almost last. They avoided the wooden spoon (last place) only because they had a slightly better points difference than the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Coach Daniel Anderson resigned during the season. This happened after an embarrassing 52-point loss to the Sydney Roosters. His assistant, Tony Kemp, became the head coach. In his first game in charge, the Warriors had an emotional 20–14 win over Canberra. A week later, the Warriors' first game in Christchurch since 1996 was a disaster. The Wests Tigers crushed the Warriors 4–50. The season ended with a disappointing six-game losing streak.

The club management tried to improve the team by signing some well-known players. They signed Bulldogs captain Steve Price, Kiwis captain Ruben Wiki, North Queensland halfback Nathan Fien, and Roosters winger Todd Byrne.

Rebuilding the Team: 2005

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
11th (of 15)	24	10	0	14	2	515	528	−13

2005 was better than the terrible 2004 season. The team played competitively in all their games. Their biggest loss was only by 18 points. The team had a good chance to make the finals. However, a four-game losing streak late in the season ended those chances. The season was also sad because it was announced that star halfback Stacey Jones would leave the club. He was going to join the French Super League club, Catalans Dragons. His last game for the team against Manly at Brookvale Oval was a great way for him to finish. He scored the winning try with three minutes left in a 22–20 victory.

At the end of the season, the team's structure was reviewed. CEO Mick Watson resigned and was replaced by Wayne Scurrah. Tony Kemp was fired as coach, and his assistant Ivan Cleary took over as head coach.

Salary Cap Challenge: 2006

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
10th (of 15)	24	12	0	12	2	552	463	+89

In February 2006, the Warriors were found to have seriously broken the salary cap rules in 2005. This happened after they signed well-known players like Steve Price and Ruben Wiki. On February 27, the NRL announced that the club would lose four competition points. The club also had to pay a fine of A$430,000.

Even before this penalty, many people thought the Warriors would struggle. Some even predicted they would finish last. Despite the four-point deduction, the Warriors won their first NRL game away from Auckland. They beat the reigning champions, the Wests Tigers, 26–10 at Jade Stadium in Christchurch.

On June 25, the Warriors had their biggest win ever. They defeated South Sydney 66–0 at Stadium Australia. This was part of a four-game winning streak. They also beat the Sydney Roosters, Newcastle Knights, and the Penrith Panthers. This streak ended with an 18–22 loss in golden point extra time to the Bulldogs. In that game, the Warriors lost an early 16–0 lead.

The Warriors finished the season strongly, which gave hope for 2007 and beyond. They caused one of the biggest upsets of the season. They beat the top team, Melbourne, 24–20 at Olympic Park Stadium in Melbourne. This stopped the Storm from being unbeaten at home during the regular season.

It took the Warriors 24 weeks to be completely out of the finals race. The Warriors won eight of their last twelve games. This included a 42–16 win against the Roosters in Round 25, where Jerome Ropati scored four tries. If the Warriors had not lost four points, they would have finished in eighth place. This would have put them in the finals. Instead, they finished tenth.

Several players showed great talent in the squad. Halfback Grant Rovelli was a standout performer. Winger Patrick Ah Van secured a spot in the main team and impressed many. George Gatis and Nathan Fien played well at hooker. Centre Simon Mannering was one of the Warriors' most impressive backs.

Back in the Finals: 2007

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
4th (of 16)	24	13	1	10	1	593	434	+159

The Warriors finished their pre-season games with two wins out of three. They beat the Auckland Lions 64–4, lost to the North Queensland Cowboys 32–14, and beat the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 36–6.

The Warriors finished the 2007 season in fourth place. The season started with a 34–18 win over Parramatta at Mt Smart Stadium. The next week, the team made history by winning their first two games of the season. They beat the champions, the Brisbane Broncos, 24–14. This was the first time they had ever won their first two games of a season.

After a good start, where the team was in fourth place with four wins and two losses, the team had a period of inconsistent form. They went on a six-game losing streak after a last-minute win over South Sydney. The team then got back into form, beating Cronulla 12–2 in bad weather at Toyota Park. After that win, the team won 9 out of 12 games, with one draw. The Warriors secured a playoff spot with a 36–14 win over a Manly team that was not at full strength. They then secured a home final the next week, beating the Penrith Panthers 24–20 at Penrith Stadium in Round 25.

Because the Warriors finished fourth in the regular season, they earned the right to host a finals game in the first week of the playoffs. However, the Warriors narrowly lost to the Parramatta Eels 12–10 at Mount Smart Stadium. Their season ended with a 12–49 loss to the Cowboys in Townsville.

On May 30, the Warriors signed Australian Kangaroos' centre, Brent Tate. He joined from 2008 to 2010. This was seen as a "major achievement" for the New Zealand club.

Second Half Comeback: 2008

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
8th (of 16)	24	13	0	11	2	502	567	−65

The 2008 season did not start well for the club. They lost Wade McKinnon for much of the year due to an injury in a pre-season game against Newcastle. Captain Steve Price (rugby league, born 1974) was also out for ten weeks. Other key players like Manu Vatuvei, Jerome Ropati, and Michael Witt also got injured. The team stayed in contention for most of the season. However, they often played very poorly away from Mt Smart Stadium. They suffered their first loss to South Sydney (28–35) since 1999. They lost to South Sydney again later in the season (16–18). Despite poor away results, strong home form and a common comeback in the second half of the season saw the Warriors make the top eight for the second year in a row. This was amazing because they only spent three weeks in the top eight all season. A spot in the top eight was secured in the last game of the season. The Warriors beat the Parramatta Eels 28–6 at Parramatta Stadium. This was the first time since 1995 that the Warriors had won an away game against Parramatta.

With nothing to lose in the first week of the finals, the Warriors caused one of the biggest finals upsets ever. It was arguably the greatest victory in the club's history. They defeated the Melbourne Storm 18–15 at Olympic Park. By doing this, they became the first 8th-placed team to beat the minor premiers. Michael Witt scored with two minutes left to win the game. Witt teased Melbourne captain, Cameron Smith, before placing the ball for the historic victory.

In week two of the playoffs, the Warriors came from behind to defeat the Sydney Roosters 30–13 at Mt. Smart Stadium. The Sydney Roosters led 13–6 at halftime. But a second-half comeback saw the Warriors score twenty-four points without reply. This earned the Warriors a spot in the preliminary finals. This was the first time since 2003 that the Warriors had reached the grand final qualifier. It was their third time overall in 14 seasons. However, they lost heavily to an inspired Manly Warringah Sea Eagles team, 32–6.

A Sad Start to 2009

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
14th (of 16)	24	7	2	15	2	377	545	−188

The 2009 season started with a sad event: the loss of young player Sonny Fai. He had gone into dangerous surf to rescue relatives but was likely pulled under by a strong current. The Warriors had a very disappointing year, almost as if this event affected them. This was despite winning their first two games against eventual grand finalists Parramatta Eels (26–18) and reigning champions Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

After those great wins, they then won only 1 of their next 8 games, including a draw. They did manage to beat West Tigers 14–0 and Newcastle 13–0, keeping both opponents from scoring any points. However, their poor attacking play made many league fans question the team. This led to them losing their next 3 matches by large scores. They did beat the Roosters 30–24 in Sydney and Raiders 34–20 at Mt Smart Stadium. But in the end, the Warriors lost their final two games. They lost to the Bulldogs in Hazem El Masri's last home game before the finals. They then finished their season losing 0–30 to the eventual champions Melbourne Storm.

Back to Finals Football: 2010

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
5th (of 16)	24	14	0	10	2	539	486	+53

Expectations for the Warriors were not high in 2010 after a disappointing 2009 season. The Warriors strengthened their team by signing key playmakers Brett Seymour and James Maloney. In one of their best performances ever, they easily beat the Brisbane Broncos 48–16 in Brisbane in Round 3. Maloney tied a club record with 28 points in that game (3 tries and 8 goals). Kevin Locke scored three tries in the Warriors' amazing 20–18 win over the Sydney Roosters in Christchurch. He narrowly avoided a serious hip injury when scoring the winning try. The Warriors won five matches in a row for the first time since late in the 2003 season. They finished in 5th place in the regular season. They were knocked out of the finals in the first week, losing to the Gold Coast Titans.

Another Grand Final and Shaun Johnson's Rise: 2011

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
6th (of 16)	24	14	0	10	2	504	393	+111

The 2011 season started with strong emotions for the Warriors because of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The Warriors began the 2011 season with a special game at Auckland's Eden Park. This was the first regular season home game the club had played away from Mt Smart Stadium. The game drew a record home crowd for the Warriors of 38,405 people. Unfortunately, the Warriors could not win for the large crowd. They lost 24–18 to the Parramatta Eels. The Warriors then lost their next two games. It looked like Warriors fans were in for another disappointing season.

However, the Warriors bounced back. They were in the running for a top-four spot late in the season but finished in 6th place. During the season, coach Ivan Cleary was asked by the Penrith Panthers to be their coach for the 2012 season. Cleary stayed as coach for the rest of the 2011 season. Brian McClennan was chosen to be his replacement for 2012. One of the season's highlights was the discovery of young halfback Shaun Johnson. He played a key role as the Warriors approached the 2011 finals series.

In week one of the finals, the Warriors lost badly, 40–10, to the Brisbane Broncos. Other results went the Warriors' way, and they were lucky to move on to week two of the finals. There, they would play a strong Wests Tigers team that had won 9 games in a row. Many expected the Tigers to win. However, a brilliant second-half comeback by the Warriors ended with a late and debated try by Krisnan Inu. This saw the Warriors win 22–20 and earn the right to play the Melbourne Storm for a spot in the Grand Final.

The Warriors traveled to Melbourne as underdogs. But they played what many consider one of the most complete performances in the club's history. The Warriors controlled the game. They sealed the Melbourne Storm's fate when Shaun Johnson confused the Storm defence. He sent Lewis Brown in for the try that would send the Warriors to their second-ever Grand Final. There, they would meet the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

The Warriors were again seen as big underdogs for the Grand Final. Their team had only three players who had played in a Grand Final before. (Manly, on the other hand, had a coach and eight players who had won the 2008 NRL premiership. Plus, another player had won a premiership in 2003 with Penrith). Strong defence from both sides was the main feature. The Warriors scored first with a penalty goal by James Maloney in the 28th minute. But just over a minute after the restart, a defensive mistake allowed Brett Stewart to score the first try. Just before halftime, the Warriors were unlucky not to get a penalty for obstruction before Manly's second try. This meant they went into halftime losing 12–2. Another try by Clive Churchill Medal winner Glenn Stewart in the 57th minute extended Manly's lead to 18–2.

However, the Warriors refused to give up. They fought back with tries from Manu Vatuvei and Elijah Taylor in the 63rd and 68th minutes. Unfortunately, Maloney missed both conversion kicks. If he had made them, the score would have been 18–14, setting up a thrilling finish. But a try by Manly captain Jamie Lyon with only a minute left made the result clear. The Warriors were beaten by a very efficient Manly team, 24–10. Still, their effort in reaching only their second-ever Grand Final (and their first in nine years) was a great achievement for the club and departing coach Ivan Cleary. It earned them praise from people in the NRL.

2011 was a successful season overall for the New Zealand Warriors. All three of their teams (NRL, NYC, and NSW Cup) reached their Grand Finals. The club's NYC team beat the North Queensland Cowboys 31–30 in golden point extra time to win their second premiership. Their NSW Cup partner team, the Auckland Vulcans, lost 30–28 after giving up a last-minute try to Canterbury-Bankstown in the NSW Cup Grand Final.

A Year with Coach Matt Elliott: 2013

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
11th (of 16)	24	11	0	13	2	495	554	−59

The Warriors had another terrible start in 2013. They won only 2 of their first 10 games. The Warriors then got back into the finals race by winning 7 games out of 8. This included a big 56–18 win against the Brisbane Broncos in Brisbane. As the finals got closer, the Warriors only won 2 of their last 6 games. This meant they finished the season in 11th place. In Round 10, on May 18, the Warriors lost 6–62 to the Penrith Panthers. This was their biggest loss ever in the club's history. Captain Simon Mannering won the club's Player of the Year award. Ngani Laumape won Rookie of the Year.

In September, after many rumours, the Warriors confirmed they had signed Man of Steel winner Sam Tomkins. He joined on a three-year deal from the English club Wigan Warriors for a record transfer fee of $1,000,000 NZD.

New Coach Andrew McFadden: 2014

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
9th (of 16)	24	12	0	12	2	571	491	+80

In the first NRL Auckland Nines tournament, the Warriors were expected to win. They finished first in their group, winning all three games. But they lost the semi-final to the eventual winners, the North Queensland Cowboys. The Warriors started the season with two wins and two losses. But in Round 5, after a 37–6 loss to Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, the club fired head coach Matthew Elliott. They replaced him with former Canberra Raiders player Andrew McFadden. Unfortunately, the Warriors missed the playoffs for the third season in a row. They missed out on points difference to the Brisbane Broncos. Simon Mannering won his fourth Player of the Year award. David Fusitu'a won Rookie of the Year.

McFadden's Year: 2015

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
13th (of 16)	24	9	0	15	2	445	588	−143

The 2015 season marked 20 years since the Warriors first joined the Australian professional rugby league, now known as the NRL.

The Warriors were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the 2015 NRL Auckland Nines by the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, who ended up being runners-up.

The Warriors ended the season with eight losses in a row. This happened after Shaun Johnson broke his ankle while scoring a try against Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in Round 20. Ben Matulino was named the club's Player of the Year. Tuimoala Lolohea was named the club's Rookie of the Year.

Big Player Signings: 2016

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
10th (of 16)	24	10	0	14	2	513	601	−88

To start 2016, the team welcomed major new players. These included 2015 Dally M Fullback of the Year Roger Tuivasa-Sheck from the Sydney Roosters. They also signed Kiwi international Issac Luke from the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Warriors finished second in the 2016 NRL Auckland Nines, losing to the Parramatta Eels 22–4 in the final.

The Warriors started the season by losing their first three games. They then beat the Newcastle Knights 40–18 to get their first win of the season. A week later, they defeated the Sydney Roosters in a thrilling Golden Point game in Gosford. After a loss to Melbourne Storm on Anzac Day, the team faced criticism. Many people called for coach Andrew McFadden to be fired. Also, six Warriors players were suspended after mixing prescription drugs with energy drinks.

After 11 rounds, the Warriors had four wins from 11 games. As the State of Origin series began, the Warriors started to play better. They won four out of five games. The only exception was a golden point loss to the top-of-the-table Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. After Round 18, the Warriors were in the top eight. They only needed to win four out of their final eight games, with three of their last four games at home. This was an achievable goal. However, the club only won two of their final eight games. They finished tenth on the ladder and missed out on the finals for the fifth year in a row. Simon Mannering received his fifth Warriors Player of the Year award.

On September 12, 2016, it was announced that Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney would replace Andrew McFadden as head coach for 2017. McFadden stayed on as an assistant coach.

The Kiwis "Spine": 2017

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
13th (of 16)	24	7	0	17	2	444	575	−131

After changes to the Warriors coaching staff and the signing of Kieran Foran, there was a lot of excitement for the team leading into the season. The team featured the 2015 Kiwis "spine" (Tuivasa-Sheck, Foran, Johnson, Luke), and coach, Stephen Kearney. The Auckland Nines tournament perhaps showed what was to come, as the Warriors did not win any games and finished last in their group. They started the regular season with a narrow win over the Newcastle Knights. This would be one of their few wins in the 2017 season. Before their first break of the season, they had only won six out of 14 games.

Things got worse. After that break, they defeated the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Mt Smart Stadium. This would turn out to be their last win of the season. After that, the Warriors went on a losing streak until the season ended. They set a club record of nine straight losses and had one of the worst seasons in the club's history. Also, well-known players like Ryan Hoffman, Jacob Lillyman, Charlie Gubb, and Kieran Foran left the club. After so much promise and excitement before the season, it seemed like a familiar story for Warriors fans. During a school visit in September, after their season had ended, one student asked them why they were "so bad." Another student, who didn't know much about rugby league, asked them where they finished on the competition ladder.

In December 2017, the New Zealand Warriors showed interest in applying for a license to play in the first-ever NRL Women's season.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck Shines: 2018

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
8th (of 16)	24	15	0	9	1	472	447	25

After a very bad 2017 season, the Warriors made some important new player signings. These included experienced New Zealand international players Gerard Beale, Adam Blair, Tohu Harris, and Peta Hiku. Importantly, they also signed veteran playmaker Blake Green, along with Agnatius Paasi, Leivaha Pulu, Anthony Gelling, and Karl Lawton. At the start of the year, many people predicted that the Warriors would finish last. They thought the team would get their first wooden spoon (last place) in history. But surprisingly, the Warriors started the season with five wins in a row. This was their best-ever start to a season. It included away wins over the Sydney Roosters, Canberra Raiders, and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. They also got their first win in Perth after many tries. They ended up finishing 8th. They were only two competition points away from 4th place in one of the closest top 8 finishes in NRL History. They played Penrith Panthers in an elimination final on Saturday, September 8, in Sydney. This was their first finals appearance since 2011. However, they lost to Penrith 27–12.

In April 2018, the Warriors were sold by their long-time owner, Eric Watson. The Carlaw Heritage Trust and Autex Industries bought the club for $16 million NZD.

To top off the year, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck won the Dally M Medal. He was the first Warriors player to win this award. The Warriors also became one of the four original teams in the NRLW (Women's competition).

This was also the end of Shaun Johnson's first time playing for the Warriors.

25th Season: 2019

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
13th (of 16)	24	9	1	14	1	433	571	−141

The club celebrated its 25th season in top-level Rugby League in 2019. They returned to their original jersey and colours. They also changed their logo to be similar to their original 1995 logo, with "Auckland" replaced by "New Zealand". The season started almost perfectly for the Warriors. They defeated the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 40–6 at home. This game was played the day after the 2019 Christchurch Mosque Shootings. But then things started to go downhill for the club. They lost heavily in their next two games against the Tigers (34–6) and the Sea Eagles (46–12).

A 26–10 win over the Gold Coast Titans at home gave the club hope that 2019 would be as successful as 2018. But four losses in a row, including close losses against South Sydney in Round 5 (28–24) and a controversial loss to the Melbourne club on Anzac Day (13–12), almost ended any chance of another finals appearance. The Warriors then won their next two games against St. George Illawarra (26–18) and Penrith (30–10). However, they could not win at home, having a six-game losing streak at Mt Smart. This was finally broken in their surprising 24–16 win over Manly in Round 21. But after the win over Manly Warringah, the Warriors were beaten by the Sydney Roosters 42–6, Cronulla 42–16, and South Sydney 31–10. This ended any chance of another finals appearance. However, they were able to end the season on a positive note, beating the 4th-placed Canberra Raiders 24–20 in Canberra.

After just 16 months of joint ownership, Autex Industries became the sole owner of the team. They bought out the 66% share in the Warriors that was owned by the Carlaw Heritage Trust.

COVID-19 Pandemic: 2020

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
10th (of 16)	20	8	0	12	0	343	458	−115

Going into the 2020 NRL season, the Warriors hoped to improve after their poor 2019 season. However, even before their first game against the Newcastle Knights, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that people traveling into New Zealand would have to stay in self-isolation for 14 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant that if the Warriors returned home, they would have to isolate and could not play. It also made it almost impossible for visiting teams to come to New Zealand.

Because of this, the Warriors set up their base in the town of Kingscliff in Northern New South Wales. They moved their Round 2 game on March 21 against the Canberra Raiders to Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast. Two days after the Raiders game, the NRL stopped the competition. The goal was to restart a shorter season of 20 rounds (including the first two rounds already played) by May 28.

When the competition restarted, the Warriors began their new campaign perfectly. They had a memorable 18–0 win over St. George Illawarra at their temporary home at Central Coast Stadium. On June 20, the day after an embarrassing 40–12 loss to South Sydney, the Warriors fired Stephen Kearney as coach. Former Wests Tigers premiership player Todd Payten took over as caretaker coach. Despite their performances, they did improve in the second half of the season. They had back-to-back wins over the Wests Tigers (26–20) and Manly (26–22). They also played bravely in their loss to the Sydney Roosters (18–10). The Warriors ended up finishing 10th. They saw 2020 as a successful year even though they did not make the finals. They flew home on September 28 after their 40–28 win over the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

Still Away from Home: 2021

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
12th (of 16)	24	8	0	16	1	453	624	-171

Before the 2021 season, the Warriors signed former St. George Illawarra and Newcastle Knights coach Nathan Brown as head coach. The Warriors had to stay based on the Central Coast again. This was because there was no easy travel between Australia and New Zealand. Still, the Warriors started the new season with hope. First, the Warriors upset a strong Gold Coast team 19–6 in their first game of the season at Gosford. The next week, Newcastle narrowly beat the Warriors 16–20. Many people thought the Warriors would lose badly in their Round 3 game against Canberra at Canberra Stadium. They were losing 31–10 after 48 minutes. But the Warriors made their biggest comeback ever, scoring 24 points without reply to win 34–31.

On Easter Sunday, the Sydney Roosters beat the Warriors 32–12 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The Warriors were close in the first half. The following week, they let Manly Warringah get their first win of the season. The Warriors lost by a Daly Cherry-Evans field goal. This was their second loss by less than 6 points in 4 weeks. On April 6, it was announced that travel between Australia and New Zealand was open both ways. However, there was a risk that borders could close again. This meant the Warriors and any away team traveling to New Zealand could get stuck there, and the NRL could be stopped. So, the Warriors decided to stay based in Gosford for the entire year.

The Warriors did have some impressive wins after this announcement. They upset St. George Illawarra at Kogarah 20–14. They held on to beat North Queensland 24–20 in Gosford. They also won a thrilling game against the Wests Tigers 30-26, also played in Gosford. Unfortunately for the Warriors, it was another year where they did not make the finals. They had a seven-game losing streak between Rounds 12 and 19. They also lost their last three games. This included a 44–0 loss to the Gold Coast, which was called their worst performance of the season.

Finally Home: 2022

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
15th (of 16)	24	6	0	18	1	408	700	−292

The Warriors started their season with two losses. They lost to St. George Illawarra in Round 1 (28–16) and the Gold Coast Titans in Round 2 (20–18). Then, they went on to win their next three games. They beat the Wests Tigers (16–12), Brisbane (20–6), and North Queensland (25–24). However, that winning streak ended when they lost to the Sydney Roosters in Round 6 (22–14).

After a 3-3 start to the season, the Warriors lost eight of their next nine games. This included losses to Cronulla in Round 9 (29–10), even though the Cronulla team was down to 11 players. They also had a 70–10 loss to Melbourne on ANZAC Day, which is the club's biggest loss in its history.

During this tough period, coach Nathan Brown was fired after a 44-10 defeat to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

On July 3, the Warriors returned home to play at Mt Smart Stadium in New Zealand. It was their first game there in 1038 days. They hosted the Wests Tigers in front of a sold-out crowd of 26,009 people. They went on to win the game 22–2, breaking a 7-game losing streak.

In the Warriors' remaining three home games of the season, they lost to the Melbourne Storm 24–12. Winger Ed Kosi scored all the Warriors' points with 3 tries in only his second game since being dropped after the record loss to the Storm earlier in the season. They won against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 42–18, which was the team's biggest win since 2016. They lost to the Gold Coast Titans 27–26 in extra time in the final game of the season. This happened after they lost a 14-point lead in the last 7 minutes of the game.

In September 2022, the Warriors' main sponsor Vodafone New Zealand announced they would change their name to One New Zealand. Since they were also the naming rights sponsor, the Warriors then announced they would change their name to the One New Zealand Warriors starting from November 2022.

"Up the Wahs" and Top Four Finish: 2023

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
4th (of 17)	24	16	0	8	3	572	448	124

After 3 years of playing in Australia, the Warriors returned to New Zealand full-time in 2023.

The Warriors had many changes from the 2022 season. They signed Kiwis players Marata Niukore, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, and Te Maire Martin. Also, 2016 assistant coach Andrew Webster rejoined the club. He had spent the past two seasons with the Penrith Panthers as an assistant, winning two championships.

The team started the year with 3 wins and 1 loss. This included wins over the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville, which ended the longest away losing streak in club history. They also had the second-biggest comeback in club history. They defeated the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 32-30 after being down 26-6 in the first half. This comeback won the Halberg Awards (which celebrates New Zealand's top sporting achievements) "Favorite Sporting Moment" for 2023.

After a strong start to the year, the team won only 2 of their next 7 games. This included 3 losses in a row to the Melbourne Storm, Sydney Roosters, and Penrith Panthers. These three teams were considered favourites to win the championship before the season. These losses happened over an 11-day period.

There were several "questionable" calls in each of these three games. Also, the team had to travel a lot in a short time. The CEO of One New Zealand, Jason Paris, used Twitter to share his frustration with the NRL and its referees. He said, "Are you kidding me? How biased are the @NRL bunker and referees against the @NZWarriors? Have they got money on them to lose?" He added, "It's like we are permanently against 14 on the field and they want us to play with 12." After the NRL Referees threatened legal action, Paris apologized for his comments.

After that tough 2-5 period, the team went on to win 10 of their remaining 12 matches. This included 7 wins in a row. They also scored 40 or more points in 3 games. During this time, the team also set a new record for consecutive away wins. They secured their first Top 4 finish since 2007.

The team faced the Penrith Panthers in the first week of the finals. They were missing halfback Shaun Johnson due to injury. They lost the game 32-6 in Sydney.

In week two, the Warriors played the Newcastle Knights at home. They defeated the Knights 40-12 to qualify for their first Preliminary Final since 2011. This game had the second-largest attendance in the club's history at Mount Smart Stadium. It was also the third-largest attendance for a Rugby League match at the ground (26,083).

In the Preliminary Final in Brisbane against the Broncos, the team played well in the first half. They were down 24-12 at halftime. The score could have been 24-18 if not for 3 missed conversion attempts in a row. The second half was a big loss, with the Broncos scoring 3 tries without reply to finish the game 42-12.

At the annual Dally M Awards, Addin Fonua-Blake and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak won Prop and Winger of the Year, respectively. Shaun Johnson was named Halfback of the Year. He lost the Dally M Medal (NRL Player of the Year) by just 1 point, finishing in 2nd place to Kalyn Ponga. Many fans and current and former NRL players felt this decision was wrong. They believed Johnson was clearly the winner and the most consistent player all season. Andrew Webster was named Coach of the Year, beating his former head coach Ivan Cleary, who was also nominated.

The year also saw the rise of the "Wahs" nickname. The phrase "Up the Wahs" became very popular. However, some supporters of the club do not like the nickname. They say it sounds like the New Zealand/Australian phrase "Have a wah," which means to be sad or upset, often in a negative way.

Shaun Johnson's Last Season: 2024

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Bye	Points for	Points against	Points differential
13th (of 17)	24	9	1	14	3	512	574	-62

The Warriors started the season with very high expectations. They had finished one game short of the Grand Final the year before. They were also stronger with the return of former Dally M Medalist and club captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck from Rugby Union. They also signed Origin player Kurt Capewell from the Brisbane Broncos. However, the season took a hit early when Addin Fonua-Blake asked to leave the club immediately to return to Australia. Fonua-Blake's request was accepted, but he would only be allowed to leave at the end of the 2024 season.

The team showed flashes of their form from the previous season. But inconsistent play and injuries meant many games were decided by small differences. The team lost 8 of 14 games by 8 points or less. This included one game lost by an amazing try from Xavier Coates after the final siren. Two games were lost by field goals in Golden Point extra time. One game was lost by 2 points due to 3 missed conversion kicks. There were several times when the team started games very well, only to be caught and lose. There was also a very bad 66-6 loss to the Titans in Round 16. This was the Warriors' equal worst loss in history. However, they were also able to beat top teams like the Panthers, winning 22-20 in Magic Round.

Mitch Barnett made his State of Origin debut during the season. He was the first New South Wales player to debut for the Warriors in State of Origin. He was only the third Warriors player to make their State of Origin debut while playing for the club, after PJ Marsh and Kevin Campion.

This season was the last of club legend Shaun Johnson's career. He announced his retirement between Round 22 and Round 23. In the final game of the season, the team made a 16-point comeback in the second half. This was the third-largest comeback in club history. They won the game with a pass from Johnson to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak for a try with less than 30 seconds left.

Despite the somewhat poor performances, the Warriors sold out every home game of the season. This is believed to be a first for a sports team in Australia or New Zealand. It is also a first for either Rugby code.

Season summaries

P=Premiers, R=Runners-up, M=Minor Premierships, F=Finals Appearance, W=Wooden Spoons
(Brackets Represent Finals Games)

Competition	Games played	Games won	Games drawn	Games lost	Ladder position	P	R	M	F	W	Coach	Captain	Details
1995 ARL season	22	13	0	9	10 / 20						John Monie	Dean Bell	Auckland Warriors 1995
1996 ARL season	21	10	0	11	11 / 20							Greg Alexander	Auckland Warriors 1996
1997 SL season	18	7	0	11	7 / 10						John Monie→Frank Endacott	Matthew Ridge	Auckland Warriors 1997
1998 NRL season	24	9	0	15	15 / 20						Frank Endacott		Auckland Warriors 1998
1999 NRL season	24	10	0	14	11 / 17						Mark Graham		Auckland Warriors 1999
2000 NRL season	26	8	2	16	13 / 14							John Simon	Auckland Warriors 2000
2001 NRL season	26 (1)	12 (0)	2 (0)	12 (1)	8 / 14				♦		Daniel Anderson	Kevin Campion & Stacey Jones	New Zealand Warriors 2001
2002 NRL season	24 (3)	17 (2)	0 (0)	7 (1)	1 / 15		♦	♦	♦				New Zealand Warriors 2002
2003 NRL season	24 (3)	15 (2)	0 (0)	9 (1)	6 / 15				♦			Monty Betham	New Zealand Warriors 2003
2004 NRL season	24	6	0	18	14 / 15						Daniel Anderson→Tony Kemp		New Zealand Warriors 2004
2005 NRL season	24	10	0	14	11 / 15						Tony Kemp	Steve Price	New Zealand Warriors 2005
2006 NRL season	24	12	0	12	10 / 15						Ivan Cleary		New Zealand Warriors 2006
2007 NRL season	24 (2)	13 (0)	1 (0)	10 (2)	4 / 16				♦				New Zealand Warriors 2007
2008 NRL season	24 (3)	13 (2)	0 (0)	11 (1)	8 / 16				♦				New Zealand Warriors 2008
2009 NRL season	24	7	2	15	14 / 16								New Zealand Warriors 2009
2010 NRL season	24 (1)	14 (0)	0 (0)	10 (1)	5 / 16				♦			Simon Mannering	New Zealand Warriors 2010
2011 NRL season	24 (4)	14(2)	0 (0)	10 (2)	6 / 16		♦		♦				New Zealand Warriors 2011
2012 NRL season	24	8	0	16	14 / 16						Brian McClennan→Tony Iro		New Zealand Warriors 2012
2013 NRL season	24	11	0	13	11 / 16						Matthew Elliott		New Zealand Warriors 2013
2014 NRL season	24	12	0	12	9 / 16						Matthew Elliott→Andrew McFadden		New Zealand Warriors 2014
2015 NRL season	24	9	0	15	13 / 16						Andrew McFadden		New Zealand Warriors 2015
2016 NRL season	24	10	0	14	10 / 16							Ryan Hoffman	New Zealand Warriors 2016
2017 NRL season	24	7	0	17	13 / 16						Stephen Kearney	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	New Zealand Warriors 2017
2018 NRL season	24 (1)	15 (0)	0 (0)	9 (1)	8 / 16				♦				New Zealand Warriors 2018
2019 NRL season	24	9	1	14	13 / 16								New Zealand Warriors 2019
2020 NRL season	20	8	0	12	10 / 16						Stephen Kearney→Todd Payten		New Zealand Warriors 2020
2021 NRL season	24	8	0	16	12 / 16						Nathan Brown	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck→Tohu Harris	New Zealand Warriors 2021
2022 NRL season	24	6	0	18	15 / 16						Nathan Brown→Stacey Jones	Tohu Harris	New Zealand Warriors 2022
2023 NRL season	24 (3)	16 (1)	0	8 (2)	4 / 17				♦		Andrew Webster		New Zealand Warriors 2023
2024 NRL season	17	9	1	14	13 / 17						New Zealand Warriors 2024

Finals Appearances

The Warriors have made the finals 9 times:

• 2001
• 2002
• 2003
• 2007
• 2008
• 2010
• 2011
• 2018
• 2023

2024 Squad

2025 Signings & Transfers

Contracts

Captains

There have been 12 full-time captains of the Warriors since their first season in 1995. The current captain is Tohu Harris.

No	Captain	Years	Games	Notes
1	Dean Bell	1995	19	First Captain
2	Duane Mann	1995	1	Filled in due to injury
3	Stephen Kearney	1995-1998	5	Filled in due to injury
4	Greg Alexander	1996	21
5	Matthew Ridge	1997–1999	42
6	Denis Betts	1997	0	Filled in due to injury
7	Quentin Pongia	1998	3	Filled in due to injury
8	Stacey Jones	1999–2005	69
9	John Simon	1999–2000	31
10	Terry Hermansson	2000	4	Filled in due to injury
11	Kevin Campion	2001	23
12	Monty Betham	2002–2005	40
13	Ivan Cleary	2002	3	Filled in due to injury
14	Awen Guttenbeil	2003–2004	9	Filled in due to injury
15	Steve Price	2005–2009	90	2007 Dally M Captain of the Year
16	Ruben Wiki	2006–2008	12	Filled in due to injury
17	Micheal Luck	2008–2012	15	Filled in due to injury
18	Simon Mannering	2010–2018	133	Most games as Warriors Captain
19	Brent Tate	2010	2	Filled in due to injury
20	Manu Vatuvei	2012	5	Filled in due to injury
21	Sam Rapira	2013	1	Filled in due to injury
22	Ryan Hoffman	2016–2017	24
23	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	2017–2021	104	2020 Dally M Captain of the Year
24	Blake Green	2018	2	Filled in due to injury
25	Issac Luke	2019	1	Filled in due to injury
25	Tohu Harris	2020–present	50	Current Captain
26	Addin Fonua-Blake	2021–2022	16	Filled in due to injury
27	Peta Hiku	2021	1	Filled in due to injury
28	Wayde Egan	2023-2024	4	Filled in due to injury
29	Dylan Walker	2023	1	Filled in due to injury
29	Mitch Barnett	2024	9	Filled in due to injury

Coaches

There have been 15 coaches of the Warriors since their first season in 1995. The current coach is Andrew Webster.

No	Name	Seasons	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Win %	Premiers	Runners-up	Minor premiers	Wooden spoons	Notes
1	Monie, JohnJohn Monie	1995–1997	52	26	0	26	50%	—	—	—	—	Fired during the season
2	Endacott, FrankFrank Endacott	1997–1998	33	13	0	20	39.4%	—	—	—	—	—
3	Graham, MarkMark Graham	1999–2000	50	18	2	30	36%	—	—	—	—	—
4	Anderson, DanielDaniel Anderson	2001–2004	92	51	2	39	55.4%	—	2002	2002	—	First time in the finals in 2001 First minor premiership in 2002 First grand final in 2002 Resigned during the 2004 season
5	Kemp, TonyTony Kemp	2004–2005	37	13	0	24	35.1%	—	—	—	—	—
6	Cleary, IvanIvan Cleary	2006–2011	137	68	3	66	49.6%	—	2011	—	—	—
7	McClennan, BrianBrian McClennan	2012	22	8	0	14	36.4%	—	—	—	—	Fired during the season
8	Iro, TonyTony Iro	2012	2	0	0	2	0%	—	—	—	—	Temporary Coach
9	Elliott, MatthewMatthew Elliott	2013–2014	29	13	0	16	44.8%	—	—	—	—	Fired during the season
10	McFadden, AndrewAndrew McFadden	2014–2016	50	22	0	28	44%	—	—	—	—	—
11	Kearney, StephenStephen Kearney	2017–2020	79	33	1	45	41.8%	—	—	—	—	Fired during the season
12	Payten, ToddTodd Payten	2020	14	6	0	8	42.9%	—	—	—	—	Temporary coach
13	Brown, NathanNathan Brown	2021–2022	31	11	0	19	35.4%	—	—	—	—	Resigned during the season
14	Jones, StaceyStacey Jones	2022	11	2	0	9	18.2%	—	—	—	—	Temporary coach
15	Webster, AndrewAndrew Webster	2023–	51	26	1	24	50.9%	—	—	—	—	Current coach

Kits

• 

  1995–1996

• 

  1997–1999

• 

  2009–2011

• 

  2012–2018

• 

  2019–2021

• 

  2022-2023

Sponsors

Year	Kit manufactuerer	Major sponsor	Back Top sponsor	Sleeve sponsor	Back Bottom sponsor	Front Shorts sponsor	Back Shorts sponsor	Chest sponsor
1995	Canterbury	DB Bitter	DB Bitter	Ansett	-	-	-	-
1996
1997	Nike		-	DB Bitter		DB Bitter
1998			Nike	Bartercard
1999		Vodafone	-
2000	Puma		Vodafone			-
2001				Lion Red
2002						Electric & Automation Services
2003							Bond & Bond
2004						Bond & Bond
2005					Konica Minolta	Keno
2006					Loadlift	Western Union	Konica Minolta
2007							Suzuki
2008	Canterbury					HiFX
2009
2010
2011					SkyCity
2012							Wendy's
2013
2014						Fernbaby
2015				Woodstock Bourbon		-
2016
2017						Bendon
2018						TNT		dtr
2019					Mazda	FedEx
2020
2021				Sky Sport		Autex Acoustics
2022	Puma
2023		One New Zealand	One New Zealand		Autex Acoustics	I AM HOPE
2024	Dynasty					Maxigesic		GWM

Individual Records and Awards

* indicates player still active for Warriors

Simon Mannering Medal

• This award was called 'Player of the Year' until 2018. It was renamed in 2019 after Simon Mannering, who played the most games for the club.

Year	Player	Notes
2024	Mitch Barnett*
2023	Shaun Johnson	Also Dally M Halfback of the Year Also RLPA Players' Champion (RLPA Player of the Year)
2022	Euan Aitken
2021	Tohu Harris*	Second time awarded
2020	Tohu Harris*	Also Dally M Second Row of the Year
2019	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck*	Third time awarded First player to win three consecutive awards
2018	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck*	Second time awarded Also Dally M Medal Winner (NRL Player of the Year)
2017	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck*
2016	Simon Mannering	Fifth time awarded First player to win five awards
2015	Ben Matulino	Second time awarded
2014	Simon Mannering	Fourth time awarded First player to win four awards
2013	Simon Mannering	Third time awarded First player to win three awards
2012	Ben Matulino
2011	Simon Mannering	Second time awarded
2010	Manu Vatuvei
2009	Micheal Luck
2008	Simon Mannering
2007	Steve Price	Second time awarded First player to win two awards First player to win back to back awards Also Dally M Prop of the Year
2006	Steve Price
2005	Ruben Wiki
2004	Wairangi Koopu
2003	Francis Meli
2002	Ali Lauiti'iti	Also Dally M Second Row of the Year
2001	Jerry Seuseu
2000	Robert Mears
1999	Jason Death
1998	Joe Vagana
1997	Stacey Jones
1996	Stephen Kearney
1995	Tea Ropati

Rookie of the Year

• This award was called 'Young Player of the Year' until 2013.

Year	Player	Notes
2024	Jacob Laban*
2023	Taine Tuaupiki*
2022	Viliami Vailea
2021	Reece Walsh	Also RLPA Rookie of the Year Award Winner
2020	Jamayne Taunoa-Brown
2019	Chanel Harris-Tavita*
2018	Isaiah Papali'i
2017	Bunty Afoa*
2016	Nathaniel Roache
2015	Tuimoala Lolohea
2014	David Fusitu'a
2013	Ngani Laumape
2012	Ben Henry
2011	Shaun Johnson
2010	James Maloney
2009	Russell Packer

Dally M Awards

The Dally M Awards are the official yearly awards for the National Rugby League competition.

Year	Award	Winner
2023	Coach of the year	Andrew Webster*
2023	Winger of the year	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak*
2023	Prop of the year	Addin Fonua-Blake
2023	Halfback of the year	Shaun Johnson
2023	VB Hard Earned player of the year	Addin Fonua-Blake
2020	Provan-Summons Medal	New Zealand Warriors
2020	Captain of the year	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck*
2020	VB Hard Earned player of the year	Tohu Harris*
2020	NRLW Try of the year	Madison Bartlett
2020	Second Row of the year	Tohu Harris*
2019	Winger of the year	Ken Maumalo
2018	Ken Irvine Medal	David Fusitu’a
2018	Interchange of the year	Jazz Tevaga
2018	Fullback of the year	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck*
2018	Dally M Player of the year	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck*
2015	Peter Frilingos Memorial Award	Nathan Friend
2007	Captain of the year	Steve Price
2007	Prop of the year	Steve Price
2002	Second Row of the year	Ali Lauiti'iti
2002	Coach of the year	Daniel Anderson
1995	Winger of the year	Sean Hoppe

Most Games

Rank	Games	Player	Career
1	301	Simon Mannering	2005–2018
2	261	Stacey Jones	1995–2005, 2009
3	226	Manu Vatuvei	2004–2017
4	220	Shaun Johnson	2011–2018, 2022-2024
5	212	Ben Matulino	2008–2017
6	195	Logan Swann	1997–2008
7	188	Jacob Lillyman	2009-2017
8	185	Lance Hohaia	2002–2011
9	175	Awen Guttenbeil	1996-2006
10	173	Sam Rapira	2006–2015

Most Tries

Rank	Tries	Player	Career
1	152	Manu Vatuvei	2004–2017
2	82	Stacey Jones	1995–2005, 2009
3	78	Shaun Johnson	2011–2018, 2022-2024
4	63	Simon Mannering	2005–2018
5	61	David Fusitu'a	2014–2021
6	60	Francis Meli	1998–2005
T-7	57	Clinton Toopi	1999–2006
T-7	57	Lance Hohaia	2002–2011
9	54	Jerome Ropati	2003-2014
10	53	Sean Hoppe	1995-1999

Most Tries in a Season

Rank	Tries	Player	Season
1	24	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	2023 (Including 3 Finals Matches)
T-2	23	Francis Meli	2003 (Including 3 Finals Matches)
T-2	23	David Fusitu'a	2018 (Including 1 Finals Match)
4	20	Manu Vatuvei	2010 (Including 1 Finals Match)
5	19	Sean Hoppe	1995

Most Points

Points	Player	Career
1,213	Shaun Johnson	2011–2018, 2022-2024
694	Stacey Jones	1995–2005, 2009
608	Manu Vatuvei	2004–2017
547	James Maloney	2010–2012
439	Ivan Cleary	2000–2002
357	Lance Hohaia	2002-2011
340	Matthew Ridge	1997-1999
331	Gene Ngamu	1995-1999
291	Michael Witt	2007-2009
270	Tony Martin	2004-2007

Most Points in a Season

Rank	Points	Player	Season
1	242	Ivan Cleary	2002
2	188	James Maloney	2010
3	180	James Maloney	2011
4	177	Shaun Johnson	2013
5	176*	Shaun Johnson	2023

Most Points in a Match

Points	Player	Details
28	Gene Ngamu	3 tries, 8 goals vs North Queensland, 1996 (Won 52–6)
28	Ivan Cleary	1 try, 12 goals vs Northern Eagles, 2002 (Won 68–10)
28	James Maloney	3 tries, 8 goals vs Brisbane Broncos, 2010 (Won 48–16)
26	Shaun Johnson	3 tries, 7 goals vs Canberra Raiders, 2013 (Won 50–16)
26	Shaun Johnson	2 tries, 9 goals vs Canberra Raiders, 2014 (Won 54–12)

Club Records

Biggest Wins

	Margin	Score	Opponent	Venue	Year
1	66	66–0	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Stadium Australia	2006
2	58	68–10	Northern Eagles	Mount Smart Stadium	2002
3	48	48–0	Parramatta Eels	Mount Smart Stadium	2014
4	46	52–6	North Queensland Cowboys	Mount Smart Stadium	1996
T-5	44	60–16	Western Suburbs Magpies	Campbelltown Stadium	1999
T-5	44	52-8	Penrith Panthers	Mount Smart Stadium	2001

Biggest Losses

	Margin	Score	Opponent	Venue	Year
T-1	60	10–70	Melbourne Storm	Melbourne Rectangular Stadium	2022
T-1	60	6–66	Gold Coast Titans	Robina Stadium	2024
2	56	6–62	Penrith Panthers	Penrith Stadium	2013
3	54	0–54	St. George Illawarra Dragons	Wollongong Showground	2000
4	52	6–58	Sydney Roosters	Sydney Football Stadium	2004
T-5	46	10–56	Melbourne Storm	Olympic Park Stadium	2000
T-5	46	6–52	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	Brookvale Oval	2008
T-5	46	4–50	Wests Tigers	Lancaster Park	2004

Kept Opposition to Nil

Score	Opponent	Venue	Year
66–0	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Stadium Australia	2006
48–0	Parramatta Eels	Mount Smart Stadium	2014
42–0	Newcastle Knights	Mount Smart Stadium	1999
42–0	Gold Coast Titans	Mount Smart Stadium	2014
30–0	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	Mount Smart Stadium	2001
26–0	North Queensland Cowboys	Mount Smart Stadium	2006
18–0	St. George Illawarra Dragons	Central Coast Stadium	2020
14–0	Wests Tigers	Mount Smart Stadium	2009
13–0	Newcastle Knights	Mount Smart Stadium	2009

Kept to Nil

Score	Opponent	Venue	Year
0–54	St. George Illawarra Dragons	Wollongong Showground	2000
0–44	Sydney Roosters	Sydney Football Stadium	2002
0–44	Gold Coast Titans	Robina Stadium	2021
0–42	Melbourne Storm	Melbourne Rectangular Stadium	2016
0–36	St. George Illawarra Dragons	Wellington Regional Stadium	2015
0–32	Sydney Roosters	Mount Smart Stadium	2018
0–26	Penrith Panthers	Campbelltown Stadium	2020
0–24	North Queensland Cowboys	Mount Smart Stadium	1999
0–24	Sydney Roosters	Sydney Football Stadium	2015
0–20	Newcastle Knights	Hunter Stadium	2020
0–14	Sydney Roosters	Mount Smart Stadium	2023

Most Consecutive Wins/Losses

Most Consecutive Home Wins/Losses

Most Consecutive Away Wins/Losses

Biggest Comeback

The Warriors have recovered from a 21-point deficit.

• They were losing to the Canberra Raiders 31–10 after 51 minutes but won 34–31 at Canberra Stadium on March 27, 2021.

They have recovered from a 20-point deficit.

• They were losing to the Newcastle Knights 20–0 after 29 minutes but won 30–26 at Hunter Stadium on April 17, 2005.
• They were losing to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 26–6 after 28 minutes but won 32–30 at Shark Park on April 2, 2023.

They have recovered from an 18-point deficit.

• They were losing to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 22-4 after 47 minutes but won 30-28 at Shark Park on August 31, 2024.

They have recovered from a 16-point deficit.

• They were losing to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24–8 after 75 minutes but tied 24–24 at Wellington Regional Stadium on April 7, 2001.

They have recovered from a 16-point deficit.

• They were losing to the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 16-0 after 35 minutes but tied 22-22 at Mount Smart Stadium on April 13, 2024.

Worst Collapse

The Warriors surrendered a 26-point lead.

• They were leading the Penrith Panthers 32–6 after 59 minutes but drew 32–32 at Penrith Stadium on August 1, 2009.

They surrendered an 18-point lead (three times).

• They were leading the Wests Tigers 22–4 after 64 minutes but lost 26–22 at Mount Smart Stadium on June 12, 2011.
• They were leading the Newcastle Knights 18–0 after 16 minutes but lost 24–19 at Mount Smart Stadium on July 21, 2012.
• They were leading the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 18–0 after 31 minutes but lost 24–22 at Subiaco Oval on July 28, 2012.

They surrendered a 16-point lead (three times).

• They were leading the Newcastle Knights 16–0 after 34 minutes but lost 36–26 at Mount Smart Stadium on March 16, 2003.
• They were leading the Canterbury Bulldogs 16–0 after 21 minutes but lost 22–18 (in extra-time) at Stadium Australia on July 9, 2006.
• They were leading the Canberra Raiders 22–6 after 45 minutes but lost 22–42 at Mount Smart Stadium on September 2, 2012.

Golden Point Record

Result	Score	Opponent	Round
Win	31–30	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Round 16, 2003
Loss	26–28	North Queensland Cowboys	Round 15, 2004
Loss	29–30	Canberra Raiders	Round 20, 2004
Loss	18–22	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	Round 18, 2006
Draw	31–31	Sydney Roosters	Round 21, 2007
Win	17–16	Sydney Roosters	Round 6, 2009
Draw	14–14	Melbourne Storm	Round 7, 2009
Draw	32–32	Penrith Panthers	Round 21, 2009
Win	17–13	Parramatta Eels	Round 10, 2015
Win	32–28	Sydney Roosters	Round 5, 2016
Loss	18–19	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	Round 16, 2016
Loss	21–22	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	Round 25, 2017
Draw	18–18	Brisbane Broncos	Round 17, 2019
Win	25–24	North Queensland Cowboys	Round 5, 2022
Win	21–20	Canberra Raiders	Round 8, 2022
Loss	26–27	Gold Coast Titans	Round 25, 2022
Win	21–20	Canberra Raiders	Round 21, 2023
Draw	22–22	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	Round 6, 2024
Loss	12–13	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	Round 18, 2024
Loss	32–34	Dolphins	Round 23, 2024

Largest Home Attendances

These are the largest crowds at the four stadiums the Warriors have used as home grounds.

• 38,405 – vs Parramatta Eels at Eden Park on March 12, 2011
• 37,502 – vs Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at Eden Park on March 4, 2012
• 32,740 – vs Sydney Roosters at Eden Park on March 16, 2013
• 32,174 – vs Illawarra Steelers at Mount Smart Stadium on April 16, 1995
• 30,112 – vs Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at Mount Smart Stadium on April 7, 1995
• 30,112 – vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Wellington Regional Stadium on May 11, 2013

Head-to-Head Records

Opponent	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points Differential	Win %
Titans	34	20	0	14	75	58.8%
Tigers	37	21	0	16	-10	56.8%
Cowboys	48	26	0	22	32	54.2%
Dolphins	4	2	0	2	0	50.0%
Knights	51	25	1	25	52	49.0%
Rabbitohs	41	20	0	21	70	48.8%
Raiders	52	25	0	27	-78	48.1%
Roosters	47	22	1	24	-287	46.8%
Bulldogs	45	20	2	23	69	44.4%
Broncos	49	21	1	27	-70	42.9%
Eels	45	19	0	26	-17	42.2%
Sharks	50	21	0	29	-158	42.0%
Panthers	52	19	1	32	-270	36.5%
Dragons	37	12	0	25	-218	32.4%
Sea Eagles	42	13	1	28	-235	31.0%
Storm	52	16	2	34	-531	30.8%

Women's Team

In December 2017, the New Zealand Warriors showed interest in applying for a license to play in the first-ever NRL Women's Premiership. In March 2018, they were given one of four licenses for the league's first season, which started in September of that year. Luisa Avaiki was named the coach of the team.

The team played in, and finished 3rd place in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The 2019 season included the first-ever standalone NRLW game held at Mount Smart Stadium.

In the 2020 season, because of COVID-19, the team had to use a squad that only included five players from the previous season. The rest of the team were Australian players. The team was coached by Jillaroos coach, Brad Donald. The team finished in third place (out of four) for the third year in a row.

In June 2021, CEO Cameron George announced the team would not play in the 2021 competition. However, they planned to rejoin the competition in 2022. This did not happen. The NRL announced that the NRLW would expand to 10 teams for the 2023 season, but it did not include the Warriors.

In August 2022, during a meeting for members only with CEO Cameron George, Owner Mark Robinson, Coach Stacey Jones, and Captain Tohu Harris, it was announced that the club intended to rejoin the competition for the 2025 season.

On March 28, 2024, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo announced that the Warriors would rejoin the NRLW. A Canterbury Bulldogs team would also join. This would make it an expanded 12-team competition starting in 2025.

Women's Head-to-Head Records

Opponent	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Win %
Titans	0	0	0	0	0
Tigers	0	0	0	0	0
Cowboys	0	0	0	0	0
Raiders	0	0	0	0	0
Knights	0	0	0	0	0
Roosters	3	2	0	1	66.66
Bulldogs	0	0	0	0	0
Eels	0	0	0	0	0
Broncos	3	1	0	2	33.33
Sharks	0	0	0	0	0
Dragons	3	1	0	2	33.33

See also

In Spanish: New Zealand Warriors para niños

• Rugby league in New Zealand
• List of New Zealand Warriors players
• New Zealand Warriors Women