New Zealand Warriors facts for kids
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| Club information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | New Zealand Warriors Limited | ||
| Nickname(s) | The Warriors, The Wahs | ||
| Website | warriors.kiwi | ||
| Colours | Blue Green Red White |
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| Founded | 1995 as Auckland Warriors | ||
| Current details | |||
| Ground(s) |
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| CEO | Cameron George | ||
| Chairman | Ken Reinsfield | ||
| Coach | Andrew Webster | ||
| Captain | Mitchell Barnett and James Fisher-Harris | ||
| Competition | NRL Men's Premiership | ||
| 2024 season | 13th | ||
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| 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 New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league team from Auckland, New Zealand. They are the only team in the National Rugby League (NRL) that is not from Australia. The team was started in 1995 as the Auckland Warriors. Fans often call them the Wahs.
The team's head coach is Andrew Webster. The co-captains for the 2025 season are Mitch Barnett and James Fisher-Harris. They took over after the team's long-time captain, Tohu Harris, retired. The Warriors play their home games at Go Media Stadium in Auckland.
When the team first joined the Australian competition in 1995, it was a big moment for New Zealand rugby league. In 2001, they changed their name from the Auckland Warriors to the New Zealand Warriors. The team has reached the Grand Final twice, in 2002 and 2011, but has not won a premiership yet. They have made it to the finals nine times.
History of the Warriors
For a long time, most of New Zealand's best rugby league players came from Auckland. Many of these players went to play in big leagues in Australia or England. People in New Zealand wanted their own team in the Australian competition.
In 1992, it was announced that a team from Auckland would join the league in 1995. The team was named the Auckland Warriors. Their first colours were blue, white, red, and green.
Early Years (1995–2000)
The Warriors played their first-ever game on March 10, 1995, against the Brisbane Broncos. Even though they lost 25–22, a huge crowd of 30,000 people came to watch. In their first season, they just missed out on making the finals.
The next few years were difficult for the team. They struggled to win games and had some problems off the field. In 1999, the club was sold to new owners. By 2000, the club was facing money problems, and its future was uncertain. Businessman Eric Watson bought the team and saved it from disappearing.
A New Beginning (2001–2003)
The team was renamed the New Zealand Warriors and got new black and grey colours. With a new coach, Daniel Anderson, and many new players, the team surprised everyone.
In 2001, they made the finals for the first time in the club's history. The next year, 2002, was even better. The Warriors finished first on the ladder, winning the Minor Premiership. They made it all the way to the Grand Final but lost to the Sydney Roosters.
In 2003, the Warriors made the finals again. They won an exciting game against the Bulldogs, where winger Francis Meli scored a record five tries. They lost in the preliminary final, just one game away from the Grand Final.
Tough Times and Rebuilding (2004–2010)
The 2004 season was one of the worst for the club, and they finished near the bottom of the ladder. The team started to rebuild by signing star players like Steve Price and Ruben Wiki.
In 2006, the club was punished for breaking the league's salary cap rules (rules about how much money a team can spend on players). They had four competition points taken away, which made it very hard to make the finals.
The team returned to the finals in 2007 and 2008. In 2008, they pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NRL history by beating the top-ranked Melbourne Storm in the first week of the finals.
Another Grand Final (2011)
The 2011 season was special for the Warriors. A young halfback named Shaun Johnson became a star player. After losing their first finals game, the Warriors won two amazing knockout games to make it to the Grand Final.
They played the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the final. The Warriors fought hard but lost the game 24–10. Even though they lost, reaching their second Grand Final was a huge achievement for the club.
Years of Ups and Downs (2012–2019)
After their 2011 Grand Final appearance, the Warriors struggled for many years. They missed the finals from 2012 to 2017. During this time, they had several different coaches.
In 2018, the team finally returned to the finals. The captain, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, had an amazing season and won the Dally M Medal for being the best player in the entire NRL. He was the first Warriors player ever to win this award.
The COVID-19 Era (2020–2022)
The COVID-19 pandemic created huge challenges for the Warriors. Because of travel restrictions, the team could not fly back and forth between New Zealand and Australia. To keep the competition going, the entire team moved to Australia for nearly three seasons.
They were based on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Being away from their families and fans for so long was very difficult. Despite these challenges, the team played with a lot of heart and earned respect from fans across the league. In July 2022, they finally played a game at home in Auckland after 1,038 days away.
'Up the Wahs' and a Return to Glory (2023)
In 2023, with new coach Andrew Webster, the Warriors had one of their best seasons ever. The team played an exciting style of football that fans loved. A catchphrase, "Up the Wahs," became popular all over New Zealand as the country got behind the team.
The Warriors finished in the top four for the first time since 2007. They won a home final against the Newcastle Knights in front of a sold-out stadium. They lost to the Brisbane Broncos in the preliminary final, just one game short of the Grand Final. Shaun Johnson had a fantastic year, and Andrew Webster was named the Dally M Coach of the Year.
Recent Seasons
After the excitement of 2023, the 2024 season was a tougher one for the Warriors. The team struggled with injuries and lost many close games. It was the final season for club legend Shaun Johnson, who retired from rugby league. Despite the team's mixed results, every single home game was sold out, showing the incredible support from their fans.
Club Identity
Logos and Colours
The original Warriors logo from 1995 was blue, green, and white. When the club was renamed in 2001, the logo and colours were changed to black and silver, which are traditional New Zealand sporting colours.
For the club's 25th anniversary in 2019, they brought back the original colours and a logo inspired by the first one. This retro look has been popular with fans and is still used today.
Kits
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1995–1996
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1997–1999
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2009–2011
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2012–2018
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2019–2021
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2022-2023
Club Records
Here are some of the club's most important records.
Most Games for the Club
- 301 – Simon Mannering (2005–2018)
- 261 – Stacey Jones (1995–2005, 2009)
- 226 – Manu Vatuvei (2004–2017)
Most Tries for the Club
- 152 – Manu Vatuvei
- 82 – Stacey Jones
- 78 – Shaun Johnson
Most Points for the Club
- 1,213 – Shaun Johnson
- 694 – Stacey Jones
- 608 – Manu Vatuvei
Biggest Win
- 66–0 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2006.
Biggest Loss
- 10–70 against the Melbourne Storm in 2022.
- 6–66 against the Gold Coast Titans in 2024.
Women's Team
The New Zealand Warriors were one of the first teams in the NRL Women's Premiership (NRLW) when it started in 2018. The team played for three seasons but had to pull out of the 2021 competition because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2024, it was announced that the Warriors would rejoin the NRLW in 2025, bringing a top-level women's team back to New Zealand.
Images for kids
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Ben Matulino and Evarn Tuimavave in 2008.
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Chart of the Warriors' yearly ladder positions.
See also
In Spanish: New Zealand Warriors para niños
