|
New Zealand Warriors
Sean Fagan of RL1908.com
The
New Zealand Warriors (originally Auckland Warriors) were launched
in 1994 with unprecedented hype and attention. Their first game
in 1995 saw more hysteria than the game of rugby league had ever
seen in their home base of Auckland and across New Zealand.
However, before long the Auckland Warriors were an embarrassment
on and off the field. They were written off by all - and as the
1990s passed the Warriors never achieved anything that remotely
gave their faithful fans much hope.
Like
two of the other debutant clubs of 1995, the Auckland Warriors seemed
destined for the scrap heap.
In
2001, under a new management and approach, the New Zealand Warriors
began to look like the football team the rugby league faithful of
New Zealand knew could exist.
In 2002 the New Zealand Warriors won the NRL minor premiership and
reached the Grand Final. Finally, the club that had struggled for
its life, was now delivering the results it had promised back in
1995.
The
first game of rugby league on New Zealand soil was a benefit match
for NZ 1907/08 ‘All Golds' manager Albert Baskerville's widowed
mother. Baskerville died in tragic circumstances before the tour
party returned home. The game was played before 10,000 spectators
at the Athletic Park, Wellington on June 13 1908. Had Baskerville
lived and many of the players not stayed in England, the game in
New Zealand may well have built on the tour's success.
But
to the game's credit in the "Shaky Isles" it persevered and has
continued to do so for nearly a hundred years, despite the obstacles
placed in its path by the NZRU from time to time. In August 1908
teams from Wellington and Auckland played each other in a two match
series. New Zealand Maori teams also went to Australia in 1908 and
1909 with some success.
In
July 1909 a meeting was held and the NZRL was formed. From 1910
onwards, there has been a club championship in Auckland and a similar
competition started in Wellington from 1912. Other clubs and competitions
sporadically rose and then disappeared throughout the 20th century
across New Zealand. The fact that the first inter-island representative
game did not take place until June 1925 says a great deal about
the difficulties rugby league in New Zealand has always faced.
The game though has been centred around Auckland where a strong
rugby league community supports the code. It has provided the bulk
of the New Zealand Kiwis test players through the 20th century.
Many of them subsequently moving to Australian or English clubs.
The
Auckland representative side always provided tough opposition to
national touring sides from Australia, Great Britain and France,
along with NSW, Queensland and numerous Australian club and rep
teams. As recently as 1989 Auckland defeated the visiting Australian
side (26-24).
Auckland
entered the mid-week Amco Cup in 1975 and promptly reached the semi-finals,
losing to the eventual winners Eastern Suburbs. Auckland were part
of the Cup until the early 1980s playing against numerous Sydney
and regional teams. In 1987 an Auckland side was selected and they
made a six game tour of Great Britain which included wins over Leeds
and Wigan.
The
first serious examination of the feasibility of entering an Auckland
team in the expanding Sydney competition were made in 1988. Rumours
of imminent acceptance by the NSWRL appeared regularly in the press.
On 17th of May 1992 the announcement confirming Auckland's entry
in 1995 was made. Much of the reason for the success was the well
attended NSWRL club games that had been played in Auckland in the
early 1990s.
It
was soon decided that the club would be named the Warriors and adopted
a not so accurate Maori based logo. The new club went heavily into
importing officials and players from overseas and rugby union, starting
with former Parramatta and Wigan coach John Monie.
The
Warriors hired fading stars (from both codes) on huge salaries.
Former All Blacks John Kirwan (1995) and Marc Ellis (1996) brought
publicity and not much else. From England Denis Betts and Andy Platt
would make an almost unseen impression on the Winfield Cup. Dean
Bell and Frano Botica returned home from England and performed somewhat
better, though the latter was cruelled by injury.
Also
imported were Aussies Greg Alexander and Phil Blake, both had left
their best days behind them. At the same time the Warriors managed
to let home grown youth like Henry Paul take flight overseas.
On
the opening night at Ericsson Stadium (v Brisbane) almost 30,000
filled the ground, while one in every three New Zealanders watched
the match on TV. The Warriors led 22-10 late in the game, before
crashing 25-22. Amidst the euphoria of their entry to the Winfield
Cup, the club were forced to defect to the impending Super League
competition once the NZRL signed up with News Limited.
The
road ahead would be full of pot-holes for the Warriors. As the local
media put it in 2001 "the opening match marked the beginning of
years of misery, ineptitude, intrigue, wretched excess, vile exhibitionism
and back-stabbing. The Warriors, a team launched with unprecedented
hoopla, descended rapidly into a national embarrassment."
However,
the Warriors could have made the Top 8 in 1995 if not for a stuff-up
in counting the number of replacements used in a match against Western
Suburbs way back in March. Somehow a fifth replacement was sent
on when only four were allowed. What logic inspired the Warriors
to have five (or more) replacements sitting on the benches ready
to play?
Alerted
by a sharp-eyed TVNZ reporter (whose side was he on!) the ARL checked
the video and docked the Warriors two competition points. It ultimately
was the difference between playing in the semi-finals or not. For
the young club, an appearance in the play-offs could have spring-boarded
rapid growth and stability.
The
only highlight to the 1995 season was the debut of local junior
Stacey Jones at half-back and home crowds that were over 20,000.
With four rounds remaining in 1996 the Warriors were well placed
at sixth position. They lost all four games and missed the play-offs.
Stephen Kearney had an outstanding season, along with Jones and
an improving Joe Vagana.
The
Super League season of 1997 saw the club gain the services of Test
fullback Matthew Ridge under the coaching of Frank Endacott. Ridge's
nine matches for the season began a trend that would see the Warriors
gain little benefit from him.
Auckland
finished the year in 7th place of 10 teams. Signs weren't good early
when the Warriors lost at home to the Adelaide Rams in Round 4.
The club seemingly couldn't overcome timidness in defence and a
lack of mental hardness when required. The maligned World Club Challenge
provided some relief for Warriors fans with classy wins over St
Helens and Bradford. Auckland played their best game of the season
in the WCC semi-final against Brisbane, impressing many keen judges
with their physical approach to the Broncos. They still lost though,
22-16.
By
1998 it was apparent the club needed a complete overhaul in its
structure and approach. Mind you, by now two of their fellow entrant
clubs from 1995 were no longer operating at all. The Warriors were
at least still surviving while others were folding up or merging.
The
Warriors again produced an at times woeful season dropping to 15th
place in the NRL's 20 team 1998 competition. The local talent was
undoubtedly where the Warriors' future lay, but the management of
it seemed aimless and players were continually let down, overlooked
or rushed too quickly into the team. Nigel Vagana impressed many
outside the Warriors and youngster Ali Lauiti'iti looked to have
rare attacking skills.
Mark
Graham took over the coaching for 1999 and a mid-season ultimatum
to his underachieving charges produced a pleasing back end to the
season. The Warriors won five of their last six games and for once
the season looked to offer promise of continued improvement in 2000.
Auckland soon picked up the signatures of John Simon, Ivan Cleary
and Mark Tookey.
The
2000 season didn't produce the outcome the Auckland club was searching
for, they finished one place ahead of the wooden spoon. The Warriors
had been starting to produce consistent winning results by mid-2000
after another inglorious start to the early rounds. However, the
club was again beset by injury and off-field dramas. The most concerning
were the financial troubles of the club's major shareholder, which
cast a pall of uncertainty over the Warriors existence as the season
marched on.
The
Warriors club was put up for sale and was close to collapse with
an $8.6 million debt and a $500,000 tax bill looming. After the
season had ended the NZRL stepped in with a rescue package to take
control. Soon after local business tycoon Eric Watson took a 75
per cent stake.
Under
Watson's new streamlined management system a remarkable turnaround
ensured in 2001. By seasons end the Warriors were in their first
ever semi-final.
Renamed
as the New Zealand Warriors and adopting a predominantly black playing
strip, the club retained only ten players from 2000. Three of those
were survivors from 1995, all local juniors - playmaker and leading
try-scorer Stacey Jones, captain Monty Betham and powerful forward
Logan Swann.
The
only Australian representation in the side was Kevin Campion, David
Myles, Cleary, Tookey and Jason Death. The rest were unheralded
locals brought together by new coach Daniel Anderson. All of a sudden
names like Henry Faafili, Francis Meli, Clinton Toopi, Jerry Seuseu,
Motu Tony and Wairangi Koopu came to the fore.
The
season included the scalps of all the NRL's top clubs apart from
eventual premiers Newcastle. The wins also included the club's first
win over Brisbane. After the second last game of the regular season
the Warriors had secured a play-off berth for the first time. They
received a heroes welcome back in Auckland, and over 24,500 fans
were ready to party at the club's final home game. It was a let
down when they lost to last placed North Queensland and they fell
back to 8th place.
Without
an injured Campion the Warriors seemed awe-struck in their finals
debut against Parramatta. They were well beaten by the Eels 56-16,
but the club could proudly look back at 2001 with pride.
The
Warriors looked to 2002 for sure and steady improvement - something
they had been unable to do before. Instead they exceeded all expectations
when they reached the Grand Final and with 15 minutes left looked
well capable of winning it.
For all the years rugby league had struggled in New Zealand since
1908, the 2002 season was one that the game could only have ever
dreamed about. Rugby league in New Zealand put all other sport out
of the headlines as the whole country rode with the Warriors to
the Grand Final.
The
Warriors were careful with their personnel additions for 2002, picking
up only P.J. Marsh, John Carlaw and Brent Webb. They placed their
faith in their developing junior talent - all soon saw why when
five-eighth Lance Hohaia arrived on the scene. With a monster sized
forward pack that was also mobile, the play makers in Jones, Marsh
and Hohaia wreaked havoc across the NRL.
The
fearsome Lauiti'iti became the world's number one ball playing forward.
They were now a brutal side with attacking brilliance that would
have to impress most fans of the game. Even at away games chants
for the Warriors were heard for the first time as ex-pats came out
of the woodwork.
The
Warriors finished the regular season as minor premiers and winners
of the Giltinan Shield - removed from the shores of Australia for
the first time.

The
club hosted the Canberra Raiders in the first semi-final before
25,000 spectators, winning by 36-20. For the Final against Cronulla
at Homebush the Warriors' sponsor purchased 15,000 tickets and gave
them away to anyone with a Kiwi passport. In the 45,000 plus crowd
there were more ‘black' supporters than for the local Sharks side.
With
scores locked at 10-10 with five minutes to go, Stacey Jones ignored
the expected field goal attempt and grubber kicked for the ingoal.
John Carlaw streamed through to pounce on the ball. The New Zealand
side was into the Grand Final against Sydney Roosters and the Australian
game feared for the worse - the trophy was headed over the Tasman.
Early
in the second half of the Grand Final Stacey Jones produced a mesmerising
individual try to put the Warriors ahead by 8-6. Then it happened
- Brad Fittler caught the Warriors defence napping with a 40-20
kick that turned the match on its head. Within moments the Roosters
were in front and were not headed, ultimately winning by 30-8.
The
Warriors had finally delivered on the promises offered back in 1995.
The continued development of local talent into NRL players in the
footsteps of Jones, Swann, Seuseu, Lauitiiti, Faafili, Toopi, Betham,
Meli and Koopu is what the game needs - on both sides of the Tasman.
The
club imploded during the 2004 season - coach Daniel Anderson left
mid-way through the year and many players lost form. The 2005 season
saw another disappointing premiership campaign - ending with coach
Tony Kemp being sacked, and the evergreen Stacey Jones moving to
Les Catalans in France.
The
Warriors though were in deep trouble even before the 2006 could
start - a major salary cap breach had been found and the NRL deducted
4 points from the club's tally for the coming season. New coach
Ivan Cleary faced a very difficult task to keep the club competitive.
Copyright
© 2006 - Sean Fagan. All rights reserved - the article above may
not be reproduced (in full or part) in any form without written
permission.
|