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Sports correspondent & historian with |
For three decades, the chant “This is the Warriors Year” has echoed out of Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland’s industrial heartland in Penrose.
Just maybe, the big prize of the Provan-Summons Trophy awarded to the winners of the NRL (National Rugby League) Champions, could spend next summer in New Zealand.
In spite of a 22-point hammering from the Canberra Raiders in Vegas, which kick-started the 2025 NRL season, the team from Penrose sit in second (equal) place on the standings at the halfway stage of the title race.
New Zealand is represented by the Warriors in one of the fiercest sporting competitions on the planet, and sit with 10 wins, and three losses to the Raiders x 2 and the Melbourne Storm.
Rugby league dominates winter sport in New South Wales and Queensland.
The NSW Rugby League competition, which morphed into the current NRL, was first played in 1908 with eight teams.
Remarkably, five of the formation sides in Balmain, Western Suburbs, South Sydney, Eastern Suburbs and Newcastle have a presence in today’s title race.
During the late 20th century, Australian Rules and rugby league fought to become the highest-profile winter sport in Australia.
Expansion was the name of the game, with the AFL relocating old-established Melbourne clubs into New South Wales and Queensland.
Rugby league countered with a team in the heart of AFL territory and looked over the Ditch.
In March 1995, the (then) Auckland Warriors made their debut against the Brisbane Broncos, in front of a full house at Mt Smart.
There was plenty to smile about after the debutants were in the match all the way to the final hooter, in a 25-22 loss.
At season end, the Warriors’ ledger card saw them finish in the middle of the points table, in 10th place of the 20 teams.
They posted a positive figure on the win/loss ratio with 13 wins and 9 losses.
So began a roller coaster ride for the Warriors faithful, with two grand final appearances countered by being in contention for the wooden spoon on a couple of occasions.
The long-time Warriors fans still remember that the club has held a NRL trophy after earning the JJ Giltinan Shield as minor premiers in 2002.
While they went all the way to the grand final, the Kiwi representatives couldn’t compete with might of the Sydney Roosters, going down 30 points to six.
It was nine years before the Warriors returned to the NRL big dance when all three teams made their respective divisional grand finals in 2011. The NRL record book tells us that while the Warriors youth team went back-to-back, the second team and the premier representatives fell at the last hurdle.
What will the business end of the 2025 NRL season bring for the New Zealand Warriors?
The Warriors have built a good platform for a solid shot at the playoffs in September.
They now have to ensure that they don’t squander the outstanding season start and hopefully book a top-four spot (of the eight playoff positions on offer), where home games and a second chance beckon.
From a position of strength, the New Zealand Warriors could be within touching distance of the biggest NRL prize.