1995, The Dream Begins: 

On this excursion in our time machine we see that things are a little different in the Rugby League landscape. The competition is the Winfield cup, the controlling body is the ARL (Australian Rugby League), and the Team is the DB Bitter Auckland Warriors. The fledgling team takes the field in its first game against the competition benchmark Brisbane Bronco's.

Lead by Kiwi League legend Dean Bell the warriors played hard pushing the Bronco's close to an upset loss, but the Bronco's showed why they were and are the team all others measure themselves against, as they reasserted themselves and go on to win the match 25-22. It would be many years before a Warriors team would beat the Bronco's. 

The inaugural Warriors team never made the playoffs that year due to a mix-up. The Warriors mistakenly fielded one more player than the rules permit, subsequently they were docked 2 points. This costly mistake would haunt them at the end of the season. Those two points would have set them above the team immediately above them on the table, enough to sneak them into the playoffs. Unfortunately the mistake soured an otherwise good year.

Promotional phone card depicting  the original Warriors

The Dark Ages:

With the potential shown in the Warriors debut year it could have been predicted that they would be an emerging force in Rugby League, but this was not the case. In the years from 1995 - 1999 things went from bad to worse. I will not recount all of the controversies over these as not many positives brighten this time period, suffice to say a detailed undertaking such as this would be both draining and painful for a true such as myself. I will however glance over some of the main points

The Game Play:

The Warriors had many key areas of concern. They would lift themselves for big games against the toughest teams in the competition, almost winning on many occasion. But to be a true contender, almost winning is not enough. The games that they should have won easily (i.e. matches  against easier opponents) resulted in the Warriors being thrashed. 

The Warriors played an unpredictable style of football, visually spectacular ... but highly risky. They would push 50/50 passes that weren't necessary or try they would launch attacks from distinctly disadvantageous positions without regard to the consequences of it. When these attempts were lucky enough to be pulled off successfully, they looked amazing, when they didn't they were punished ... by their opponents and the next day by the media. They did not seem to realise individual talent and moments of brilliance are not a replacements for a steady game played with percentages football, it is merely an enhancement of it.

Coaches:

  John Moanie

  Frank Endicott

  Mark Graham

None of these coaches had success with the Warriors,  which is surprising. Frank Endicott had some success with New Zealand's International team The Kiwi's. John Moanie came from high level competition teams such as Parramata and Wigan and Mark Graham realised some of the terminal cancers that were ailing the team on field, i.e. overpaid, underachieving  players, with no accountability, so set out to target these areas. Unfortunately like the players these coaches could not overcome the hurdles that faced the club. Players of note during these times were Tea Ropati, Steve Kerney, Joe Vagana and Matthew Ridge (injuries permitting).

The Super League Debacle:

When the Super League ARL  battle split the competition in two the Warriors opted for the glamorous Super League competition. Unfortunately competing in a brand new competition didn't revitalize the Warriors, and their prolonged slump continued with the Warriors finishing second to last. 

It is Always Darkest Before Dawn:

Poor performances, managerial infighting and unimpressed sponsors, made the club implode. It was the eleventh hour and time was running out, something drastic had to be done if the Warriors name was to continue. All looked lost as the club went up for sale. This seemed like the last hurrah for a desperate franchise. But much to everyone's surprise wealthy Kiwi businessman Eric Watson brought the Lions share of the club. This seemed like an insane acquisition from an otherwise brilliant business mind. The warriors had been a disgrace and a black hole for both money and talent.

Eric however took his strong business sense into the fray with new performance based contracts for player and administrator alike. Many a big name was axed from the team if they did not like the proposals, and there was no looking back. This unrelenting unapologetic steadfastness was exactly what the doctor ordered. A new head Coach was appointed instead of the reappointment of former coach Mark Graham, who had reapplied for his position. The old management were out, most of the old team were out, even the name was changed (albeit slightly) The Auckland Warriors were no more...Long live The New Zealand Warriors!

These bold new changes had a visible improvement. The Warriors still played with some of their flamboyance  and unpredictability, but this was now tempered with a tougher defence and a level headedness that had eluded former Warriors teams. The easy beats label they were given over the years began to crumble. More and more they looked like serious contenders and not try-hard pretenders. 

One match that stands out as a true indication of the new direction the team was heading in was teams was in their first win over the Brisbane Bronco's. Up till this point they had been the Warriors bogey team. Never since their inception into the completion back in 1994 had they beaten them. The game was hard fought, and the Warriors won in the dying minutes with a drop goal from The little general Stacey Jones. 

Although the win was cemented by a single point only, what stood out was the continued absorption of tremendous pressure provided by the Bronco's, and the redirection of their own. The Warriors of old would have faced the inevitable mid-game collapse at the hand of such pressure. But under the astute coaching of Daniel Anderson, the Warriors team has matured into a gritty determined outfit unphased by big games and bigger reputations. They have a new confidence in their own abilities, and the knowledge that if they play well, they can beat any team in the competition.  

This new Warriors spirit has seen the team go from strength to strength winning a minor premiership, competing in back to back playoffs, and playing in a Grand Final. Like the song say's "It's just a matter of Faith".

The 2002 Minor Premiers

The Winfield Cup

The Optus Cup

The Telstra Cup

© Images obtained from www.warriors.co.nz