Introduction: Road to the Warriors

The Warriors' inclusion in the Australian competition in 1995 was a long time in the making.

WARRIORS 1995-2025 BOOK CHAPTER MENU

For 85 seasons, the New South Wales Rugby League premiership was strictly the domain of clubs based in the Sydney metropolitan area. But under the stewardship of executive chairman Kevin Humphreys, the NSWRL took an expansionist approach and admitted teams from Canberra and Illawarra in 1982. Inner-city foundation club Newtown was axed a year later (along with Western Suburbs, which successfully appealed the decision).

The premiership’s reach spread with the open-minded duo of chairman Ken Arthurson and general manager John Quayle at the helm, and tobacco company Winfield’s sponsorship of the competition providing massive revenue. Newcastle (which featured in the inaugural 1908 premiership before forming its own local competition), Brisbane and Gold Coast-Tweed joined the fray in 1988 as the NSWRL moved towards becoming a truly national competition.

During the same period, rugby league in New Zealand – the perennial poor cousin of then-amateur rugby union across the Tasman – was enjoying unprecedented popularity and exposure. The Kiwis endured a lean era after a watershed 1971 season that garnered a famous 24-3 upset of Australia at Carlaw Park and triumphant ‘Grand Slam’ tour of Britain and France. The New Zealand Rugby League relaxed an archaic transfer ban on their players joining Australian clubs in the 1960s – but taking up the riches on offer in Sydney spelled the end of one’s international career.

Bill Noonan (Canterbury and Newtown), Oscar Danielson (Newtown), Henry Tatana (Canterbury and St George) and Bernie Lowther (Canterbury and South Sydney) made a sizeable impression on the premiership during the 1970s. Counterproductively, the NZRL prevented them from representing the Kiwis but wisely reversed the rule by the end of the decade. Outstanding brothers Dane and Kurt Sorensen (Cronulla), tough prop Mark Broadhurst (Manly and Illawarra) and champion back-rower Mark Graham (North Sydney) enhanced the standing of New Zealanders in Sydney in the early-1980s, though gifted backs Olsen Filipaina (Balmain) and Fred Ah Kuoi (Norths) were pegged as enigmas after struggling to replicate their Test form on a week-to-week basis.

The elevation of Graham Lowe to the Kiwis coaching post in 1983 changed the trajectory of rugby league in New Zealand. The former Otahuhu mentor won a Brisbane Rugby League premiership with Norths in 1980 (with Mark Graham his star player) and developed a reputation as a master motivator. Lowe steered the Kiwis to a drought-breaking 19-12 defeat of Australia in Brisbane in ’83 and an 18-0 rout of the green-and-golds in Auckland in ’85 (after narrowly losing the first two Tests), with a 3-0 home whitewash of Great Britain sandwiched in between.

NZRL deputy chairman Allen Gore and chairman Ron McGregor had floated the idea of a New Zealand team playing in an Australian competition in the late-1970s, pitching it to a lukewarm response from Humphreys. But the brash and ambitious Lowe broached the topic on a public platform in 1983, proposing teams from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch field sides in the Sydney premiership in his weekly Sunday News column – and was met by a largely incredulous reaction.

Lowe knew the idea was not so outlandish and canvassed NSWRL opinion behind the scenes. “I was convinced (it was a possibility) because I knew how progressive ‘Arko’ (Arthurson) and John Quayle were,” Lowe explains. “I had quite a bit to do with those guys. When I was Kiwis coach I did a presentation to the club secretaries and I pitched the idea to them about a team coming from New Zealand.”

New Zealand upset Australia again at Lang Park in 1987 under Lowe’s successor, Tony ‘Tank’ Gordon. The following year 47,363 fans packed out rugby union bastion Eden Park for the World Cup final between the trans-Tasman rivals. Although the Kiwis were humbled 25-12 in one of the all-time international fizzers, the occasion illustrated the inroads rugby league had made on the public consciousness.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand footprint on the Winfield Cup became more distinct. Graham and Hugh McGahan – who was joined at Eastern Suburbs by Dean Bell, Gary Prohm and Kurt Sherlock, the first All Black-Kiwi dual international in more than 40 years – were among the premiership’s most respected players and leaders. Clayton Friend finished third in the 1987 Dally M Medal count during a stint with the Bears. Manly’s Darrell Williams became the first New Zealander to win a Sydney grand final in 1987, with Brent Todd – who would win premierships in 1989-90 – in the beaten Canberra side that day. Gary Freeman was a highly successful import for Balmain, featuring in back-to-back grand finals (1988-89. Newcastle installed Sam Stewart as its foundation skipper, headlining a five-strong Kiwi contingent at the Knights.

New Zealand-based enthusiasts relied on videotapes and Rugby League Week magazine to keep abreast of the Winfield Cup, but the 1989 grand final – the first beamed live into the country – was a critical juncture. The Mal Meninga-led Raiders, featuring Todd in the front-row, came back from the dead to upset Freeman’s Tigers 19-14 in one of the greatest games of all time. The six o’clock news was delayed as the dramatic decider went into extra-time – and a new army of fans were hooked.

TVNZ and fledgling pay-TV broadcaster Sky Sports both bit the bullet and bought the rights to show weekly Winfield Cup matches on New Zealand television from 1990. Consequently, Lowe credits then-TVNZ Director of Programming John McCready and iconic Australian commentator Graeme Hughes, who became the voice of rugby league in New Zealand, as the two people most responsible for the birth of the Warriors. But Lowe inadvertently had an impact just as important.

After a decorated stint with English club Wigan, Lowe took the reins at Manly in 1990 – becoming the first New Zealander to coach in the premiership in 45 years. He brought Kiwis Tony Iro (brother Kevin would join him a year later) and Adrian Shelford over from Wigan, before sensationally convincing the All Blacks’ back-up fullback Matthew Ridge to switch codes (Zinzan Brooke also signed with the Sea Eagles but was allowed to walk away from his contract). After the instant success of Ridge’s defection, the rugby union dam burst with the likes of John Schuster (Newcastle), Daryl Halligan (Norths), Eion Crossan (Souths) and Gavin Hill (Canterbury) all joining Australian clubs within two years, and All Blacks John Gallagher, Frano Botica and Craig Innes all lured to England. Meanwhile, New Zealand-bred league players such as Jarrod McCracken and Jason Williams emerged as stars with Australian clubs despite being previously unknown in their homeland.

The NSWRL pulled off one of the great sports advertising masterstrokes in using Tina Turner to promote the competition, while Winfield Cup jerseys became de rigueur for Kiwi kids and adults alike. Manly quickly became the surrogate team for Kiwis to support, with the charismatic Lowe steering the club back to the finals in 1990-91 despite battling life-threatening health issues. He was also the controversial choice to take over from icon Arthur Beetson as Queensland’s State of Origin coach in 1991, guiding the Maroons to glory to send retiring legend Wally Lewis out a winner in what is widely regarded as the greatest series in the concept’s history. New Zealand fans went crazy for Origin, further cementing Australian league’s irresistible momentum as a genuine threat to rugby union. Union’s popularity was stalling in the face of code-hoppers, the axing of captain Wayne ‘Buck’ Shelford, the All Blacks’ failed 1991 World Cup campaign and the lack of a competition that could match the excitement and impact of the Australian premiership.

Lowe’s Sea Eagles played the Knights in a historic 1992 clash at Carlaw Park – the first-ever premiership match staged outside Australia. The Knights pulled off a controversial last-gasp 16-13 win in front of 17,638 fans, confirming New Zealand’s Winfield Cup appetite. But an Auckland-based club was virtually a fait accompli by that stage.

Fox Memorial grand finalists for six straight years during the 1980s, the Mt Albert club made the first official overtures to the NSWRL about getting an Auckland-based team in the premiership. Mt Albert president Brian Elliston and club members Rocky Cavanagh and John Ackland (later a long-serving and influential coaching figure at the Warriors) wrote directly to Arthurson – skirting around the NZRL and Auckland Rugby League – enquiring about a start.

After a relatively encouraging reply from Arthurson and co., the Auckland Rugby League took the baton Mt Albert had so audaciously picked up and run with, putting a comprehensive bid in motion with ARL chairman Peter McLeod and marketing managed Laurie Stubbing at the forefront. They eventually received the George Rainey-led NZRL’s cautious and conditional approval.

Financial backing would make or break the Auckland proposal, which meant a committed chief sponsor. Reminiscent of the Broncos agreeing to terms with Power’s rather than Queensland Rugby League backers XXXX, DB Breweries ultimately won out in an excessive bidding war with Lion Red, whose support had been a long-time lifeblood for the NZRL and ARL. The decision to accept the highest offer from DB – rather than a still-generous commitment from rugby league loyalists Lion – was controversial, but nevertheless provided the Auckland bid team with the clout they needed. McLeod eventually quit as ARL chairman over constant talk of a conflict of interest. DB Bitter was announced as the brand that would be associated with the club, while Lion Red reacted by entering an agreement with Manly (they later had a long-running arrangement as a Warriors sleeve sponsor from 2001-14).

The television and merchandising revenue were obvious money-spinning trump cards that made an Auckland team an attractive proposition for the NSWRL. On May 18, 1992, the NSWRL announced Auckland would be admitted into the premiership. Submissions from Melbourne and Wellington were rejected. Bids from North Queensland, Brisbane and Perth were advised they needed to provide further information, but all three were given the green light later that year. It has been contended since that the late-emerging Wellington bid was superior to Auckland’s, but the weight of population base and number of junior teams got Auckland over the line. Avoiding privatisation to ensure the local scene would be fostered, the Auckland Rugby League and its clubs were essentially the original owners of the club.

DB’s ‘Break Out The Name Game’ competition attracted a massive public response – and the Auckland Warriors was the overwhelming winner from over 28,000 entries. Though the club was prepared for 1994, a 1995 entry to the premiership was confirmed to allow the North Queensland Cowboys, South Queensland Crushers and Western Reds more time. The Warriors’ striking blue, green, red and white strip was rapturously received and remains one of the most iconic club jerseys of all time.

With the DB-Lion scenario precluding obvious choice Lowe’s involvement, the highly-respected John Monie was unveiled as the Warriors’ inaugural coach in December of 1992. Monie steered Parramatta to a premiership in 1986 and won a truckload of trophies after succeeding Lowe at Wigan. The 31-year-old Ian Robson was installed as chief executive. The tall, smooth-talking Hobart native had an Australian Rules background – he was a St Kilda lower-grader before taking on roles as financial controller and footballer manager with the Sydney Swans – but had little trouble adapting to rugby league and New Zealand. Accustomed to stuffy, conservative, insular New Zealand sports administrators, sponsors and the media swooned to Robson. Though he would ultimately leave a troubled legacy, he was arguably the person most responsible for Warriors-mania that gripped a nation prior to 1995.

The decision to adopt Mount Smart Stadium at Penrose as the Warriors’ home ground over rugby league’s spiritual home, the centrally-located Carlaw Park, provoked the most emotion during the new club’s formative months. A muddy graveyard for visiting teams for over 70 years, Carlaw Park’s nickname – ‘The Swamp’ – needed little explanation, while the ground’s dilapidated stands, outdated facilities and limited capacity would need a complete overhaul to accommodate a professional team. Mount Smart had hosted the All Whites’ home games in their successful qualification for the 1982 FIFA World Cup and rugby league Tests in the late-1980s and early-1990s, as well as being the athletics venue for the 1990 Commonwealth Games. From a business perspective, the choice was a no-brainer. Revamped ahead of the Warriors’ debut season, Mount Smart’s seating was altered to cover the running track and bring fans closer to the playing field, while it was rechristened Ericsson Stadium in a naming rights agreement between the Auckland Regional Council and the Swedish telco.

Of course, a footy team needs players – and Monie, Robson and co. assembled one hell of a foundation Warriors squad. Ex-Wellington rugby union flanker Gavin Hill, who won a Kiwis call-up in 1992 after just 11 games as a goalkicking prop with the Bulldogs, holds the distinction of being the first player signed by the Warriors.

The anticipated flood of Australia-based Kiwis scrambling to be a part of the Warriors’ original roster did not exactly materialise. The club missed out on initial targets Freeman and McCracken. But Raiders winger and Auckland junior Sean Hoppe, Magpies back-rower and Wellington product Stephen Kearney, and teenaged half Gene Ngamu, who Lowe had brought to Manly from Auckland, all agreed to terms.

Initially hesitant due to the fact he would be almost 33 when the 1995 competition kicked off, Dean Bell – a former New Zealand Test captain and Monie’s revered skipper at Wigan – signed on to lead the Warriors into the premiership. “I’d always played my career with no regrets, and I just thought if I didn’t do it, it would eat away at me for the rest of my life,” he recalls. The raid on Wigan continued with the acquisition of dual international pointscoring machine Botica, and star Great Britain forwards Denis Betts and Andy Platt. England-based Kiwi internationals Duane Mann, Tea Ropati and Se’e Solomona also put pen to paper. Kevin Iro and Tawera Nikau would rebuff the club’s advances.

After missing out on Freeman, Monie set his sight on Penrith linchpin Greg Alexander (ironically, Freeman joined Alexander at the Panthers in 1994). The gifted ‘Brandy’, a two-time Kangaroo tourist, captained the Panthers to their maiden title in 1991, but the death of younger brother and clubmate Ben in 1992 sent his career into a tailspin. “It was a choice for me to get as far away – physically and mentally – from Penrith,” Alexander explains. “It was Perth or Auckland and I liked New Zealand: the people, I’d enjoyed touring there.”

Versatile tryscoring whiz Phil Blake, who had an off-season at Wigan under Monie in 1989-90, and Souths and Wests centre Manoa Thompson were the Warriors’ only other Australian signings. The mercurial Blake had played for four clubs in five seasons after struggling to consistently produce the form that saw him touted as a future Australian rep as a Manly teenager – but his record of over 200 games and 100 tries in the premiership spoke for itself.

Hardened locals Tony Tatupu, Hitro Okesene and Tony Tuimavave, and the cream of Auckland’s juniors – such as Stacey Jones, cousins Joe and Nigel Vagana, and Bryan Henare – fleshed out the squad. Along with Mann and Hill, they all prepared for the Warriors’ first season by playing in the inaugural 1994 Lion Red Cup.

Monie also needed a solid football department. Frank Endacott, who had coached the Canterbury provincial side to unprecedented success in the early-1990s before being handed the Kiwis’ reins in early-1994, was appointed as Monie’s assistant and the Warriors’ reserve grade coach. Trainer Bob Lanigan had worked with Monie at Woy Woy, Parramatta and Wigan. A goalkicking winger/fullback, Lanigan played 67 games for Newtown and was the premiership’s top pointscorer in 1966.

Endacott’s influence was key to his former Canterbury provincial charges Logan Edwards, Whetu Taewa, Mike Dorreen and Simon Angell – who all featured in the 1994 Lion Red Cup and were all Kiwis by the end of that year – landing at the Warriors. New Zealand’s other regions were not neglected, however: Kiwis rep Jason Mackie (Northland), Syd Eru, Peter Edwards (Wellington), Martin Moana (Waikato), Charlie Kennedy (Hawke’s Bay), Druce Nilsen and Dallas Mead (Southland) gave the squad more of a ‘New Zealand’ feel – though only Eru would make a significant impact at first-grade level.

Hoppe was cut by the Raiders after signing with the Warriors and eventually spent a fruitful 1994 season with the Bears, scoring 15 tries. The Warriors also secured fringe Raiders centre Ruben Wiki. But after witnessing Hoppe’s fate first-hand, he kept the contract secret from Canberra. Wiki became a first-grade regular in ’94 and signed an upgraded Raiders contract – but the double-dealing was exposed when the NSWRL informed the Raiders it was already in possession of a Warriors contract for Wiki for 1995 and beyond. An ugly, protracted tug-of-war for the tyro’s services unfolded; the Warriors – undoubtedly the aggrieved party – held firm but eventually lost out to the Raiders in court.

The Warriors had already been entangled in a contractual dispute over Henry Paul, one of the first youngsters to sign with the club. While starring for Endacott’s Junior Kiwis on their 1993 tour of Britain and France, Paul was drafted into the senior Kiwis, who were simultaneously touring the same countries. But the brilliant teenager was frustrated at the Warriors’ refusal to bow to his request for an immediate upgrade and he was eventually snapped up by Wigan, who waived Platt’s transfer fee in a compensation deal. Letting go of one of the game’s hottest properties to save money on a 31-year-old front-rower would be viewed as one of the Warriors’ earliest and most costly failings, while future administrations’ attempts to lure Henry and brother Robbie Paul back home would prove agonisingly fruitless.

Off the field, Stubbing took on the football manager role and Ackland was employed in a development capacity. Liz Dawson moved from the NZRU to become the Warriors’ marketing manager. The inaugural board consisted of McLeod as chairman; ARL board members Sel Shaks and Bob Brown; club representatives Sir Roger Douglas, Neil Smithson and Geroge Rainey; sponsor representative Brian Blake, the managing director of DB; and chief executive Robson.

There was still a mountain of work to do, but all the pieces were in place for a rollercoaster ride that would have a seismic impact on the New Zealand sporting landscape over the ensuing decades.

WARRIORS 1995-2025 BOOK CHAPTER MENU