THE RIVALRY: WARRIORS V RAIDERS
Contract wrangles, semi-final thrillers, record-breaking blowouts and several golden point barnburners...this has been one of the Warriors' most heated.
The Auckland Warriors and Canberra Raiders clashed before even taking the field against one another, but the clubs ultimately went on to forge a fascinating and fluctuating rivalry marked by semi-final classics, golden point thrillers and home-ground hoodoos.
Overall record: Played 54 – Canberra won 29, Warriors won 25; Canberra 1,229 points, Warriors 1,123 points.
Biggest wins: Canberra – 56-12 at Canberra Stadium, 2000; Warriors – 54-12 at Mt Smart Stadium, 2014.
Longest winning streaks: Warriors – 5 matches (2013-15); Canberra – 4 matches (twice – 1999-2001 and 2016-17).
Finals: Played 2 – Warriors won 2.
Most appearances: Josh Papalii (Canberra) – 29; Jarrod Croker (Canberra) – 24; Stacey Jones (Warriors) – 20; Jack Wighton (Canberra) – 20; Simon Mannering (Warriors) – 18; Ruben Wiki (Canberra and Warriors) – 18; Shaun Johnson (Warriors) – 17; Joe Tapine (Canberra) – 17; Elliott Whitehead (Canberra) – 17; Jordan Rapana (Canberra) – 16; Simon Woolford (Canberra) – 16; Logan Swann (Warriors) – 15.
Most Tries: Jarrod Croker (Canberra) – 18; Manu Vatuvei (Warriors) – 17; Laurie Daley (Canberra) – 8; Shaun Johnson (Warriors) – 8; Mark McLinden (Canberra) – 7; Josh Papalii (Canberra) – 7; Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors) – 7; Jack Wighton (Canberra) – 7.
Most Points: Jarrod Croker (Canberra) – 208; Shaun Johnson (Warriors) – 132; Manu Vatuvei (Warriors) – 68; Clinton Schifcofske (Canberra) – 54; David Furner (Canberra) (Canberra) – 48.
1995-2000 – Contract wrangles ensure spicy beginning to rivalry
Aggressively pursuing quality Australian-based Kiwi players for their 1995 premiership entry immediately put the Auckland Warriors at odds with Winfield Cup powerhouse Canberra. Northcote winger Sean Hoppe rocketed to New Zealand Test status after joining the Raiders in 1992, but was jettisoned by the club at the end of the following season when he agreed to terms with the fledgling Warriors.
Hoppe instead spent the bridging 1994 season at Norths. But tension between the clubs stepped up a gear when another Auckland product, powerful young centre Ruben Wiki, reneged on his deal with the Warriors to remain in the Australian capital. Wiki’s first grade career was in its infancy when he signed the Warriors contract, but by the end of 1994 he had won a grand final as a key member of the Canberra side and was adamant about remaining with the club. The long-running dispute appeared set to sideline Wiki for the ’95 season, but the Warriors were effectively forced to relent after a court case revealed their sloppy handling of early dealings with the tyro. Ironically, Wiki joined the Warriors a decade later after cementing a legacy as one of the Raiders’ finest servants.
The Warriors’ first-ever Sydney foray came against the Raiders – a 22-4 win in their 1995 World Sevens opener.
Hoppe scored the Warriors’ only try of their hard-fought maiden premiership encounter against Canberra in Auckland in the penultimate round of 1995, but a pair of Laurie Daley four-pointers laid the platform for a 15-8 result in favour of the defending champs.
