Rise of the ‘Wahs’: Meet the man in charge of rugby league’s fairytale story

The rise of the Warriors has coincided with a ‘downward slide’ for New Zealand’s national sport. So says Mark Robinson, the passionate club owner leading the charge of rugby league’s NZ fairytale.

Addin Fonua-Blake celebrates a Warriors win with Mark Robinson. Picture: Getty Images

Mark Robinson is in charge of rugby league’s fairytale story.

What Russell Crowe is for South Sydney and Scott Penn is for Manly, Robinson is for the Warriors.

He is the mohawk millionaire, who as the passionate owner of the ‘Wahs’, has led one of sport’s great comeback stories.

A gravel-voice straight-shooter and knockabout at heart, he prefers to drink a schooner at the local bowling club, than sip Veuve and pick at salmon sandwiches with the suits.

On a recent long-haul business flight, Robinson forgot where he was.

“I was coming home from England and I was on an Emirates flight watching us beat the Cowboys while we were 40,000 feet in the air,” Robinson said.

“I was yelling and screaming and I got told off three times. I had my earphones on, so I didn’t even know I was doing it.

“The other week when we nearly lost to the Tigers I was walking around the house like a lunatic.”

Warriors owner Mark Robinson has led one of sport’s great comeback stories.

The Warriors’ current surge to the top-four for the first time since 2007 is a four-year culmination of Robinson and CEO Cameron George ridding the club of it’s human handbrakes within the franchise who had a club-second mentality.

On the day Robinson bought the Warriors, he strolled into the press conference with his hair-spiked and wearing a pink blazer.

It was a less than subtle nod to the fact that things were about to be run differently inside the four walls of the NRL’s perennial underachievers.

“Before we could start, we had to get rid of a lot of cancer at our club,” Robinson said.

“There were people in there before me who were only in it for themselves, not in it for the club.

“We had to clean it out and start again.

“They just did it for themselves, their own glory. It was all about their egos, not the football team.”

As you can sense, Robinson isn’t afraid to stand-up for what he believes in.

He’ll happily bang heads, if it leads to Warriors success.

Shaun Johnson and the Warriors are all smiles in 2023. Picture: Getty Images

He famously butted heads with former Warriors player Matt Lodge in a Redcliffe pub. It led to Lodge being paid-out by Robinson.

He also stunned the rest of the game by sacking Stephen Kearney in 2020 when the former Warriors coach had two years left on his contract.

As brutal as the call was, Robinson said afterwards that Kearney had the “wrong personality” for the Warriors.

If his father David had his way, Robinson would never have bought the Warriors.

David Robinson, whose company Autex Industries, was the first major sponsor of New Zealand Rugby League in 1979, passed away nine years ago.

Addin Fonua-Blake celebrates a Warriors win with Mark Robinson. Picture: Getty Images

He had built his carpet underlay business from the ground up and into an international company that his son has developed into a business that pulls in $50 million in annual revenue.

David was a rugby league man, calling Kiwi legends Kevin Tamati and Mark Graham friends and determined to financially support the game, raise its profile and aid its growth in a rugby union obsessed country.

But owning a footy club? Don‘t be stupid.

That was what David told his son from his deathbed.

“One of the last things Dad said to me before he died was “don’t buy the Warriors,’’ Robinson said.

Mark Robinson was warned against buying the Warriors. Picture: Getty Images

“The other one was not to set up a business in the UK. Within six months I had done both. They were the two things I wanted to do.

“It’s been the best decision.

“Throughout this journey with the Warriors, the only thing that I’ve had the odd tear in my eye is when I think of my Dad. Thinking, ”F..., I wish he could see what I was up to now.’’

This time last year, following the club’s second year of living in Australia and away from home during the Covid-impacted seasons, the Warriors were broken.

Robinson warned the NRL that if the strict protocols kept going for a further six months, the Warriors were pulling out of the competition.

It would’ve cost the NRL $20 million in TV broadcast rights.

George has since stated that if not for Robinson tipping in his millions, the Warriors would be dead.

The club has never been more alive.

In typical Robinson fashion, he said he was proud that the Warriors resurrection had captivated a New Zealand audience that as a result is growing “bored by rugby union.‘’

“We’ve earned respect and the people now realise what we have as a game,’’ Robinson said.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and the Warriors have locked up a top-four finish, the club’s first since 2007. Picture: Getty Images

“Rugby Union is on a bit of a downward slide. The local game is getting a bit boring.

“Rugby Union people have always been interested and supported the Warriors, but now I think they’ve turned towards us even more because the support is so noticeable.

“They’re turning up to the games instead of watching the Warriors on TV.’’

Robinson is invested heavily in the Warriors, but at some point his father’s advice will gain traction.

He says that any decision about stepping away from running the Warriors is still several years away.

“I’ve got no thoughts for at least another five years of even thinking about selling my football club,” Robinson said.

“If its going as well as it‘s going today and it continues, and I know we’ll have some bumpy roads along the way, because that’s what happens, but with the right people in your club, its pretty hard to walk away.

“I’m not in it except for the enjoyment and the ride to be fair. I’ve got a really good business, so I don’t have to rely on it (Warriors) to make money.

“If it needs investment, I’m going to put it in.’’

Robinson said that it’s only when he thinks of his father that his eyes begin to well.

But what if the Warriors make to this year’s grand final? What if they win the club’s first premiership in their history?

“I won’t be the only one bawling,’’ Robinson said.

Originally published as Rise of the ‘Wahs’: Meet the man in charge of rugby league’s fairytale story