NRL 2024: Warriors’ bold claim to New Zealand’s No.1 sporting ticket in bid to topple rugby union
The Warriors are on an unstoppable path towards achieving the absolute unthinkable – taking down the once almighty New Zealand rugby union. The incredible numbers behind the rise of the Wahs and rugby’s steady decline.
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The Warriors, coupled with the inevitability of a second Kiwi NRL franchise, are on an unstoppable path towards achieving the absolute unthinkable – taking down the once almighty New Zealand rugby union.
And now is the time for rugby league – led by Peter V’landys, rugby league’s ruthless emperor – to go for the jugular by introducing a South Island franchise based in Christchurch.
Fleeting interest in the Warriors last year has now morphed into a full-blown Wahs phenomenon.
There is now the Pinot Wahs – a new movement of red-wine drinking New Zealand rugby union fans who have now converted to the 13-man code.
Super Rugby in New Zealand is labouring and Warriors chief executive Cameron George says his club’s matches are now the country’s hottest sporting ticket.
“The performances and the positive impact of the Warriors has reminded me of the buzz people felt when the All Blacks won the World Cup,” said former New Zealand coach Graham Lowe. “The inroads rugby league is making over here, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
There is a doubtful optimism around rugby union in New Zealand after a 20 per cent drop in player participation in the country’s secondary schools between 2000 and 2020.
Grassroots, participation, engagement, crowds and television ratings have also declined.
Former World Cup-winning All Blacks coach Steve Hansen made the stunning admission last year: “If we’re being bone-dead honest with ourselves it (NRL) is a better game to watch on TV than rugby is, because it’s not stop-start.”
And, in July 2022, ex-All Blacks fullback Israel Dagg declared: “We’ve got a real situation where rugby league and rugby union are competing and rugby league is absolutely dominating. If you want to go and watch sport for entertainment, you go and watch league at the moment.”
1 NEWS, a news division of the New Zealand television network, TVNZ, wrote last week: “What exactly is going on in rugby at the moment? How healthy is the professional game here?”
Now is the NRL’s time to pounce – the Shaky Isles are looking shaky – and V’landys knows it. While PNG may be the NRL’s 18th side, Christchurch must be part of the following intake that expands Australian rugby league to 20 clubs.
While the All Blacks remain New Zealand’s biggest brand, the Warriors have roared past the country’s five Super Rugby franchises.
Over the opening four rounds this year:
• NZ television viewership of all matches is up 32 per cent on last year’s full-season average and 47 per cent on last year’s year-to-date average;
• NZ television viewership for matches involving the Warriors is up 45 per cent on last year’s full-season average and 74 per cent on the year-to-date average; and
• Attendances in New Zealand over the first five rounds are up 59 per cent on the entire 2019 season.
All this as the Warriors celebrate six successive home sellouts this year – four in Auckland and two in Christchurch — in the Pre-season Challenge and NRL competition.
George said marketing, crowds, membership and merchandise were being “blown out of the water”, and that the gap between league and union was closing.
“Absolutely. Without a shadow of a doubt, I strongly believe we have taken over the sporting ticket in New Zealand, in terms of elite competition teams, in comparison to Super Rugby,” George said.
“The All Blacks are different – you can’t compare us to them.
“But I have no doubt in my mind that the Warriors brand has taken over as the No.1 sporting ticket in New Zealand. The commercial and fan base response, we are generationally connected now.
“We have All Blacks players coming here for every Warriors home game. All the All Blacks coaches come and we’ve had All Blacks as special guest speakers in our corporate lounges. There are Super Rugby players coming here wearing Warriors jumpers.”
The Warriors ‘Up the Wahs’ slogan has gripped New Zealand again and caught the attention of V’landys.
“The Wahs factor is massive in New Zealand. Whoever marketed the ‘Wahs’ is basically a genius,” V’landys said. “I was unaware how big that is in New Zealand. ‘Up the Wahs’ … it’s massive in New Zealand.
“New Zealand is an important part of our broadcast deal and it’s been performing exceptionally well.”
The Warriors were a basket case for years – a franchise that accepted and served up feeble mediocrity. A new coach, Andrew Webster, along with a new attitude and new administration, led by George, has led to a Kiwi rugby league revolution.
“Three years ago no-one wanted to feed us, two years ago people were calling for us not to be in New Zealand,” George said. “Everywhere you go is ‘Up the Wahs’ but now there is a new movement called the Pinot Wahs,” he said.
“Those are the red wine drinkers who usually follow rugby union in front of their fireplaces are now watching the Warriors.”
Expansion to the South Island seems logical. V’landys is a fan but NRL broadcasters will need to be convinced given the Warriors’ television ratings in Australia are strong, without being exceptional.
“It (Christchurch) will be genuinely looked at, absolutely. The success of the Warriors has certainly piqued our interest, that’s for sure,” V’landys admitted.
“Naturally we don’t want to affect the Warriors and we wouldn’t do anything without the support of the Warriors – their input would be vital – but Christchurch is another market and another part of New Zealand. The participation over there is important to us, developing the pathways.”
The Warriors want to protect their Auckland patch and George issued a warning about expanding too quickly in New Zealand.
“Right now in this country rugby league hasn’t been structured to accommodate more NRL teams. I feel like we need a five-to-10-year investment strategy injected into the local game. Another team is years away,” George said.
“We get no Government support as an NRL club and the local infrastructure and competitions needs a complete overhaul if it is to underpin a second NRL team and remove all regional politics.”
V’landys is a gambler. He knows rugby in New Zealand is wobbly. Watch him go for the kill.
TYSON, LEWIS HEADLINE FENECH’S ALL-STAR SUPPORT CREW
The high-profile support for former world boxing champion Jeff Fenech, who continues to recover from a concerning heart infection, has been remarkable.
Superstar boxers ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis have rung Fenech, who also received a personal message from the great Manny Pacquiao.
WBC boxing president Mauricio Sulaiman wants to fly to Australia to visit Fenech.
Other well-known celebrities and sportsmen to reach out to Fenech include James Packer, Ben Elias, Kyle Sandilands, Ben Fordham, Mark Bouris, Michael Maguire, Lou Zivanovic, David Gyngell, Dan Stains, Brock Jarvis, Johnny Lewis and Graham Arnold.
NRL WARNS: STRUGGLERS WILL MISS VEGAS INVITE
The mail around town suggests the ARL Commission will resist sending any underachieving teams to Las Vegas in 2025.
Penrith and Melbourne seem certain to be selected, while the Warriors and Canberra are well placed. The NRL will want to send a Queensland side, most likely the Cowboys.
Parramatta may miss out given the NRL is already sending the Panthers, a western Sydney club.
TIGERS’ HAGIPANTELIS SPONSORSHIP STAND-OFF
Wests Tigers are preparing a proposal to retain Brydens Lawyers as a chief sponsor.
The only issue is Bryden’s principal is Lee Hagipantelis, who was deposed as Wests Tigers chairman late last year.
Hagipantelis won’t commit to a sponsorship extension until he sees the club’s submission.
LOMAX WINGING IT TO ORIGIN
Penrith’s Brian To’o will be first winger picked for NSW, so who will be the other wing?
Yes, Zac Lomax, the player who left St George Illawarra for Parramatta because he didn’t want to play wing, is firmly in contention.
Lomax’s form over the opening six rounds this year has been sublime.
ARNIE’S WAYNE INSPIRATION
Ever wondered where Socceroos coach Graham Arnold finds his coaching inspiration?
‘Arnie’ was spotted relaxing on Hamilton Island last week reading Wayne Bennett’s The Wolf You Feed.
LIGHTING UP AUCKLAND
The Warriors want to improve their match-day experience by looking at LED goalposts at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium, the invention of former Balmain, NSW and Kangaroos legend, Benny Elias.
Warriors CEO Cameron George and Elias have held discussions.
Contract spotlight: Young Tigers gun upstaging Utoikamanu
As Wests Tigers fight tooth and nail to retain Stefano Utoikamanu, another soon-to-be off-contract forward should be at the top of their retention list. Every Tigers’ contract situation.
Bennett v Bennett? Wayne distances himself from Rabbitohs resurgence
The Rabbitohs have gone on a five-game winning streak since announcing Wayne Bennett will return to Redfern, but the Dolphins coach insists he’s had nothing to do with South Sydney’s resurgence.