From warriors.co.nz
Vodafone Warriors head coach Ivan Cleary and his players are now only three weeks out from their first 2006 NRL trial against Canberra at North Harbour Stadium.
The February 12 match is the first of three back-to-back pre-season matches and the only one they'll play in New Zealand.
The remaining two trials are both Saturday night fixtures against the North Queensland Cowboys in Cairns on February 18 and the Bulldogs in Carrara on February 25.
There are several key events leading up to the match against Canberra, the only time the Raiders will play in New Zealand this year (they meet the Vodafone Warriors only once during the NRL season, that match scheduled for round six on the weekend of April 14-17 in Canberra).
On Waitangi Day (February 6), Vodafone Warriors players will be at Rebel Sport Albany for a signing session promoting the club's new Puma playing strip to be launched at the Vodafone Building in Auckland on Thursday, January 26. The timing for the visit is yet to be confirmed but is likely to be in the afternoon.
Vodafone Warriors players, coaching staff and management will also be in the area on Thursday, February 9, for a special breakfast in the ASB Bank Lounge at North Harbour Stadium starting at 8am. Some of them will be interviewed looking ahead to the trial against the Raiders as well as the season in general. Go to www.stadium.co.nz to find out more about the breakfast, including prices for tickets and tables.
The day before the match - February 11 - the Vodafone Warriors will hold a public training session at North Harbour Stadium. It is expected to be a morning run with the time to be confirmed.
The North Shore Times is also extensively promoting the match, carrying a front page story and photo of local Kiwi Louis Anderson in its Tuesday edition this week.
The trial starts at 3.00pm on Sunday, February 12, with the NRL giving New Zealand test referee Glen Black the chance to control the match. Off-season signings Micheal Luck, George Gatis and Grant Rovelli are all set to play for their new club for the first time along with stars from the Kiwis' 2005 Tri-Nations victory.
The Raiders are expected to bring a squad including former Kangaroos Jason Smith and Jason Croker plus ex-Queensland State of Origin representative Clinton Schifcofske while they have several New Zealanders on their books, among them former Kiwi test forward Andrew Lomu, his ex-Cronulla team-mate Jason Williams and 2005 New Zealand Maori and former Junior Kiwi Willie Raston.
In the curtain-raiser due to kick off at 1.15pm, some players from the first-grade squad will join the Vodafone Warriors' elite players in a clash against the North Harbour Tigers, who are using this match as a warm-up to their campaign in the national competition (formerly the Bartercard Cup).
Gates open at 1.00pm on February 12.
TICKETS:
Concourse Area - Adults $10, Children Free
Fujifilm Area - Adults $20, Children $10
ASB Bank Lounge - Adults $30, Children $15
(child classed as 12 and under)
TRANSPORT
Buses running a shuttle from Albany Park'n'Ride on Oteha Valley Road to stadium from 12.30pm
Parking Free and bus $1 each way
Northern Express buses also running from Britomart platform D2 every 15 minutes to Albany (if numbers are big they will go straight to Albany, or otherwise
Albany Park'n'Ride)
For more information about the match and other events surrounding it visit www.stadium.co.nz
Vodafone Warriors head coach Ivan Cleary and his players are now only three weeks out from their first 2006 NRL trial against Canberra at North Harbour Stadium.
The February 12 match is the first of three back-to-back pre-season matches and the only one they'll play in New Zealand.
The remaining two trials are both Saturday night fixtures against the North Queensland Cowboys in Cairns on February 18 and the Bulldogs in Carrara on February 25.
There are several key events leading up to the match against Canberra, the only time the Raiders will play in New Zealand this year (they meet the Vodafone Warriors only once during the NRL season, that match scheduled for round six on the weekend of April 14-17 in Canberra).
On Waitangi Day (February 6), Vodafone Warriors players will be at Rebel Sport Albany for a signing session promoting the club's new Puma playing strip to be launched at the Vodafone Building in Auckland on Thursday, January 26. The timing for the visit is yet to be confirmed but is likely to be in the afternoon.
Vodafone Warriors players, coaching staff and management will also be in the area on Thursday, February 9, for a special breakfast in the ASB Bank Lounge at North Harbour Stadium starting at 8am. Some of them will be interviewed looking ahead to the trial against the Raiders as well as the season in general. Go to www.stadium.co.nz to find out more about the breakfast, including prices for tickets and tables.
The day before the match - February 11 - the Vodafone Warriors will hold a public training session at North Harbour Stadium. It is expected to be a morning run with the time to be confirmed.
The North Shore Times is also extensively promoting the match, carrying a front page story and photo of local Kiwi Louis Anderson in its Tuesday edition this week.
The trial starts at 3.00pm on Sunday, February 12, with the NRL giving New Zealand test referee Glen Black the chance to control the match. Off-season signings Micheal Luck, George Gatis and Grant Rovelli are all set to play for their new club for the first time along with stars from the Kiwis' 2005 Tri-Nations victory.
The Raiders are expected to bring a squad including former Kangaroos Jason Smith and Jason Croker plus ex-Queensland State of Origin representative Clinton Schifcofske while they have several New Zealanders on their books, among them former Kiwi test forward Andrew Lomu, his ex-Cronulla team-mate Jason Williams and 2005 New Zealand Maori and former Junior Kiwi Willie Raston.
In the curtain-raiser due to kick off at 1.15pm, some players from the first-grade squad will join the Vodafone Warriors' elite players in a clash against the North Harbour Tigers, who are using this match as a warm-up to their campaign in the national competition (formerly the Bartercard Cup).
Gates open at 1.00pm on February 12.
TICKETS:
Concourse Area - Adults $10, Children Free
Fujifilm Area - Adults $20, Children $10
ASB Bank Lounge - Adults $30, Children $15
(child classed as 12 and under)
TRANSPORT
Buses running a shuttle from Albany Park'n'Ride on Oteha Valley Road to stadium from 12.30pm
Parking Free and bus $1 each way
Northern Express buses also running from Britomart platform D2 every 15 minutes to Albany (if numbers are big they will go straight to Albany, or otherwise
Albany Park'n'Ride)
For more information about the match and other events surrounding it visit www.stadium.co.nz
