General Warriors or Wahs?

[miket12]

‘Up the Wahs’: Auckland trains graffitied amid Warriors fever​

Auckland Transport (AT) has “nothing to say” after a vandal graffitied a rallying call for Warriors supporters on the side of one of its trains.

Video footage shared on social media shows a freshly painted “Up the Wahs” on a train sitting in a storage shed.

The user behind the account that posted the video appeared pleased with the work. saying “[this is] by far my fav[ourite] one this year”.

A spokesman for AT, however, seemed less pleased. “We wouldn’t have anything to say on this,” he said, “[It] has not been commissioned by AT.”

The catchphrase “Up the Wahs” has taken off in 2023 following the Warriors’ impressive season, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Fans around the country and across the Tasman have embraced the nickname with Kiwis taking every opportunity to seek fame online for using the term.

The “Wahs” movement has taken over from the “Let’s go Warriors” catchphrase, with a number of current squad members revealing they’ve embraced the new term.

The chief executive of the club’s main sponsor, One New Zealand, has also been seen using the “Wahs” term in videos and announcements to customers and fans.

“Up the Wahs” even went stateside when the coach of NBA Side the Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr, used it in a press conference.

Asked whether he thought the Warriors could win the NRL season, he looked directly at the camera, gave a smile and said: “Up The Wahs”.

The term also made its way into Parliament this week when Speaker Adrian Rurawhe addressed the house issuing a last thank you.

Concluding the debate, and so the business of the House of Representatives, before throwing to a waiata, the speaker said: “So, mister sound man: Up the Wahs!”

The Warriors play the Dolphins on Saturday night.

Their first playoff match will either be against the Brisbane Broncos or the Penrith Panthers.
The last thank you was to “the number one Warriors fan in Parliament, and he’s up there in that sound booth. His name is Colin Pearce.”

‘Up the Wahs’: Auckland trains graffitied amid Warriors fever - NZ Herald

A social media account posting a video of the vandalism seems pleased - AT, not so much.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Citygirl]

Did you catch the Up the Wahs in parliament?

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[Pop Dukez]

Did you catch the Up the Wahs in parliament?

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Just saw that clip, it’s more than just a phrase now….now that its hit parliament it’s become a movement, incredible!!

 

[3rdstriker]

Initially I was warriors only since supporting them on n off since 95.
But now I'm like up the Wahs, ya gotta embrace it imo.

 

[miket12]

 

[janfin]

Warriors for me always,cause that’s my team .

 

[Ryno 2.0]

Did you catch the Up the Wahs in parliament?

TikTok - Make Your Day

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Who said it? They can have my vote.

 

[sup42]

Who said it? They can have my vote.

The speaker of the house lol

 

[Tonbridge(aka Swanley)]

Wahs? That's that NSW rugby team.....always be the Warriors.

 

[Wahs Up TV]

Just an observation. I think up the wahs has ended up being a genius marketing tool to generate interest from the general public. I don’t think go the warriors would have the same impact. The word warriors has a negative feel to some. The wahs makes it more approachable for the casual fan because it sounds fun and almost silly as well but at the same time makes you feel a different connection to the club that is new and maybe doesn’t have the same negative feel that the word warriors does. That’s my overthinking of the whole wahs and warriors situation lol

 

[Wellington Warrior]

Wahs? That's that NSW rugby team.....always be the Warriors.

Aren’t they the Tahs?

 

[juju]

You can't begrudge "up the wahs" becoming such a huge part of the lexicon of New Zealand so organically.
How far it's spread this season is quite beautiful really.

 

[Chchfanatic]

Did anyone know there’s a rugby World Cup starting next week. There is no hype about it whatsoever. Everyone is talking up the wahs.
Chch is pretty rugby heavy , but most of my rugby mates care more about the Warriors than the rugby World Cup.
Rugby is dying , league needs to take advantage of this.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Did anyone know there’s a rugby World Cup starting next week. There is no hype about it whatsoever. Everyone is talking up the wahs.
Chch is pretty rugby heavy , but most of my rugby mates care more about the Warriors than the rugby World Cup.
Rugby is dying , league needs to take advantage of this.

To be fair, nobody new the woman’s football World Cup was happening before hand and it grew on us.

But it grew because it was quite entertaining. Not so sure about the rugby.

 

[KPWarrior]

 

[Billyspleen75]

 

[Est95]

I saw that train roll by with the "up the Wahs" tag and I couldn't believe my eyes. Wahs is taking over

 

[sup42]

The Sailing set were smart enough to embrace Red socks....that is now a Kiwi sailing institution.

Meanwhile in old farts from 95dom....'It is Warriors coz I am a REAL fan'.....congratulations your coffee mug with a Dinosaur on it is in the mail.

Wahs is a rebranding of a formerly terrible brand and the people are seizing onto the new in a era of success.

Join the dots folks.

The Warriors was for tragics.

The Wahs are for good vibes.

A long time ago...the New Zealand team got the nick name the All Blacks and I am sure many foundation New Zealand Rugby Union fans hated the name All Blacks.

Think about it.

 

[Tonbridge(aka Swanley)]

The Sailing set were smart enough to embrace Red socks....that is now a Kiwi sailing institution.

Meanwhile in old farts from 95dom....'It is Warriors coz I am a REAL fan'.....congratulations your coffee mug with a Dinosaur on it is in the mail.

Wahs is a rebranding of a formerly terrible brand and the people are seizing onto the new in a era of success.

Join the dots folks.

The Warriors was for tragics.

The Wahs are for good vibes.

A long time ago...the New Zealand team got the nick name the All Blacks and I am sure many foundation New Zealand Rugby Union fans hated the name All Blacks.

Think about it.

I am an old fart....

 

[sup42]

I am an old fart....

So am I.

I don't jump on trends usually.

But this thing is a monster and a good monster for our team because it has become part of the secret Kiwi vernacular like sweet as, Chur bro, and half pai....even the old Aussie diggers said half pai in the trenches of WW1....

Dunno if you remember the Australian TV show the Sullivan's? one episode Tom Sullivan said "he did a half pai job" ....well my māori ears picked up on that one.

Some cultural phenomena are bigger than their detractors and are timeless, up the Wahs is bigger than Dolly the Sheep, hokey pokey and Gumboots.