General VODAFONE WARRIORS START CLUB VISITS PROGRAMME

[Ronnie_7_old]

From www.warriors.co.nz

Vodafone Warriors players launch a programme tonight (February 9) to build stronger links with the Auckland Rugby League’s clubs.
The Vodafone Warriors offered to send players to every club’s registration event and almost every club in the ARL’s region has accepted the invitation.
“We see this as an important way in which we can contribute to the game in the Auckland area,†said Vodafone Warriors CEO Wayne Scurrah.
“We’ve indicated that we want to do more to improve our relationship with the rugby league community at all levels and believe this is one positive way of achieving that.â€Â
The result is players will travel as far as the Rodney Rams in the north to the Tuakau Broncos in the south over the next three weeks.
The campaign begins tonight when Kiwi hooker Lance Hohaia and new Vodafone Warriors first-grade squad member Sam Rapira visit the Onehunga Vikings while Wairangi Koopu and Nathan Fien will appear at the Howick Hornets.
A total of 16 clubs will receive visits from Vodafone Warriors players over the following seven days before the squad flies out of Auckland next Friday for their second NRL trial against North Queensland in Cairns the following night.
Another seven clubs will be visited when the Vodafone Warriors return to Auckland after their last trial against the Bulldogs on February 25.
In several cases players will be returning to their original clubs including Awen Guttenbeil to Point Chevalier, Louis Anderson to East Coast Bays, Jerome Ropati to Marist, Sione Faumuina and Epalahame Lauaki to Glenora.
Vodafone Warriors captain Steve Price is going to the North Shore and Hibiscus Coast clubs while newly-named vice-captain Ruben Wiki is doing a South Auckland tour taking in Otara, Manurewa, Papakura and Manukau.

Click this link to see the full timetable of when and where thr guys are going
https://warriors.sitesuite.ws/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=10700

Aint it great to se all of them being involved. So guys if you live in Auckland have mates or you yourself are keen yo play go down and sign up and heck why not have a Warrior there to sign you up[/url]

 

[warriors4life_old]

this kind of community involvement can only help the warriors as a team

 

[Sinbad_old]

hey how about sending a couple to the South Island?

 

[ozbash_old]

this kind of community involvement can only help the warriors as a team

in auckland.
they play league in other places in nz and i think its a pretty short sighted public relations effort.

 

[Ronnie_7_old]

Well you have to start somewhere old kiwi. join the line I think that they should be doing it elsewhere, somewhere like Rotorua for example, too but this is their first hit at doing something like this under the new management. They better be getting out of Auckland though by the time next year comes!!!!

 

[Sinbad_old]

I agree after all they are the NZ Warriors , not the bloody Dorkland Warriors !

 

[Iafeta_old]

Good to see.

On the South Island issue, there's got to be a start somewhere, Wayne Scurrah has far more concern for the general Neville Norbett who makes up the fans at Ericsson week in week out than Mick Watson did. Thats a positive.

In a dream world, we'd have talent scouts in Wellington, Christchurch, the Coast, Waikato etc. working with clubs in coaching clinics and tying up young players to development schemes. And from there, into a Premier League side and a Jersey Flegg side. However, there are fiscal restraints, as there are in emcompassing the entire country who make up a small (not insignicant, I myself am a South Islander) percentage of the gate taking at Ericsson due to geographical constraints.

If we could somehow, somewhere find another revenue stream, I previously advocated for a leagues club but apparently thats not an option legally under Auckland City Council mandate, then we could begin to "look after" Aoteroa country wide and ensure our juniors get the best possible start and aim to ensure the prime talents are retained on Premier League contracts, not development schemes.

But at least this is a start! Onwards and upwards, keep it up Wayne!

 

[Sinbad_old]

Well put Feta with you all the way. How about a leagues club down here in the south?

 

[Iafeta_old]

Sinbad,

Do you think people outside of Auckland would 'flock' to a Warriors leagues club? I can't imagine they're the flavour of the month in places such as Christchurch etc. I'd be more inclined to look at a gambling facility that has the Warriors as a shareholder.

I don't know where we could really put it, I mean Christchurch has a casino, Dunedin is possibly too small and too student orientated for gambling expenses, perhaps Wellington?

 

[da mad maori]

Its great to see the Warriors get out around the Auckland area. After all that is the 'hub' of our game.
Moving outside that area. Not sure about that. What I would like,[at it might change] is MORE 'open days, where the loyal fans can mingle with their team..
I feel for the likes of those over in Oz. IanS had a bugga of a time getting to meet the Warriors. He did eventually, but over there, something should be done.
An open day in Sydney would be a great start.
Any thoughts on that.

 

[Ronnie_7_old]

Yeah I have a thought. I have a hard enough time getting to meet them too and I live in N.Z. I think that they should get out and go to the die hard fans that can't get to them. I know of at least 3 Rugby League clubs here that would turn it out for them. I know thats not alot compared to other big towns but just think even with just the players from the 3 clubs with a Prem 1 and Reserve team at bare minimum thats at least 100 people. Then you have the school boys, and then the families and friends and supporters for those teams/clubs. Thats alot of people potential.

 

[Iafeta_old]

DMM, As far as seeing the Warriors in Australia, I've seen Evarn and Lance out and about having an early morning stroll through Church Street Mall Parramatta, other than that, nothing really. The only real chance you have is if they're going to the home team's leagues club for the after match function. I know they did it v Souths 2002, don't know about others.

Its difficult for sure.

 

[ozbash_old]

""In a dream world, we'd have talent scouts in Wellington, Christchurch, the Coast, Waikato etc. working with clubs in coaching clinics and tying up young players to development schemes.""-Iafeta

you mean like the broncos, bulldogs,dragons etc etc do over here.

for the game to prosper it has to be taken to the people and by that i mean the warriors must travel.

wests tigers and the bulldogs take the game to fans in ChCh and Wellington. not the warriors,,, why ?

if, on the other hand, the people have to be taken to the game, it will slowly die in the centers outside of Auckland.

Its happening in aussie, sydney/nsw gets stronger while the rest of the country suffers .
Be a bloody shame to see that happen here.

 

[Sinbad_old]

Good idea DMM but lets sort out the home problems as well. The Warriors have a large fan base down here in the south. Even at the Tigers "Home game" there is heaps of warriors supporters. You would think that it was a Warriors home game. Maybethey see it as such , and don't need to think any further about it. Now THAT would be a shame. Chch is the home of league. How many of the overseas players actually were spotted here by other teams compared to the warriors......?????

Answer PLENTY !!!

Now that is a shame as well.

Who also is always up the front in the barter Card cup ?


Wainuiomata and Chch and where are they ???

Answer....South of the Bombays !!

And they are called the NZ Warriors, what a joke that is !

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

I agree after all they are the NZ Warriors , not the bloody Dorkland Warriors !

You jealous bro? lol!

 

[da mad maori]

Not a very nice response Rav's. Nobody's jealous at all. Whats happening here is that we outside of Auckland should be acknowledge in the fact that WE support them as well. As Sinbad said, Christchchurch is very strong at supporting the Warriors.
So, when they play the Tigers, ...get down there a couple of days earlier, have an open training session, have a signing session, and do anything to break down that barrier that has built up between us and them.
That would be a great start.
And believe you me,..There is a barrier.

 

[da mad maori]

But having said that, I am well taken care of by them. Maybe that is because of my efforts.

 

[PB_old]

wests tigers and the bulldogs take the game to fans in ChCh and Wellington. not the warriors,,, why ?

if, on the other hand, the people have to be taken to the game, it will slowly die in the centers outside of Auckland.

Double edged sword Old Kiwi.

What will be the drop of in season tickets if there are half as many games at Ericsson? What effect will that have on the clubs bottom line? Given the variable of on-the-day ticket sales during a form slump, which you must plan for, will the viability of the club be put at risk? Does the poor record away from home justify leaving it if it could derail the premiership campaign?

Flipside, loss of profit may be offset by bigger crowd attendance at external venues. Value to sponsors may increase due to further national exposure, resulting in funding increases. Promotion in other provinces may re-enforce the Warriors as the RL flagship and instill in the youth a desire to play for them down the line.

Sydney clubs are not privately owned (Manly's arrangement notwithstanding) and make losses. A private owners first responsibilty to their business partners and to their shareholders, if applicable. The fans can be considered part of business partnership but they are not first in the pecking order.

 

[Iafeta_old]

""In a dream world, we'd have talent scouts in Wellington, Christchurch, the Coast, Waikato etc. working with clubs in coaching clinics and tying up young players to development schemes.""-Iafeta

you mean like the broncos, bulldogs,dragons etc etc do over here.

for the game to prosper it has to be taken to the people and by that i mean the warriors must travel.

wests tigers and the bulldogs take the game to fans in ChCh and Wellington. not the warriors,,, why ?

if, on the other hand, the people have to be taken to the game, it will slowly die in the centers outside of Auckland.

Its happening in aussie, sydney/nsw gets stronger while the rest of the country suffers .
Be a bloody shame to see that happen here.

Hmmm - I'm beginning to wonder whether you've been recently spotted in your y-fronts in a cow trough in front of the moo cows which has been posted on the net? :lol: Maybe not, you remind me of someone.

Yes, exactly like the Broncos in particular do in Australia. I notice the Broncos have field development officers located pretty much around Queensland and even IIRC Northern New South Wales. That to me is just about the perfect league spotting organisational set up. Its similar to football (Soccer) clubs in the big leagues who employ 5-6 scouts to rove around and scout players all over the world. I'm assuming you're looking at $300,000 in wages plus on costs, so perhaps with the Warriors being a company with obligations to shareholders its not viable at this stage.

 

[ozbash_old]

""In a dream world, we'd have talent scouts in Wellington, Christchurch, the Coast, Waikato etc. working with clubs in coaching clinics and tying up young players to development schemes.""-Iafeta

you mean like the broncos, bulldogs,dragons etc etc do over here.

for the game to prosper it has to be taken to the people and by that i mean the warriors must travel.

wests tigers and the bulldogs take the game to fans in ChCh and Wellington. not the warriors,,, why ?

if, on the other hand, the people have to be taken to the game, it will slowly die in the centers outside of Auckland.

Its happening in aussie, sydney/nsw gets stronger while the rest of the country suffers .
Be a bloody shame to see that happen here.

Hmmm - I'm beginning to wonder whether you've been recently spotted in your y-fronts in a cow trough in front of the moo cows which has been posted on the net? :lol: Maybe not, you remind me of someone.

Yes, exactly like the Broncos in particular do in Australia. I notice the Broncos have field development officers located pretty much around Queensland and even IIRC Northern New South Wales. That to me is just about the perfect league spotting organisational set up. Its similar to football (Soccer) clubs in the big leagues who employ 5-6 scouts to rove around and scout players all over the world. I'm assuming you're looking at $300,000 in wages plus on costs, so perhaps with the Warriors being a company with obligations to shareholders its not viable at this stage.

Cow troughs are cool, literally and they were speedos :lol:

there are bronco scouts based in and around wellington area, graham lowe is employed by manly to spot young talent and at the last couple of b/cup and fox memorial finals they reckon half the crowd were aussie scouts.

the aussies say we have the biggest highest class nursury in the world.