Waiheke Island's rugby league fans turned out en masse to welcome the Vodafone Warriors on Sunday (January 22).
Head coach Ivan Cleary took the squad to the island for a special public training session at the Waiheke Rams Rugby League Club headquarters in Ostend.
Several hundred locals and visitors from mainland Auckland were on hand as Cleary and his coaching staff put the players through a 90-minute skills-based games session. Among those looking on was local resident Norm Stephens, who coached Glenora successfully in the 1970s.
The only key Vodafone Warrior unable to make the trip was halfback Nathan Fien, who left Auckland on Sunday morning to join 16 other NRL first-grade players for the Queensland emerging State of Origin camp in Brisbane.
After travelling to Waiheke Island on the SeaLink ferry from Half Moon Bay, Jaguar Tours transported the Vodafone Warriors to the Waiheke Sports Club where they received a Maori welcome from the Waiheke Rams club.
After the training run, Vodafone Warriors captain Steve Price presented signed jerseys to the club before the players broke up to sign autographs and have photos taken with fans.
While the players and football department staff were involved with the training session, wives, partners and children were taken on an island tour before joining the players and staff at the club for a barbecue laid on by the Mad Butcher (Peter Leitch) and members of the Waiheke Kayak Club.
Price, Kiwi captain Ruben Wiki and Louis Anderson also made an appearance at a RESQBBQ at the Onetangi Sports Club, put on to raise funds for the Auckland Helicopter Rescue Trust's new helicopter.
The entire Vodafone Warriors party finished off their day on the island relaxing at Little Oneroa Beach before returning home.
For the photos visit https://warriors.sitesuite.ws/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=10356
Too many for me to post
Head coach Ivan Cleary took the squad to the island for a special public training session at the Waiheke Rams Rugby League Club headquarters in Ostend.
Several hundred locals and visitors from mainland Auckland were on hand as Cleary and his coaching staff put the players through a 90-minute skills-based games session. Among those looking on was local resident Norm Stephens, who coached Glenora successfully in the 1970s.
The only key Vodafone Warrior unable to make the trip was halfback Nathan Fien, who left Auckland on Sunday morning to join 16 other NRL first-grade players for the Queensland emerging State of Origin camp in Brisbane.
After travelling to Waiheke Island on the SeaLink ferry from Half Moon Bay, Jaguar Tours transported the Vodafone Warriors to the Waiheke Sports Club where they received a Maori welcome from the Waiheke Rams club.
After the training run, Vodafone Warriors captain Steve Price presented signed jerseys to the club before the players broke up to sign autographs and have photos taken with fans.
While the players and football department staff were involved with the training session, wives, partners and children were taken on an island tour before joining the players and staff at the club for a barbecue laid on by the Mad Butcher (Peter Leitch) and members of the Waiheke Kayak Club.
Price, Kiwi captain Ruben Wiki and Louis Anderson also made an appearance at a RESQBBQ at the Onetangi Sports Club, put on to raise funds for the Auckland Helicopter Rescue Trust's new helicopter.
The entire Vodafone Warriors party finished off their day on the island relaxing at Little Oneroa Beach before returning home.
For the photos visit https://warriors.sitesuite.ws/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=10356
Too many for me to post
