Last year, New Zealanders got a new addition to their vocabulary, with the circulation of the phrase “Up the Wahs”. It didn’t really have any set definition, but it was the perfect slogan for our one and only NRL team, coming after a season of success that they hadn’t seen in over a decade.
The Warriors have been an important part of sporting culture in New Zealand since their formation in 1995. Every dad had a secret Warriors jersey in their closet that they only brought out if they were winning (and shamefully put away if they lost), and the team’s performance was always a part of the classic pub talk. But recently the team has reached new heights, last year placing fourth in the NRL standings after a devastating loss to the Brisbane Broncos in the semi-final.
But the loss wasn’t what was remembered about last year’s season. Last year’s season was remembered by the fans that were brought together in a true showcase of culture and passion. The fans that had stayed throughout the drought, and the ones that had joined along the way. They made headlines, forever selling out home stadiums and making “Up the Wahs” another New Zealand trademark phrase.
Naturally, I had to see what all of the fuss was about. I attended the team’s first home game this year, a pre-season match against the Redcliffe Dolphins at Mount Smart Stadium. As soon as we got off the train at Penrose Station, one kilometre away from the actual stadium, I could see it. There were blue jerseys, there were black jerseys, there were white jerseys. They all represented the different eras of a fandom brought together by passion. Every person was there to see the Warriors play—and win.
The culture embraced me from the minute I walked into the gate, and it kind of felt like a warm hug. Something that said “you belong here.” I have never experienced something that was so truly New Zealand. There were drums beating in the background, Mr Whippy serving ice creams, adults standing around tables at the bar, and kids playing on a Warriors-themed bouncy castle. Children were playing games of rippa rugby on the field before the team came out to warm up. It was like my entire childhood as a Kiwi was put in one place.
In the stands, excitement brewed like a cup of milo on a cold winter morning. All were anticipating the arrival of their heroes, whether that be Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and his beautiful head of hair, our kicker and saviour Shaun Johnson, or new captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. When the team came out just for a warm-up, the stands boomed with screams and applause. It’s exciting when the legends return to town.
Game time brought steam and fire cannons, making for a proper introduction of the team, who were dressed in a special sky-blue kit. “Freaks” by Savage and Timmy Trumpet blasted around the stadium as the heroes emerged. And despite the fact that the song was loud, the crowd was louder. The stands physically shook beneath me when the boys came out for the game, and the crowds expressed their excitement.
Many fans had made signs, which said things such as “Viva Wahs Vegas for 2025”
“Say it to the end. We are the Warriors 100%”
“Watene Man” - along with a depiction of Watene-Zelezniak as Superman.
To me, this showed just how important the team was to so many people in New Zealand. Just behind me there was a woman sitting with a 1990s-style Warriors kit on, and every five minutes she would shout “c’mon boys you can do this!”
In front of me were two men sitting with their young daughters, each dressed from head to toe in Warriors apparel. This team means so much more to people than what you would originally think.
In addition, the game was a great watch. Previously, I hadn’t really been interested in league. I didn’t understand the rules, and this meant that following a full 80-minute game was challenging for me. But actually truly seeing it and paying attention made me appreciate it for how it is. The passes that were strung together, the fights that were put on by the defence, the intercepts, the sprints, the agility, all of it was fantastic.
The Warriors had played some awesome league in the first half, scoring tries left and right and keeping their defence strong. When Johnson came to my side of the stadium to kick his conversion, the praise was off the charts. I have never seen so many people obsess over one single player.
However, the talent didn’t stop with him. Zelezniak made a legendary interception in the first half, his glorious mullet almost propelling him to the try line like he really was superman. Tuivasa-Sheck also orchestrated fantastic passes and led the team like a conductor leading a choir.
The game ended 34-22 to the Warriors, with a couple of slip-ups in the second half resulting in points for the Dolphins. As I walked out of the stadium and observed the people, I realised that it wasn’t the win that I found so fulfilling. It was the bringing together of people, all from different backgrounds and areas, that could all find their identity with this team. This team truly represented what New Zealand is all about—not just with the drinking culture and Mr Whippy ice creams. With the togetherness.
“Up the Wahs” can be defined as a phrase that brought together a whole nation.
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