Rugby League
Rugby League
I'm a huge follower of the 13-a-side game too, in fact I played it for four seasons here in Auckland. Which also means I'm a long-suffering Warriors fan.
Originally published March 10, 2018 for RNZ
Rugby league: Plenty of jitters as new Warriors season begins
The NRL kicks off across Australia this weekend, which means that the Warriors are ready to create some headlines.
Of course, for the past six seasons, those headlines haven't been that good. Their 2011 grand final appearance, the second and last time the club had managed to make it to the big dance, seems like a long time ago now.
So what can we expect this time around?
Originally published November 27, 2017 for RNZ
Tonga's league loss: Try or no try?
The Tongan Revolution came to an explosive end on Saturday night at Mt Smart, at least on the field anyway. While parties continued long into the weekend in Ōtāhuhu and then Britomart the following evening, there was one nagging factor in the celebrations. What was the story with the last play of the game? Should it have given Tonga an improbable victory over England?
Originally published Jun 28, 2016 for The Spinoff
A legacy of pain: The worst times the Warriors have been mercilessly knifed by their former players
The Warriors (probably) hold the NRL record for getting their hearts broken by their former players, with James Maloney’s golden point field goal the most recent incident. Jamie Wall recounts the most traumatic ex-Warrior revenge missions.
As far as losses go, the Warriors’ latest to the Sharks would have been relatively easy to take, had it not been for one key feature: the fact that yet again, a former club stalwart performed the heart-wrenching execution. It’s not shameful to go down in golden-point extra time to a field goal from the league-leading team. However, watching a former Warrior kick the goal is a bit like being shot by the man you raised as your son while you’re on the toilet.