The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league team based in Auckland. They are the sole New Zealander side in the predominantly Australian National Rugby League (NRL).
📜 New Zealand Warriors History
In 1995 the Warriors entered the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) Premiership - a forerunner of the NRL - after years of increasingly competitive Auckland-based rugby league sides suggesting such a landmark admission was possible. The league's geographical expansion proved lucrative for the Warriors, with home matches often watched by over 30,000 fans during their inaugural season.
In 2001, the Warriors reached the NRL finals for the first time, and a year later they made it to the grand final having finished as minor premiers, though they were beaten comfortably by the Sydney Roosters. The Warriors would make the grand final again in 2011, and to date have reached the finals stage on a total of 8 occasions, albeit without winning the title.
The Warriors' traditional home colours are green, blue, red, and white, though they have also used black in the past.