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Sport Nation
Why 2025 is crunch time for the NZ Warriors
Brad Lewis • January 31st, 2025 9:00 am
Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Not since 1995 had the NZ Warriors approached a season with more anticipation and fanfare than in 2024 - and rightly so.
The 2023 squad came within two wins of securing a first-ever NRL crown, they had drawn fans back to Mt Smart Stadium, and were the darlings of New Zealand sport.
Last season brought so much hope with fans, pundits and I’d say even the players and staff believing a Grand Final appearance was the minimum expectation. And while the fans packed Mt Smart in record numbers, the Warriors' performance didn’t come close to matching what they achieved a year earlier so unexpectedly.
There were great results against the likes of the Penrith Panthers and Cronulla Sharks away, but losses at home to the Gold Coast Titans, Manly, the Bulldogs and Parramatta derailed the season and the Wahs five points outside the playoffs.
Focus is now firmly shifted to 2025 - a captain has been lost to the game, a club legend has also hung up his boots, and arguably the best prop in the game has moved back to New South Wales.
But quality remains and the addition of James Fisher-Harris should excite fans. He is a different player to Addin Fonua-Blake, moulded more in the shape of a Mitch Barnett - tough, experienced, big game ready and a leader of men.
He will be key to the Warriors' chances of resurrecting this 'Premiership window'.
What I want to see is just more consistency - this club has made the playoffs twice in the last decade. That’s not good enough.
The Warriors need to establish themselves as a Melbourne Storm or Sydney Roosters. Tough to beat at home, dangerous on the road and consistently good week in and week out.
I am a day one Warriors fan. I spent nine years as a season ticket holder and have travelled across the ditch to watch them play several times. It's time that we fans are paid back.
I worry that the 'new' or returning fans that helped pack out Mt Smart last season will lose interest, and the Warriors will go back to being just another NZ franchise in an Australian comp that occasionally pulls out a great result.
Andrew Webster appears to be the right man to lead the charge, and we should all be prepared to give him a pass on last season - he’s earned that. But success for this club will be measured by where they stand come September and how long into the month they survive.
Playoffs is a minimum expectation for this side and that’s the building block for the next 10 years of success we all hope is coming.
But this is a crunch year. Play well and win 14-plus games and the fans will flood to Penrose. Play poorly and finish bottom half, I fear faith maybe all we have left.
Brad Lewis is the executive producer of Beaver & Guy, 3-6pm weekdays on Sport Nation.
