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March 10, 2026
#hakinakina: Duane Mann reflects on Warriors whakapapa three decades on
Dale Husband
Posted On March 10, 2026
Download AudioMore than three decades after the birth of the New Zealand Warriors, former halfback Duane Mann says the club’s story has grown far beyond rugby league, becoming part of the cultural fabric of Aotearoa.
Thirty-one years after the inaugural season in 1995, Mann is reflecting on the whakapapa of the Warriors – a journey that began with uncertainty but has since become one of the most powerful sporting narratives in the country.
The beginning of a national dream
When the Warriors entered the Australian Rugby League competition in 1995, they carried the hopes of a nation that had never before fielded a professional rugby league team in the Australian competition.
For Mann and his teammates in that inaugural squad, the challenge was immense. They were building a club from scratch while representing not just a city, but an entire country.
Those early seasons were about more than results. They were about establishing identity, resilience and belief that Aotearoa could stand alongside the giants of the Australian game.
Mann says the Warriors jersey now carries a whakapapa built over generations of players and supporters.
From the pioneers of the mid-1990s through to the modern era, the club has produced moments that have shaped its identity – deep playoff runs, heartbreaking losses, and unforgettable wins that united fans across the motu.
Each generation of players has added its own chapter to the story, passing on a legacy that stretches from the inaugural squad through to the current team.
For many supporters, the Warriors represent something larger than rugby league.
The club has long been a symbol of Pacific and Māori pride, drawing players and supporters from communities across Aotearoa and the wider Pacific.
Warriors games have become gatherings where cultures, languages and identities come together under one banner.
Mann believes that sense of belonging is part of the club’s enduring strength. The team has often been described as a team for the whole country, and the emotional connection fans feel to the Warriors reflects that.
The Warriors’ history has not been without struggle. Financial pressures, administrative changes and inconsistent on-field performance have tested the club at different points.
But resilience has become a defining feature of the Warriors story.
Even through difficult seasons, the loyalty of the fan base has remained strong, reinforcing the idea that the club represents something deeper than wins and losses.
As the Warriors move further into their fourth decade, Mann says the club’s whakapapa continues to grow.
The current generation of players carries the responsibility of honouring the legacy created by those who came before them, while writing their own story for the future.
For supporters who have followed the club since the beginning, the journey from that inaugural squad in 1995 to today is a reminder of how far the Warriors have come.
More than 30 years on, the Warriors remain not just a rugby league team – but a living expression of community, pride and whakapapa in Aotearoa.
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