Thirty years ago this week, Auckland Warriors, North Queensland Cowboys, South Queensland Crushers and Western Reds entered the premiership as Australian rugby league went truly national – and international.
The Crushers and Reds would fold after just three seasons, under the weight of the code’s Super League war-ravaged largesse.
But three decades on, the Warriors and Cowboys – the NRL’s two most far-flung clubs – continue to thrive, having added immensely to the colour and drama of the competition.
Firstly, ahead of their 2025 NRL season-opening clash with Canberra Raiders in Las Vegas, we’re revisiting the enigmatic Warriors’ 30 greatest moments from 30 years in the competition.
30. RTS heroics rescue biggest comeback (2021)
On-field highlights were few and far between during Nathan Brown’s ill-fated season and a half at the helm, but the Warriors created club history in just their third game under the incoming coach.
The Warriors were on the ropes at 31-10 during the second half in Canberra before staging their biggest-ever comeback via four unanswered tries, with Adam Pompey crossing to put them in front 34-31 with two minutes left.
The drama was far from over, however, with the Raiders seeming certain to score on the bell…until skipper Roger Tuivasa-Sheck capped a herculean performance by producing a phenomenal try-saving tackle on an airborne Jordan Rapana in the corner.
29. Welcome to your Knightmare (1999)
Warriors history is full of false dawns – and few were more misleading than their 42-0 rout of heavyweights Newcastle during a late-1999 surge. But the euphoria of that evening at Ericsson Stadium is hard to forget.
It had been a troubled first-up campaign under Mark Graham, but the Warriors were on fire at the back-end of the year and obliterated a Knights side boasting 11 current or future Origin reps (headlined by the Johns brothers).
Aussie journeymen John Simon, Lee Oudenryn and Jason Death ran roughshod in front of 15,385 baying Warriors fans.
28. Miracle finish in Melbourne (1998)
The Warriors produced one of the most extraordinary last-gasp tries in premiership history to stun ladder leaders Melbourne 24-21 in a 1998 Olympic Park thriller.
Despite missing Kiwis stars Matthew Ridge, Stephen Kearney, Kevin Iro and Sean Hoppe, the struggling Warriors surged to 14-4 halftime lead through tries to fullback stand-in Joe Galuvao and hooker Syd Eru, but the Storm rallied and looked home at 21-18 in the dying stages.
But on the last play of the game, the Warriors launched a helter skelter attacking raid, which resulted in Tony Tatupu scoring after a mad scramble. After an agonising wait for the video referee’s decision as the myriad fumbles and rebounds were dissected, the match-winner was awarded.
The Storm, who shocked the rugby league world with their debut-season heroics, lost only three of their first 16 games. Frank Endacott’s Warriors were responsible for two of those defeats.
27. Manu’s 10 x 10 (2015)
Already a towering figure on the Warriors’ honours boards, cult hero winger Manu Vatuvei etched his name into the premiership record books by becoming the first player to score 10 or more tries in 10 consecutive seasons.
‘The Beast’ confirmed the mighty feat with a four-pointer in a Mount Smart loss to the Roosters in 2015. He hung up the boots in early-2017 as the equal-10th highest tryscorer in first-grade history and the only non-Australian to break the 150-try barrier.
26. ANZAC spirit (2014)
Amid a tumultuous start to 2014 that saw Matt Elliott sacked after five rounds, Andrew McFadden’s first win as Warriors head coach was one to savour, with his charges outlasting Melbourne 16-10 in front of a 28,716-strong crowd at AAMI Park.
Nineteen-year-old winger David Fusitu’a opened the scoring with his maiden NRL try – courtesy of a spectacular put-down in the corner that would soon become his trademark – and threw the last pass for the dazzling match-winner scored by Johnson, who handled three times in the movement.
High-priced English fullback Sam Tomkins was man of the match in his best game since joining the club. The win was another chapter in the Warriors’ hard-earned narrative as a bogey team for the heavyweight Storm – particularly in Melbourne – but they have not won at AAMI Park since.
25. Little General’s last stand (2009)
Lured out of retirement in 2009, Stacey Jones’ comeback was delayed by injury but he made a stunning return off the bench against Manly at Brookvale Oval in Round 2. The Warriors trailed the defending premiers 10-0 early and 24-16 with 12 minutes left.
‘The Little General’ – playing in the NRL for the first time in 1,303 days – wound back the clock.
A brilliant chip-and-regather sparked a 70-metre try finished off by Brent Tate. Jones then bombed for Ropati’s 78th-minute equaliser. Wing recruit Denan Kemp drilled the match-winning conversion from out wide.
The 26-24 result against the defending premiers prompted betting agencies to install the Warriors as the new title favourites, but their season would unravel to a 14th-place finish as the club struggled to regroup from young star Sonny Fai’s tragic pre-season drowning.
24. Johnson ‘15/10 on the incredible-meter’ (2015)
Shaun Johnson delivered arguably the most iconic of his career catalogue of buzzer-beaters at Shark Park in 2015.
With the Warriors trailing by two, Ryan Hoffman came up with a massive charge-down and 40-metre run with 90 seconds on the clock, before Johnson weaved a path past seven defenders to score an unforgettable match-winner.
23. Giant killers (2013)
The Warriors won just two of their first 10 games under Matt Elliott and their 2013 season petered out to an 11th-place finish…but in between they carved out one of the greatest runs of form in the club’s history.
A 56-12 demolition of Brisbane at Suncorp set the tone for massive upsets of eventually grand finalists Manly and Sydney Roosters, and defending premiers Melbourne in the space of six weeks.
The 23-12 victory over Sonny Bill Williams’ Roosters at Allianz Stadium was especially memorable, featuring amazing try-saving plays from Shaun Johnson and Glen Fisiiahi, and brilliant runaway tries from Fisiiahi and Manu Vatuvei.
22. Homecoming (2022)
The Warriors’ three-year COVID odyssey was nearing its end when they were finally able to play a game in Auckland for the first time since late-2019.
Little was at stake in terms of the premiership in the Round 16 clash – the Warriors and opponents Wests Tigers were in the NRL cellar – but a 26,009-strong crowd created an emotional, electrifying atmosphere for their nomadic heroes.
The Warriors grafted out a convincing 22-2 victory with skipper Tohu Harris, Chanel Harris-Tavita and Jesse Arthars collecting tries.
21. With a little help from Friend (2015)
Nathan Friend’s extraordinary upside-down, through-the-legs pass that led to a try stole the headlines after the Warriors’ emphatic 28-14 dismantling of Melbourne, earning the Dally M Headline Moment of the Year award.
But the Mt Smart victory was also one of the Warriors’ best ever, and also featured a spellbinding solo try from Shaun Johnson.
The Warriors were catapulted into the top four…but it all came crashing down a fortnight later with Johnson suffering a broken ankle against Manly. They finished in 13th on an eight-match losing streak.
20. Rugged, razzle-dazzle Warriors blitz Broncos (2002)
Having only beaten perennial heavyweight Brisbane for the first time the previous season, the Warriors underlined their coming of age in 2002 with a pair of stunning wins over the Broncos.
The Warriors’ effervescent attack was at the forefront of a maiden win in Brisbane, 26-16, which proved a mere entrée to a sensational 18-4 home win over the Broncos.
The latter was immortalised by Kevin Campion’s stoush with former teammate Shane Webcke and a brilliant long-range try set up by Stacey Jones and Ali Lauitiiti, and finished off by Ivan Cleary.
19. Jettisoned Warriors’ near-perfect return (2020)
The Warriors were the unwitting face of the NRL’s COVID crisis, forced to abandon family indefinitely, embark on a training camp in Tamworth and ultimately setting up a temporary new home on the Central Coast.
Merely turning up for the resumption of the competition in late-May was a triumph – but what unfolded was one of the most remarkable wins the club has ever pulled off, beating St George Illawarra 18-0.
Not only was it the first time the Warriors had held a team scoreless in six years, they incredibly did not make error until the 75th minute, completing their first 43 sets. The fanfare didn’t last, however, with coach Stephen Kearney brutally sacked just three weeks later.
18. Webster’s Warriors signal new era (2023)
No match epitomised the Warriors’ remarkable 2023 revival under rookie coach Andrew Webster more than their astonishing comeback win on the road against Cronulla in Round 5.
On the rack at 20-0 down, the Shaun Johnson-inspired Warriors clawed back and eventually drew level at 30-all via a Josh Curran try in the 68th minute.
With rain bucketing down at Shark Park, Shaun Johnson buried a 35-metre penalty goal with 30 seconds on the clock to bury his former club and seal one of the Warriors’ most famous regular-season wins.
17. Finals breakthrough (2001)
Following six seasons of vast underachievement – and less than 12 months on from near-extinction and a name change – the New Zealand Warriors belatedly qualified for the Top 8 for the first time in 2001.
Playing an exciting brand of football under rookie coach Daniel Anderson and displaying steel that had rarely been witnessed in their chequered history, the Warriors’ five-match unbeaten streak late in the season clinched eighth spot.
It was made official via a dramatic 24-all draw in Melbourne in the penultimate round. The club’s finals debut was not a pleasant one – thrashed 56-12 by Parramatta – but a major milestone had been ticked off, laying the platform for the Warriors’ sharp rise over the next two seasons.
16. Mannering’s triple ton (2018)
Their return to the playoffs after a seven-year absence already sealed, the stars aligned for retiring champion Simon Mannering to becoming the first player to bring up 300 NRL appearances for the Warriors in the final round at home.
Almost 25,000 fans packed into Mt Smart Stadium to celebrate the stoic back-row ironman, the Warriors marking the occasion with a hard-fought 20-16 victory over Canberra. A five-time Warriors Player of the Year, Mannering had the award renamed in his honour a few weeks later.
15. Roger’s Medal (2018)
The NRL’s highest individual honour had eluded the Warriors for almost quarter of a century, but inspirational fullback and captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was a standout winner of the 2018 Dally M Medal.
The hot-stepping, metre-eating, tryline-guarding No.1 edged out Newcastle counterpart Kalyn Ponga by two votes to take out the gong, with Issac Luke, Jazz Tevaga and Jordan Rapana performing a spine-tingling impromptu haka in one of the Dally M Awards’ most memorable moments.
14. Valiant finish (2011)
While it will go down as a missed opportunity, the Warriors gave their fans – who themselves created an extraordinary ANZ Stadium atmosphere with a mass pre-match haka – plenty to be proud in a 24-10 loss to Manly in the 2011 grand final.
Besieged by bad luck and questionable calls as they fell behind 18-2, the Warriors rallied through tries to Manu Vatuvei and Elijah Taylor, both set up by rookie No.7 Shaun Johnson, but James Maloney’s missed conversions would prove crucial.
The Warriors’ stirring fight-back fell short, Sea Eagles skipper Jamie Lyon sealing the result with a late try.
13. It’s a kind of Magic (2024)
The Warriors were written off heading into last year’s Round 11 assignment against soon-to-be four-time champs Penrith, going winless in their last five games and losing Shaun Johnson, Tohu Harris and Rocco Berry to injury.
But in one of the great Magic Round victories, a patched-up Warriors side clawed back from behind three times before fill-in fullback Taine Tuaupiki’s try and sideline conversion put them 22-20 in front in the dying minutes.
The rank underdogs survived a late penalty goal attempt from Dyland Edwards before celebrating one of the unlikeliest wins in their 30 seasons.
12. Raiders can’t keep up with Jones (2003)
The Warriors booked a preliminary final berth for the second straight year in a week two barnburner against Canberra at the SFS.
A gripping, seesawing sudden-death clash saw the Warriors trail 10-4 then lead 16-10, before the Raiders levelled up at 16-all.
After hapless Raiders centre Jason Bulgarelli shelled a gift-wrapped try from a grubber kick with six minutes left, cool-as-you-like Warriors halfback Stacey Jones slotted the match-winning field goal.
11. Blackout! (2008)
Following the Warriors’ miracle qualifying final win in Melbourne, a 25,585-strong crowd responded to the call to ‘black out’ Mt Smart Stadium for Kiwi legend Ruben Wiki’s last-ever home game.
Sydney Roosters led the semi 13-6 early in the second half, but the rampant Warriors ran in four unanswered tries to win 30-13, while Wiki produced the most memorable moment of the match by KO’ing Iosia Soliola with a barnstorming run from a kick-off return.
The post-season charge came undone in a heavy prelim loss to Manly a week later, while the Warriors would not play a home final again for another 15 years.
10. SJ’s fairytale finish (2024)
The Warriors’ 2024 campaign and Shaun Johnson’s farewell tour seemed destined to fizzle with a final-round trip to Cronulla, the also-rans having lost their last four games.
The early signs were ominous as the fourth-placed Sharks powered to a 22-4 halftime lead.
But Johnson engineered a second-half hat-trick for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, including an incredible cut-out ball to the winger with 30 seconds to go as the Warriors snatched an outrageous 30-28 win – doubling as arguably the greatest regular-season exit in the history of the game.
9. Stacey’s stunner (2002)
For a brief moment in the 2002 grand final, destiny appeared to be pushing the Warriors towards NRL glory.
After a tight first half, the Warriors – playing in the club’s maiden premiership decider – took an 8-6 lead over Sydney Roosters when halfback and captain Stacey Jones dummied, weaved and sprinted 40 metres for one of the greatest of all grand final tries.
The Roosters regrouped to take out an authoritative 30-8 win, but Jones’ try remains one of the most relayed of the modern era.
8. Tigers by the tail (2011)
Distant outsiders heading into their Sydney semi-final against Wests Tigers after getting trounced 40-10 by Brisbane in week one, the Warriors pulled off one of the finest post-season comebacks of the NRL era to snatch a 22-20 victory.
The Tigers led 18-6 at halftime and 20-12 with 15 minutes to go, but Lance Hohaia darted over from dummy-half to trim the gap and a bizarre try to Krisnan Inu after the hosts failed to clean up a bomb catapulted the Warriors into a match-winning lead in the 78th minute.
7. Minor premiership marvels (2002)
The Warriors truly arrived as a premiership force in 2002, spending most of the year in the top four and chalking up a slew of top-shelf wins. But an unexpected prize landed in their lap after runaway NRL leaders the Bulldogs were slugged with a 37-point penalty for breaching the salary cap.
A final-round win over also-rans Wests Tigers was enough for the Warriors to finish top of the table and the club was presented with the J.J. Giltinan Shield as minor premiers after chalking up their first-ever finals win over Canberra a week later.
6. Grand entrance (1995)
The Auckland Warriors’ 1995 entry into the Australian premiership was one of the most ultra-hyped sporting events in New Zealand’s history – and their season opener against the heavyweight Brisbane Broncos unequivocally lived up to it.
A heaving Ericsson Stadium crowd watched the Dean Bell-led Warriors overcome an early 10-0 deficit to lead 22-10 thanks to tries to Phil Blake, Sean Hoppe, Tony Tatupu and Tea Ropati.
The incomparably Allan Langer rescued the Broncos with a quickfire double, spearheading a 25-22 escape. But a nation was nevertheless hooked on the magic, unpredictability and potential of the Warriors.
5. Meli’s handful (2003)
Sydney Showgrounds was the scene for one of the unlikeliest finals blowouts of all time in 2003.
Few rated the sixth-placed Warriors a chance of knocking over the third-placed Bulldogs, but the audacious Kiwi outfit went on an incredible scoring spree after the scores were locked at 12-all early in the second half.
Francis Meli was the chief beneficiary of the brilliance of Stacey Jones, Brent Webb, Sione Faumuina, Motu Tony and Clinton Toopi, scoring a finals record five tries in a mind-blowing 48-22 result. The Warriors would ultimately make it to the preliminary final, where they lost to eventual champs Penrith.
4. Prelim dream (2002)
The Warriors booked their maiden grand final appearance courtesy of a pulsating 16-10 victory over favourites Cronulla at Stadium Australia.
Owner Eric Watson and sponsors Vodafone gave away 10,000 tickets to anyone with a New Zealand passport, helping nullifying the supporter imbalance in favour of the Sharks.
The teams could hardly be separated throughout, with Clinton Toopi’s stunning 50-metre effort in the second half cancelled out by a try to Brett Kimmorley.
The scores were still locked at 10-all with six minutes left, when Stacey Jones’ inch-perfect grubber sat up for centre John Carlaw to score the match-winner.
3. Olympic-level upset (2008)
The Warriors created history as the first eighth-placed team to defeat the minor premiers under the controversial, since-abandoned McIntyre System, shocking Melbourne 18-15 in the 2008 qualifying final at Olympic Park.
The Storm were at the peak of their powers – and unbackable favourites to sending the Warriors packing. The underdogs refused to throw in the towel in a back-and-forth contest, but Greg Inglis’ field goal gave the Storm a 15-14 lead, which they held onto with two minutes left.
Jerome Ropati and Manu Vatuvei conjured one of the great finals tries for Michael Witt, however, a 70-metre scorcher that stole a victory regarded by many fans as the club’s finest.
2. Up the Wahs! (2023)
The Warriors’ resurgence under Andrew Webster in 2023 captured the imagination of a country – and the wider rugby league fanbase – culminating in their first top-four finish in 16 years and their first home final since 2008.
Dusting themselves off from a convincing qualifying final loss at Penrith, the Warriors put Newcastle to the sword 40-10 in the semi-final as Mt Smart Stadium rocked and rolled for 80 unforgettable minutes.
Nursing a calf injury that had kept him out from the previous week’s final, Shaun Johnson put on a masterclass and got an early mark – allowing him to take half a victory lap in front of an adoring throng as he made his way back to the bench.
1. SJ calms the Storm (2011)
Reminiscent of their qualifying final boilover in Melbourne three years earlier, the Warriors dished up an equally unlikely boilover against the Storm with even more at stake in the 2011 preliminary final.
The lead changed hands several times during a frenetic first half, with the Warriors heading to the sheds 14-12 in front via a late penalty goal.
That’s how the scoreboard stayed during a nerve-shredding second stanza until the 77th minute, when Shaun Johnson – making just his 15th top-grade appearance – embarked on a mesmerising crossfield jaunt that has passed into NRL legend, setting up centre Lewis Brown for a sensational try.
James Maloney drilled the conversion from the sideline for a 20-12 lead and the Warriors’ second grand final appearance.