Reigning Fox Memorial championship-winning club Point Chevalier is one of 32 Auckland Rugby League clubs which have been gifted tickets to the Vodafone Warriors' next home game at Eden Park. Photo: Photosport.
Auckland Rugby League clubs will be special guests in a zone of their own at the third home game of the Vodafone Warriors’ 20th NRL season at Eden Park on Sunday, April 13 (match day sponsor: SKYCITY).
In acknowledging the ARL’s involvement in the club’s heritage and the start of Auckland’s Fox Memorial championship this weekend, Vodafone Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah today announced more than 3000 tickets valued in excess of $90,000 had been gifted to 32 clubs, the Auckland Rugby League Referees’ Association and the ARL organisation itself.
Representatives from each of the clubs will also be involved in a special march past in the lead-up to the NRL match between the Vodafone Warriors and the Bulldogs.
“We never forget where it all started for the Vodafone Warriors,” he said.
“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the ARL’s efforts dating back more than 20 years ago when it created the club and owned it for the first four seasons.
“With Auckland’s Fox Memorial championship starting this weekend, we want to recognise the contribution the ARL and the local clubs have made to the Vodafone Warriors in our first 20 seasons and look forward to more to come in the future.”
ARL chief executive John Ackland welcomed the gift.
“It’s a nice gesture from the Vodafone Warriors. We appreciate it and I’m sure people from our clubs will put the tickets to good use,” he said.
Scurrah said all clubs, the referees’ association and the ARL would receive tickets to Eden Park’s Upper West Stand for what will be another tripleheader football feast starting with the Vodafone Warriors facing the Bulldogs in the New South Wales Cup (11.45am kick-off), followed by the NYC encounter between the two clubs (1.45pm kick-off) and the NRL fixture (4.05pm kick-off).
“To mark the occasion we’d like to see clubs using the tickets to acknowledge life members, long-serving and tireless volunteers, an outstanding team or junior players who mightn’t have the chance to see a Vodafone Warriors match live,” said Scurrah.
“We’d love to see everyone turning up in their own club colours and create a great atmosphere in the club zone in West Stand.
“We want the ARL and clubs to be the centre of attention on a day when we celebrate rugby league in Auckland and our heritage as a club.”
Apart from the Auckland Rugby League and the Auckland Rugby League Referees’ Association, ticket gifts have been made to these clubs: Bay Roskill, East Coast Bays, Ellerslie, Glenfield, Glenora, Hibiscus Coast, Howick, Kaipara, Mangere East,
Manukau, Manurewa, Marist, Mount Albert, Mount Wellington, North Shore Navy, New Lynn, Northcote, Otahuhu, Otara, Pakuranga, Papakura, Papatoetoe, Ponsonby, Point Chevalier, Pukekohe, Richmond, Rodney, Te Atatu, Tuakau, Waiheke, Waiuku, Waitemata.
The ticket gift follows the launch on Monday of the ‘5 for 50’ Ultimate Fan Pass for the match against the Bulldogs.
