BRISBANE BRONCOS | March 29, 2015, 2.00pm, Mount Smart Stadium
First clash | Ericsson Stadium, March 10, 1995 – Auckland Warriors 22, Brisbane 25
Record 1995-2014 | Played 35, Won 15, Lost 20
Home | Played 17, Won 10, Lost 7
Away | Played 18, Won 5, Lost 13
Last Five Games | L 22-28 (a), W 19-10 (h), W 18-16 (a), W 56-18 (a) L 8-10 (a)
Five of the best:
March 10, 1995 at Ericsson Stadium L 22-25 | A club is born. It was a night never to be forgotten despite the Broncos taking it out late.
March 24, 2001 at Ericsson Stadium W 13-12 | Stacey Jones’ field goal gave the club a pulsating breakthrough win against the Broncos.
April 13, 2003 at ANZ Stadium W 32-12 | In terms of freewheeling rugby league, this one took some beating especially the last try finished by Evarn Tuimavave.
June 30, 2005 at Mount Smart Stadium W 30-18 | This was the club’s 10th anniversary match and it delivered a memorable victory.
March 28, 2010 at Suncorp Stadium W 48-16 | The Vodafone Warriors lit up on attack with James Maloney equalling the club record of 28 points.
What 2015 holds in store | The Broncos just edged the Vodafone Warriors out of the top eight last season, sneaking through on points for and against. Since then the benchmark side of the 1990s and early 2000s has undergone significant transformation. This will be the only time the traditional rivals meet in 2015 and a special occasion it will be as the Vodafone Warriors go all-out to celebrate their 20th anniversary. Back at the helm for the Broncos is Wayne Bennett, who was in charge when the Auckland Warriors debuted on March 10, 1995. He’s reunited with Stephen Kearney, whom he worked with so successfully when the Kiwis won the Rugby League World Cup in 2008. Since then Kearney, one of the Broncos' assistant coaches, has collected the Four Nations twice (2010 and 2014).
Player movements | The Broncos have lost Josh Hoffman (Titans), Jake Granville (Cowboys), Ben Hannant (Cowboys), Jharal Yow Yeh (retired), Martin Kennedy (Roosters), David Hala (Titans) and Ben Barba (Sharks) but they’ve gained Anthony Milford (Raiders), Mitch Garbutt (Storm), Adam Blair (Tigers), Greg Eden (Hull Kingston Rovers), Travis Waddell (Knights), Darius Boyd (Knights) and James Gavet (Wests Tigers).
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