Counting down to club's historic season

A season like no other is just days away from blast-off for the One New Zealand Warriors.

For the first time in its 30-season history, the club will field five teams in 2024.

Apart from the flagship NRL side, the One New Zealand Warriors will again line up in the New South Wales Cup (reserve grade) and in the SG Ball Cup (under-19) while they’ve added teams in the Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) and the Harold Matthews Cup (under-17).

The two youngest teams (SG Ball and Harold Matthews) begin their seasons in 11 days, both playing away from home.

The SG Ball side is up against the Parramatta Eels at Eric Tweedale Stadium in Sydney on Sunday, February 4 (11.30am kick-off local time; 1.30pm NZT) while the Harold Matthews Cup team lines up against the Eels in the curtain raiser at the same venue (10.00am kick-off local time; 12.00pm NZT).

The under-17 and under-19 competitions are played over a truncated season.

In the Harold Matthews Cup, the One New Zealand Warriors have eight games over nine rounds with a bye in the second round. After playing their first three matches on the road, they have their last five games at home using Navigation Homes Stadium in Pukekohe as their base.

The Warriors are away for three of their first four SG Ball Cup encounters before also finishing with their last five in Pukekohe.

The play-offs follow for the top six teams over three weeks culminating in the grand finals for both grades in late April.  

The one New Zealand Warriors’ under-17 and under-19 teams have been using One Tree Hill College near Go Media Stadium as their base for field sessions while their strength sessions have been held at a new gym for the club’s pathways teams nearby in O’Rorke Road.

Experienced former Auckland and Point Chevalier Pirates coach Grant Pocklington is guiding the SG Ball side this year while ex-Ellerslie Eagles and Manurewa Marlins coach TJ Ashford is in charge of the Harold Matthews team.