One New Zealand Warriors NRL and NRLW players plus staff have blitzed Queenstown, Rotorua and Auckland on the Warriors Community Foundation’s annual Sky Road to Regions tour – and there’s more to come in the New Year.
Queenstown provided a typically spectacular backdrop when the WCF crew and a group of NRLW players mixed with some 660 school kids as well as attending the Global Games junior rugby league festival.
Then last week three groups of NRL players and staff travelled to multiple venues in Auckland and Rotorua where school pupils of all ages lapped up the foundation’s ever-popular rugby league community programme.
It’s not over yet either.
The WCF has more forays scheduled around the Warriors’ Preseason Challenge match against the Sea Eagles in Napier in February, the historic Anzac Day encounter with the Dolphins in Wellington and then the landmark first-ever NRL match at Christchurch’s new One New Zealand Stadium on June 21 when the Warriors meet the Cowboys.
On the road to Queenstown
One New Zealand Warriors NRLW players Tyra Wetere and Avery-Rose Carmont along with development player Danii Gray and Moana Cook from the Burleigh Bears fronted the programme in Queenstown.
The visit took in four schools: Remarkables Primary School, Shotover Primary School, St Joseph’s School and Te Kura Whakatipu o Kawarau.
The community team also attended the Global Games where 24 teams and 388 young players from across the country took part. The Otara Scorpions took out the competition which focuses on teamwork and sportsmanship more than merely winning.
Of the visit to Remarkables Primary School, sports coordinator Nick Brown said: “Thanks again for a very well organised session with our tamariki.
“I've seen several sporting organisations come in before to run engagement sessions with the school community but none were this well organised and planned.
“I was also impressed with the level of input that the players had. They were genuinely engaged with our tamariki and that was another big reason why it was so successful!”
Busy schedule in Rotorua
Led by head coach Andrew Webster and assistant - and Kiwi coach - Stacey Jones, a group of 13 players spent two days in Rotorua.
Among the travelling troupe were Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Kurt Capewell, Wayde Egan, Adam Pompey and Jackson Ford plus new signings Morgan Gannon, Alofi Khan-Pereira and Haizyn Mellars.
The schedule kicked off with a fund-raising event at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre before an open training session at Rotorua International Stadium on Friday morning (6.45am start!).
On tour with Warriors Community Foundation in Rotorua
The key focus in the morning was a skills and activities session run by the players and staff with year seven and eight pupils from local schools followed by a signing opportunity and mix and mingle.
There was a repeat format in the afternoon with secondary school age students before the WCF contingent travelled to Rotorua Hospital to meet patients ahead of travelling back to Auckland.
Out and about in Auckland
Split into two groups, One New Zealand Warriors players and staff engaged with a number of organisations over two days in Auckland.
On Thursday, one group including Mitchell Barnett and Rocco Berry, visited Pigeon Mount Primary School, Friendship House and Vector Wero Whitewater Park before finishing with an evening function at Woodside.
NRL players on hand for Road to Regions visits in Auckland
The other unit with Luke Metcalf at the helm went to BLENNZ (Blind and Low Vision Education Network NZ) and Hāpai Tūhono followed by Vector Wero Whitewater Park and the evening event at Woodside.
On day two (Friday), the first group took in Kidz First Children’s Hospital, Auckland City Mission and One New Zealand while the others visited Kura Cares Charity, Will & Able and Bluelight.
