Biggest pathways operation kicks into gear again

Across the next eight months the One New Zealand Warriors will again demonstrate the sheer scale of the biggest pathways system among franchises and clubs on the country’s professional sporting scene.

They again have a stable of six teams offering playing opportunities for an estimated 150 players or more, many of them relishing the chance to wear the Warriors’ colours for the first time.

The 2026 season kicked off on Sunday with the club’s Harold Matthews Cup (under-17) and SG Ball Cup (under-19) teams opening their campaigns in the New South Wales Rugby League's short-form junior development competitions.

And this Saturday the NRL squad will face Manly Warringah in Napier in the first of two Preseason Challenge matches building up to the round one clash against the Sydney Roosters at Go Media Stadium on Friday, March 6.

The New South Wales Cup side begins its title defence the same night while the Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) team launches the following day (March 7).

That sparks a phase of the season when the Warriors will have five teams in battle on either side of the Tasman Sea for close to two months.

And then on July 5 the One New Zealand Warriors’ NRLW season opens against the Bulldogs in Hamilton.

The Warriors began their development strategy in earnest on return from the Covid hiatus, fielding teams in the NRL, NSW Cup and SG Ball Cup in 2023 before expanding to five teams in 2024 and then six for the first time in the club's history in 2025.

Last year a total of 156 players represented the club, 36 of them being used in two grades.

On Sunday 12 players made their club debuts for the Harold Matthews Cup side while two did so in the SG Ball Cup.

In 2025 the Warriors’ six teams accumulated a combined 62 wins from 108 games (57 per cent success rate) with five draws and 41 losses while scoring an aggregate 2643 points and conceding 2273.

A total of 29 players were used in 25 matches in the NRL, 26 in 12 games in the NRLW, 36 in 28 in the NSW Cup/State Championship, 45 in 24 in the Jersey Flegg, 28 in nine in the SG Ball and 28 in 11 games in the Harold Matthews.

Of the 61 matches outside New Zealand, 43 were played in greater Sydney, five in Newcastle, five in Wollongong, three in Brisbane, two in Melbourne and one each in Lautoka, Robina and Las Vegas.

Below is the list of the 156 players used in 2025.

One New Zealand Warriors | 2025 roster