The New Zealand Warriors 2002 season was the New Zealand Warriors 8th first-grade season. The club competed in Australasia's National Rugby League. The coach of the team was Daniel Anderson while Stacey Jones was the club captain. The club finished the year as minor premiers and made the grand final for the first time, however they were defeated 30–8 by the Sydney Roosters.
Milestones 14 April – Round 5: The Warriors have a then record win (68–10) over the Northern Eagles. 14 April – Round 5: Stacey Jones played in his 150th first grade match for the club, the first person to reach the milestone. 14 April – Round 5: Ivan Cleary scores 28 points in a match (1 try, 12 goals), equaling the club's point scoring record set by Gene Ngamu in 1996. 23 June – Round 15: Henry Fa'afili played in his 50th match for the club. 18 August – Round 23: Clinton Toopi played in his 50th match for the club. 1 September – Round 25: Jerry Seuseu played in his 100th match for the club. 6 September – Round 26: Ivan Cleary played in his 50th match for the club. The Warriors claim the NRL minor premiership for the first time. The Warriors received A$100,000 prize money for finishing the regular season as minor premiers. Daniel Anderson is named Dally M Coach of the Year and Ali Lauitiiti Dally M Second Rower of the Year. 15 September: – The Warriors host their first finals match, beating Canberra 36–20 at a sold-out Ericsson Stadium.
Jersey and sponsors The Warriors had a New Jersey in 2002, completely moving away from the blue and white that had been the club's colours. The 2001 jersey was retained as an away strip.
Fixtures
The Warriors used Ericsson Stadium as their home ground in 2002, their only home ground since they entered the competition in 1995.
Pre-season trials Date Opponent Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report17 February Cronulla SharksJade Stadium, Christchurch Draw 30–3024 February South Sydney RabbitohsCarlaw Park, Auckland Win 24–20Guttenbeil, Campion, Villasanti, FaumuinaCleary (4) 14,0009 March West Auckland CowboysWaitakere Stadium, AucklandWin66–24
Regular season Date Round Opponent Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance ReportRound 1 Bye 24 MarchRound 2 Sydney RoostersEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 21–14Lauiti'iti (2), Carlaw, MeliCleary (2), Jones (FG) 14,378 1 AprilRound 3 Newcastle KnightsEricsson Stadium, AucklandLoss 14–32Jones, Meli, Webb Cleary (1) 13,456 6 AprilRound 4 North Queensland CowboysDairy Farmers Stadium, TownsvilleWin 50–20Jones (2), Carlaw, Cleary, Faumuina, Hohaia, Tookey, ToopiCleary (8), Jones (1) 9,657 14 AprilRound 5 Northern EaglesEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin68–10Jones (3), Faumuina (2), Toopi (2), Cleary, Hohaia, Seuseu, Webb Cleary (12) 12,563 20 AprilRound 6 Canterbury BulldogsWestpac Stadium, WellingtonLoss20–28Cleary, Koopu, ToopiCleary (4) 24,251 27 AprilRound 7 Melbourne StormEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin20–10Fa'afili, Guttenbeil, Meli, Toopi Cleary (2) 11,404 5 MayRound 8 Wests TigersCampbelltown Sports Ground, SydneyWin36–14Tookey (2), Carlaw, Hohaia, Koopu, Tony Cleary (6) 13,658 12 MayRound 9 South Sydney RabbitohsEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin25–18Toopi (2), Campion, GuttenbeilCleary (4), Marsh (FG) 14,76517 MayRound 10 Newcastle KnightsEnergyAustralia Stadium, NewcastleWin34–12Toopi (2), Cleary, Hohaia, Tony, Webb Cleary (5) 16,361 25 MayRound 11 Melbourne StormOlympic Park Stadium, MelbourneWin28–12Guttenbeil, Hohaia, Murphy, TonyCleary (6) 8,873 2 JuneRound 12 Cronulla SharksEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 42–20Guttenbeil (2), Hohaia, Koopu, Toopi, Villasanti, WebbCleary (7) 17,050 9 JuneRound 13 North Queensland CowboysEricsson Stadium, Auckland Win 34–6Lauiti'iti (2), Fa'afili, Hohaia, Marsh, Toopi Cleary (4), Jones (1) 14,616 15 JuneRound 14 South Sydney RabbitohsSydney Football Stadium, SydneyWin 46–10Fa'afili (2), Cleary, Lauiti'iti, Marsh, Morgan, Murphy, TookeyCleary (7) 8,658 23 JuneRound 15 St. George Illawarra DragonsEricsson Stadium, AucklandLoss22–32Carlaw, Fa'afili, Lauiti'iti, Toopi, Webb Jones (1) 15,303 30 JuneRound 16 Brisbane BroncosANZ Stadium, BrisbaneWin 26–16Webb (2), Fa'afili, Morgan, ToopiCleary (2), Jones (1) 24,907 7 JulyRound 17 Cronulla SharksToyota Park, SydneyLoss 24–36Tony (2), Carlaw, Seuseu Cleary (4) 15,196Round 18 Bye 21 JulyRound 19 Parramatta EelsEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 26–10Webb, Lauiti'iti, Murphy, Villasanti Cleary (5) 15,563 27 JulyRound 20 Canberra RaidersCanberra Stadium, CanberraLoss30–38Toopi (2), V.Anderson, Lauiti'iti, WebbCleary (5) 8,702 4 AugustRound 21 Penrith PanthersCUA Stadium, SydneyWin 38–24Swann (2), Carlaw, Jones, Lauiti'iti, Seuseu, Toopi Cleary (5) 10,723 10 AugustRound 22 Canterbury BulldogsEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 22–14Cleary, Koopu, Meli, Myles Cleary (3) 21,570 18 AugustRound 23 Brisbane BroncosEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 18–4Cleary (2), MeliCleary (3) 22,125 25 AugustRound 24 Sydney RoostersSydney Football Stadium, SydneyLoss 0–44 18,186 1 SeptemberRound 25 Northern EaglesBrookvale Oval, SydneyLoss16–18Guttenbeil, Murphy, Tookey Jones (2) 7,529 6 SeptemberRound 26 Wests TigersEricsson Stadium, AucklandWin 28–12Koopu (2), Villasanti (2), Toopi Hohaia (4) 16,284
Final series
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report15 SeptemberQualifying Final Canberra Raiders Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Win 36–20 Carlaw, Fa'afili, Jones, Lauiti'iti, Meli, Tookey Cleary (6) 25,800 Semi Final Bye 29 SeptemberPreliminary Final Cronulla Sharks Telstra Stadium, Sydney Win 16–10 Carlaw, Tony, ToopiCleary (2) 45,702
Grand Final
SydneyPositionNew Zealand Luke Phillips FB Ivan Cleary Brett Mullins WG Justin Murphy Shannon Hegarty CE John Carlaw Justin Hodges CE Clinton Toopi Anthony Minichiello WG Francis Meli Brad Fittler (C) FE Motu Tony Craig Wing HB Stacey Jones (C) Jason Cayless PR Jerry Seu Seu Simon Bonetti HK PJ Marsh Peter Cusack PR Mark Tookey Adrian Morley SR Ali Lauiti'iti Craig Fitzgibbon SR Awen Guttenbeil Luke Ricketson LK Kevin CampionChris Flannery Bench Lance HohaiaBryan Fletcher Bench Logan Swann Michael Crocker Bench Wairangi Koopu Andrew Lomu Bench Richard VillasantiRicky Stuart Coach Daniel Anderson
First Half
In the 23rd minute, Sydney opened the scoring with a try to Shannon Hegarty with Craig Fitzgibbon converting taking Sydney to a 6–0 lead. Not long after, Ivan Cleary got New Zealand on the board with a penalty goal making the score 6–2, which remained that scoreline until halftime.
Second Half
In the 46th minute, New Zealand took the lead for the first time through a Stacey Jones try and an Ivan Cleary conversion taking the scoreline to 8–6. Approaching the 60th minute, Sydney regained the lead with Craig Wing scoring the try and Craig Fitgibbon converting another to make the score 12–8 after a spectacular 40/20 kick from Sydney captain Brad Fittler. In the last 15 minutes Craig Fitzgibbon, Chris Flannery and Bryan Fletcher scored tries for Sydney with Craig Fizgibbon converting all three to take Sydney to a 30–8 win. By winning the grand final the Roosters also received A$400,000 in prize money.
30 Sydney RoostersTriesHegarty, Wing, Fitzgibbon, Flannery, FletcherGoalsFitzgibbon 5/5Field goals8New Zealand WarriorsTriesJonesGoalsCleary 2/2Field goals
Clive Churchill Medal: Craig Fitzgibbon
When They Scored
23rd Minute: Sydney 6–0 (Hegarty try; Fitzgibbon goal) 29th Minute: Sydney 6–2 (Cleary goal) 46th Minute: New Zealand 8–6 (Jones try; Cleary goal) 58th Minute: Sydney 12–8 (Wing try; Fitzgibbon goal) 65th Minute: Sydney 18–8 (Fitzgibbon try; Fitzgibbon goal) 71st Minute: Sydney 24–8 (Flannery try; Fitzgibbon goal) 75th Minute: Sydney 30–8 (Fletcher try; Fitzgibbon goal)
Ladder
Squad
Twenty-nine players were used by the Warriors in 2002, including six players who made their first grade debuts.
No.NameNationalityPositionWarriors debutAppTGFGPts 24HB23 April 19952496149 33 / SR14 April 19962360024 42SR1 March 1997172008 50 / PR16 August 19972330012 55 / SR19 April 199825100040 61 / HK / LK8 March 199920000 64CE / SR9 April 19992260024 65 / WG2 May 19991660024 66CE2 May 199926180072 73FB / CE6 February 20002681050242 76PR6 February 20002460024 77CE14 February 200031004 80CE18 March 200010000 81 / WG26 March 20001770028 86 / LK18 February 2001211004 87 / PR18 February 20012040016 88PR25 February 2001172008 90 / UH9 March 20011860024 92WG7 April 20011840016 93 / PR1 June 2001110000 95CE24 March 20022580032 96HB / HK24 March 2002242019 97FB1 April 20021790036 98CE / LK1 April 2002830012 99UB6 April 20022074036 100 / CE7 July 200261004 101FE / LK21 July 200220000 102PR1 September 200220000 103PR / SR6 September 200210000
Staff Chief executive officer: Mick Watson
Coaching staff Head coach: Daniel Anderson Assistant coach: Tony Kemp Video analysis: Rohan SmithMann named to head foundation New Zealand Herald, 19 March 2003
Transfers
Gains Player Previous club Length NotesJohn Carlaw Wests Tigers PJ Marsh Parramatta Eels Brent Webb Wests Panthers Sione Faumuina Canberra Raiders
Losses Player Club NotesRichie Blackmore RetiredJason Death South Sydney RabbitohsCliff Beverley Barrow RaidersJonathan Smith Nathan Wood Wakefield Trinity WildcatsJason Temu Retired
Other teams
Players not required by the Warriors were released to play in the 2002 Bartercard Cup. This included Iafeta Paleaaesina and Karl Temata for the Hibiscus Coast Raiders, Sione Faumuina for the Glenora Bears, Evarn Tuimavave for the Marist-Richmond Brothers, Vinnie Anderson for the Mount Albert Lions, Jeremiah Pai for the Otahuhu Leopards, Logan Swann for the Eastern Tornadoes and Henry Fa'afili and Lance Hohaia for the Manurewa Marlins.
Awards Ali Lauiti'iti won the club's Player of the Year award.New Zealand Rugby League Annual 2002, New Zealand Rugby Football League, 2002. p.50
References
External links Warriors official site 2002 Warriors Season at rugbyleagueproject.org