The New Zealand Warriors 2011 season was the New Zealand Warriors 17th first-grade season. The club competed in Australasia's National Rugby League. The coach of the team is Ivan Cleary while Simon Mannering is the club's captain. The Warriors lost to the Manly Sea Eagles 10-24 in the 2011 NRL Grand Final. The Junior Warriors won the Toyota Cup for the second consecutive year while the Auckland Vulcans finished second in the NSW Cup.
The finals form of the Warriors in 2011 increased the NRL's television audience in New Zealand by 29 per cent this year.
Milestones 12 February – All Stars Match: Feleti Mateo represents the NRL All Stars and Joel Moon represents the Indigenous All Stars in the pre-season All Stars Match. 16 April – Round 6: Micheal Luck played in his 200th National Rugby League match. 4 June – Round 13: Lewis Brown played in his 50th match for the club. 8 July – Round 18: Jacob Lillyman played in his 50th match for the club. 15 July – Round 19: Aaron Heremaia played in his 50th National Rugby League match. 24 July – Round 20: Shaun Berrigan played in his 200th National Rugby League match.Berrigan hits 200 NRL games with Warriors stuff.co.nz, 20 July 2011 3 September – Round 26: Joel Moon played in his 50th match for the club. 10 September – Qualifying final: Kevin Locke played in his 50th match for the club. 24 September – Preliminary final: James Maloney played in his 50th match for the club.
Jersey and sponsors In 2011 the Warriors jerseys were again made by Canterbury of New Zealand. They retained their black and white home and away jerseys originally released in 2009. They will wear a special all-black jersey with silver ferns around the logo for the Eden Park match. During the Heritage Round the Warriors wore a jersey based on the New Zealand Flag. Both special jerseys were worn again later in the season.
The Junior Warriors have their own jersey in 2011, designed by Daryl John, who won a competition run by sponsors Vodafone and Canterbury of New Zealand to design a New Jersey for the team.New-look Junior Warriors side to start NYC title defence rleague.com, 8 March 2011
Vodafone New Zealand were again the naming rights sponsor of the Warriors in 2011.
SKYCITY joined as a major sponsor for 2011, becoming the 'Home of the Vodafone Warriors'.Warriors welcome in new sponsors rleague.com, 28 November 2010
Fixtures
The Warriors opened the season by hosting the Parramatta Eels at Eden Park in Auckland. This was the first time that the Warriors played a home match away from Mount Smart Stadium. The remaining 11 home games were played at Mount Smart Stadium, their only home ground since they entered the competition in 1995.
Pre-season training The main squad returned to training on 15 November 2010 to start preparing for the 2011 season.Warriors to kick off 2011 with NZ based trials NRL.com, 22 November 2010 Players involved in the 2010 Four Nations and other representative matches returned to training later.
Pre-season matches A fourth match was added to the Warriors schedule to raise money for the West Coast region after the Pike River Mine disaster. In a joint partnership with the NZRL, NRL and Newcastle Knights, all money raised was donated to the Pike River mining relief fund and the West Coast Rugby League. The teams arrived early on 3 February to carry out community appearances in the region.
The final trial match against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles was also later made a fundraiser match, with North Harbour Stadium donating all profits of the match to the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake victims.
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report5 FebruaryTrial 1 Newcastle Knights Wingham Park, Greymouth Draw22-22Fisiiahi (2), Tupou, GodinetInu (3)6,50012 FebruaryTrial 2 Parramatta Eels Rotorua International Stadium, RotoruaWin24-4Fisiiahi (2), Vatuvei, Inu, BrownInu (2)8,60019 FebruaryTrial 3 Burleigh BearsToll Stadium, WhangāreiWin30-0Locke (2), Inu, Aranga, Fisiiahi, MaraMaloney (2), Inu (1)8,50026 FebruaryTrial 4 Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesNorth Harbour Stadium, Auckland Loss12-14Matulino, LockeMaloney (2)14,000
Regular season Date Round Opponent Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report12 MarchRound 1 Parramatta EelsEden Park, AucklandLoss18-24Ropati (2), BrownMaloney (3)38,41219 MarchRound 2 Wests TigersLeichhardt Oval, SydneyLoss12-20Mannering, InuSeymour (2)13,16127 MarchRound 3 St George-Illawarra DragonsMt Smart Stadium, AucklandLoss12-25Matulino, BerriganMaloney (2)11,6513 AprilRound 4 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksOwen Delany Park, TaupōWin26-18Fisiiahi (2), Maloney, InuMaloney (5)8,6808 AprilRound 5 Sydney RoostersMt Smart Stadium, AucklandWin24-12Inu, Brown, Hohaia, BerriganMaloney (4)13,31216 AprilRound 6 Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesBrookvale Oval, SydneyLoss10-20Brown, TaylorMaloney (1)8,68024 AprilRound 7 Melbourne StormAAMI Park, MelbourneWin18-14Inu, Luck, LillymanMaloney (3)22,6941 MayRound 8 Penrith PanthersMt Smart Stadium, AucklandWin26-18Locke (2), Inu, HohaiaMaloney (4)11,4128 MayRound 9 Gold Coast TitansSkilled Park, Gold CoastWin34-14Maloney (2), Brown, Mannering, Taylor, VatuveiMaloney (5)17,28515 MayRound 10 Newcastle KnightsEnergyAustralia Stadium, NewcastleWin25-16Hohaia (2), Vatuvei, MaloneyMaloney (4 & FG)18,15822 MayRound 11 South Sydney RabbitohsMt Smart Stadium, AucklandWin12-6Seymour, InuMaloney (2)16,872Round 12Bye4 JuneRound 13 Sydney RoostersSydney Football Stadium, SydneyLoss6-13ManneringMaloney (1)10,11612 JuneRound 14 Wests TigersMt Smart Stadium, AucklandLoss22-26Vatuvei (2), Johnson, Inu, LockeMaloney (1)15,88918 JuneRound 15 North Queensland CowboysDairy Farmers Stadium, TownsvilleLoss10-30Johnson, MaloneyMaloney (1)16,08126 JuneRound 16 Melbourne StormMt Smart Stadium, AucklandLoss8-16HohaiaMaloney (2)13,362Round 17Bye8 JulyRound 18 Gold Coast TitansMt Smart Stadium, AucklandWin22-6Vatuvei, Berrigan, Tupou, ManneringMaloney (3)10,78015 JulyRound 19 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsMt Smart Stadium, AucklandWin36-12Heremaia (2), Hohaia, Taylor, Maloney, MateoMaloney (6)12,01224 JulyRound 20 South Sydney RabbitohsANZ Stadium, SydneyWin48-16Vatuvei (3), Moon (2), Johnson, Tupou, Maloney, GodinetMaloney (6)11,20831 JulyRound 21 Canberra RaidersMt Smart Stadium, AucklandWin29-10Vatuvei, Maloney, Sam Rapira, Tupou, Moon, BerriganMaloney (2 & FG)14,7316 AugustRound 22 Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium, BrisbaneLoss20-21Johnson, Berrigan, LockeMaloney (4)31,00013 AugustRound 23 Newcastle KnightsMount Smart Stadium, AucklandWin20-12Berrigan, Johnson, Mannering, MateoMaloney (2)13,27920 AugustRound 24 Penrith PanthersPenrith Stadium, SydneyWin26-12Matulino, Vatuvei, Johnson, LockeMaloney (5)11,64428 AugustRound 25 St George-Illawarra DragonsWIN Stadium, IllawarraLoss22-26Inu, Mateo, Locke, TupouMaloney (3)15,7323 SeptemberRound 26 North Queensland CowboysMt Smart Stadium, AucklandWin18-6Inu (2), HohaiaMaloney (3)20,082
Finals
Date Round Opponent Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report10 SeptemberQualifying final Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium, BrisbaneLoss10-40Mateo, VatuveiMaloney (1)48,94316 SeptemberSemifinal Wests TigersSydney Football Stadium, SydneyWin22-20Mateo, Maloney, Hohaia, InuMaloney (3)27,10924 SeptemberPreliminary final Melbourne StormAAMI Park, MelbourneWin20-12Brown, Maloney, Tupou Maloney (4)28,5802 OctoberGrand final Manly Sea EaglesANZ Stadium, SydneyLoss10-24Taylor, VatuveiMaloney (1)81,988
Grand Final
Manly WarringahSea EaglesPositionNew ZealandWarriors Brett Stewart Fullback Kevin Locke Michael Robertson Wing Bill Tupou Jamie Lyon (c) Centre Lewis Brown Steve Matai Centre Krisnan Inu Will Hopoate Wing Manu Vatuvei Kieran Foran Five-eighth James Maloney Daly Cherry-Evans Halfback Shaun Johnson Joe Galuvao Prop 15 Russell Packer Matt Ballin Hooker 14 Lance Hohaia Brent Kite Prop Jacob Lillyman Anthony Watmough 2nd Row 17 Elijah Taylor Tony Williams 2nd Row Simon Mannering (c) Glenn Stewart Lock Micheal Luck Shane Rodney Interchange 8 Sam Rapira Jamie Buhrer Interchange 9 Aaron Heremaia George Rose Interchange 11 Feleti Mateo Darcy Lussick Interchange 16 Ben MatulinoDes HaslerCoachIvan Cleary
Ladder
Squad
The Warriors used thirty players during the season. Eight players made their debut for the club, including five who made their NRL debuts.
No.NamePositionWarriors debutAppTGFGPts 99UB6 April 20022280032 108CE / FE31 August 200332008 115WG23 May 200419120048 125CE26 June 20052850020 126SR12 March 2006261004 131PR20 May 2006201004 141PR4 May 2008270000 142SR14 June 2008282008 145CE14 March 20091130012 146PR14 March 2009261004 149SR22 March 2009100000 151SR3 May 20092250020 152FB/WG31 May 20092460024 153HK31 May 2009242008 154HB19 July 200910000 157HB14 March 201091208 156HB14 March 20102710822206 158PR14 March 201080000 159SR14 March 201020000 160WG4 April 20101750020 161PR15 May 201000000 162HK21 August 201070000 163FB12 March 201142008 164SR12 March 20112850020 165HK12 March 20111960024 166CE19 March 201118110044 167FE3 April 20112140016 168HB4 June 20111660024 169SR4 June 201150000 170HB24 July 201141004
Staff Chief executive officer: Wayne Scurrah General manager: Don Mann Jr Recruitment and development manager: Dean Bell High performance manager: Craig Walker High performance assistant: Ruben Wiki Medical services manager: John Mayhew Welfare and education manager: Jerry Seuseu Media and communications manager: Richard Becht
NRL staff NRL head coach: Ivan Cleary NRL assistant coach: Tony Iro NRL assistant coach: David FairleighWarriors know how to rebound New Zealand Herald, 2 September 2012 NRL trainer: Dayne Norton NRL physiotherapist: Hamish Craighead
NYC staff NYC head coach & assistant NRL coach: John Ackland NYC assistant coach: Frank Harold NYC trainer: Andrew Souter Development coach: Ricky Henry
Transfers
Gains Player Previous club Length NotesKrisnan InuParramatta Eels2013Parramatta stars Krisnan Inu and Feleti Mateo sign for New Zealand Warriors Daily Telegraph, 10 May 2010Feleti MateoParramatta Eels2013Steve RapiraNorth Queensland Cowboys2012, with optionRapira to return to Warriors ABC News, 1 May 2010Shaun BerriganHull2011, with optionFormer Kangaroo Berrigan Joins Warriors rleague.com, 9 January 2011
Losses Player Club NotesBrent TateNorth Queensland CowboysPatrick Ah VanBradford BullsWarrior Ah Van joins Bulls bradfordbulls.co.uk, 31 August 2010Siuatonga LikilikiNewcastle KnightsStone banks on Kaufusi revival Newcastle Herald, 21 June 2010Steve PriceRetiredJesse RoyalRetiredFar from a Royal departure, this Warrior is just happy he made the grade Sydney Morning Herald, 4 September 2010Ian HendersonCatalans DragonsWade McKinnonWests Tigers (Mid-Season 2010)McKinnon granted release from contract Warriors.co.nz, 26 May 2010Elijah NikoMelbourne StormNafe SeluiniPenrith PanthersMark IoaneCanberra Raiders
Re-signings Playerb Length NotesSione Lousi2013 + optionWarriors secure Lousi brothers rleague.com, 27 March 2011Sam Lousi2013Glen Fisiiahi2015Fisiahi and Rapira secured by Warriors rleague.com, 30 March 2011Sam Rapira2012
Other teams In 2011, the Junior Warriors again competed in the Toyota Cup while senior players who were not required for the first team played with the Auckland Vulcans in the NSW Cup.
2011 Auckland Vulcans The Auckland Vulcans were coached by former Warrior, Richie Blackmore.Vulcans Coach for 2011 aucklandvulcans.co.nz, 9 December 2010 The Vulcans lost the NSW Cup Grand Final to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 28-30.Heart break for Vulcans rleague.com, 2 October 2011
Grand Final Team: Glen Fisiiahi, Willie Peace, Sione Lousi, Ivan Penehe, Niuvao Taka; Brett Seymour, Pita Godinet; James Gavet, Alehana Mara, Jeremy Latimore; Ukuma Ta'ai, Matt Robinson; Isaac John (c). Interchange: Darin Kingi, Upu Poching, Steve Rapira, Anthony Gelling.