1998

With the Super League coming to an expensive end, Australasian teams would once again be reunited under the one organisiation. This time it would be under the newly formed NRL. The same design would be used as the previous year with the new NRL badge and new sleeve sponsor Barter Card. As in...

Worn only during the Warriors 3 preseason trial games during the month of February. There would be no NRL badge and the sleeve sponsor was DB Bitter. Come Round 1 on the 13th March against the South Sydney Rabbitohs the sleeve sponsor would be Bartercard. DB Bitter would relinquish the sleeve...

Powerful Auckland winger made his Test debut against France in 2001 after representing Samoa in the 2000 World Cup. Meli was a try-scorer against Australia in the 28-10 Test loss in Wellington at the end of 2001. The following year Meli took his place in the Warriors grand final team that lost...

Frank Watene was part of the Warriors development system for 4 years before his debut. He would play his one and only match for the Warriors on the last round of the 1998 season and be released by the club that year. 1998 Auckland Warriors 1999–2001 Wakefield Wildcats 2002–2003 Dewsbury Rams...

Talented forward, a veteran of 11 Tests for the Kiwis between 1998 and 2002, was named ‘Dally M’ second rower of the year in 2002 – the year that club lost the grand final to the Roosters. Lauititi was selected to play against Australia in July 2003 but was forced to miss the match through...

Rugby League nomad, a centre turned back-rower, represented the Maori team in the 2000 World Cup. Smith appeared in 8 Tests for NZ between 1994 and 2000. Only played one season with the Warriors where he made 10 appearances and scoring one try. He was in great form with the W’Tigers in the...

Kiwi prop came to Canberra from the C’bury (NZ) club in 1993. After securing a place on the 1993-94 Kiwi tour of England and France, Pongia added much-needed muscle to the Canberra pack in the Raiders' grand final win over C’bury in 1994. In 1998 he would sign and play for the Warriors in what...

Kiwi international (34 Tests, 1987-98) was surprisingly ineffective during two seasons with Manly under his former Wigan coach Graham Lowe. Kevin Iro, who had played very successful stints with Wigan from 1987-91 and Leeds from 1992-97, also made little impact in the Hunter Mariners’ sole season...

A Mangere East Hawks junior, Seuseu represented the Counties Manukau Heroes in the Lion Red Cup in 1995 and 1996 before joining the Auckland Warriors where he was named Reserve Grader of the Year in 1997 in a side that lost the Reserve Grade Grand Final. Seuseu then became a stalwart in the New...

Born in Auckland but raised in Christchurch. Part of the Canterbury team coached by Frank Endacott that dominated local league in the early 90's. Was signed by the Steelers in 1992 where he played 3 games before returning to NZ to play for Canterbury. Went to England for 2 seasons before...

Made his debut for the Eels shortly after his switch from playing soccer. A noted speedster, Oudenryn gained a reputation as the fastest player in rugby league when he defeated Great Britain winger Martin Offiah, generally regarded at the time to be the fastest player, by half a metre in a...

Came up through the Warriors system from 1995. Made his debut in 1997 where he played 4 games. Signed for Warrington Wolves for the 1999 season but because he only played 11 games for the Warriors in 1998 he wasnt eligible for a work Visa. Signed with the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the 2000...

Endacott was a junior in the Canterbury Rugby League competition, representing Papanui and Sydenham. He played for the Canterbury Cardinals in the new Lion Red Cup in 1994. During this time he studied at the University of Canterbury, gaining a Bachelor of Science degree. Endacott moved to...

Logan Swann was signed in 1994 as a Warriors development player. He played Warriors Colts in 1995 and Warriors Reserves in 1996. He was selected by his Reserves coach Frank Endicott, who was also coaching the Kiwis, to represent his country in 1996. He stayed with the Warriors for seven...

Deadly-accurate goal-kicker came from NZ 's junior All Black ranks to play with Manly in 1990. Ridge impressed immediately at fullback and within six first grade matches, he was playing for NZ in a qualifying World Cup match against Great Britain. One of the most consistent goal-kickers in the...

Played 22 games for the Auckland Warriors. The Former junior Kiwi played for St Helens in the 44-6 loss to Melbourne in the World Club Challenge in January 2000. Henare later played for Oldham, Leigh and Featherstone Rovers in the second tier Northern Ford premiership in England. 1995 - New...

In 1996 he made his ARL debut for the Auckland Warriors. He was a key part of the 1996 team that made the Reserve Grade Grand Final. He was also named Development Player of the Year. He went on to play 55 games for the Warriors, both from the bench and starting at prop. In 1997, during the Super...

Swann's career started with the Waitakere City Raiders in the 1994 Lion Red Cup, before he signed with the Auckland Warriors, joining there reserve grade side. He made the Warriors' first grade side in 1996 and played 36 times for the club. He was a New Zealand representative in 1996, playing in...

Auckland backrower represented Tonga in 1995’s World Cup competition before being graded with the Warriors. Guttenbeil was chased by several professional clubs after an Auckland Development Tour of Australia in 1993 and ended up moving to Sydney at the age of 17 to sign for the Manly-Warringah...

Auckland winger/centre, the cousin of Test forward Joe Vagana, played a season with Warrington in 1997 before returning to the Warriors. He was part of the Auckland Warriors Reserve Grade team that lost in the Grand Final to the Cronulla Sharks. In 1999 Vagana (along with captain Matthew Ridge)...