Johnnyray
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/ne...s/news-story/5bdf3ae9035ddf6aa5592d006e12c4f8
I always thought our players were underpaid ...
Staff Eric Watson
- Thread starter ToiletDuck
- Start date
-
- Tags
- eric watson
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/ne...s/news-story/5bdf3ae9035ddf6aa5592d006e12c4f8
I always thought our players were underpaid ...
STEEDEN
Eric Watson's open letter to New Zealand Warriors fans
When I bought into the Warriors in 2001 things were pretty dire, not only on the field but also the running of the club. Buying the club wasn't an ego trip or for a financial return, the investment was because of the importance it held to New Zealand and more importantly, to the fans. There was also huge potential for the Warriors to be something all New Zealanders would be proud of.
The Warriors have the most amazing fans in the NRL. Their passion and commitment is unrivalled to the point that they are the envy of the competition. This isn't surprising when their biggest fan is a man who not only has dedicated a great deal of his life to rugby league but who goes beyond the call of duty to support the Warriors - Sir Peter Leitch, The Mad Butcher.
We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of Sir Peter and all of our Warriors fans especially given the inconsistency of the team on the field. This is something we hope we will address this year with a stable coaching staff and with Jim Doyle leading the club.
It is fair to say that I am more excited, more committed and more passionate about my involvement with the Vodafone Warriors than ever before, so much so that I recently made the additional investment to own the Warriors 100%. You would have seen earlier in the week that I am taking on the chairmanship of the Warriors with Bill Wavish stepping down from that role but remaining as a director. I'd like to thank Bill for the outstanding job he has done chairing the Warriors during what's best described as a time of challenges, including ownership changes. I'm thrilled with our new board appointments of Owen Eastwood, Cameron George and Niki Schuck, we have excellent capability and unique skill-sets to draw on to strengthen the club.
In my opening paragraph I mentioned about the importance of the Warriors to the country and of course the fans. You just need to look to the All Blacks World Cup win last year to understand the pride in being a New Zealander when we excel on the international stage. The Breakers and our numerous Olympians are other great examples and while sport engenders this feeling almost universally; the same can be said in the creative sector with Eleanor Catton's Man Booker Award in 2013 and with Sir Peter Jackson's copious awards for him and his team with The Lord of the Rings successes over the years. We love winners and winning because it makes us feel good, inspires us, entertains us and motivates us.
If you asked any NRL fan to name which clubs have a chance of making the top eight, you'd find they would have about 14 teams on their list. The competition is that tough and that close. In saying that the signings we've made for 2016 and beyond have enhanced our present NRL squad, helping us put together a group of players that we believe can take the Warriors to the heights we expect. We are determined to see our club achieve success in the years ahead by consistently being a side that makes the finals but also by going on to be a reliable winner of the NRL premiership on a regular basis.
Equally important are the individuals that make up the Warriors teams. In this area we are focused on growing and developing men who are, and in the future will become, outstanding members of the community on the field but equally important off the field, through the Warriors involvement in the community. We want men who give their best 100% of the time, who constantly strive to improve themselves, who understand that they are part of a team on the field and at home and that their performance matters, men who respect women as their equals, who are connected with their families and who lead by example.
We are driven by our aim to be the most entertaining, most engaging and most respected club in the NRL.
I know in addition to myself that the Board, staff, players and those that truly care about the Warriors Club want a great 2016 season. We want to give our support to Andrew McFadden and to all of the teams that represent the club. This is very much the focus of the Board, management, staff and players.
Rest assured this owner wants what the fans want - to compete and to win every week, giving you a club to be proud of. The 2016 NRL Downer 9s and the 2016 NRL Telstra Premiership are upon us, get amongst it! I'll see you there.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11585601
When I bought into the Warriors in 2001 things were pretty dire, not only on the field but also the running of the club. Buying the club wasn't an ego trip or for a financial return, the investment was because of the importance it held to New Zealand and more importantly, to the fans. There was also huge potential for the Warriors to be something all New Zealanders would be proud of.
The Warriors have the most amazing fans in the NRL. Their passion and commitment is unrivalled to the point that they are the envy of the competition. This isn't surprising when their biggest fan is a man who not only has dedicated a great deal of his life to rugby league but who goes beyond the call of duty to support the Warriors - Sir Peter Leitch, The Mad Butcher.
We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of Sir Peter and all of our Warriors fans especially given the inconsistency of the team on the field. This is something we hope we will address this year with a stable coaching staff and with Jim Doyle leading the club.
It is fair to say that I am more excited, more committed and more passionate about my involvement with the Vodafone Warriors than ever before, so much so that I recently made the additional investment to own the Warriors 100%. You would have seen earlier in the week that I am taking on the chairmanship of the Warriors with Bill Wavish stepping down from that role but remaining as a director. I'd like to thank Bill for the outstanding job he has done chairing the Warriors during what's best described as a time of challenges, including ownership changes. I'm thrilled with our new board appointments of Owen Eastwood, Cameron George and Niki Schuck, we have excellent capability and unique skill-sets to draw on to strengthen the club.
In my opening paragraph I mentioned about the importance of the Warriors to the country and of course the fans. You just need to look to the All Blacks World Cup win last year to understand the pride in being a New Zealander when we excel on the international stage. The Breakers and our numerous Olympians are other great examples and while sport engenders this feeling almost universally; the same can be said in the creative sector with Eleanor Catton's Man Booker Award in 2013 and with Sir Peter Jackson's copious awards for him and his team with The Lord of the Rings successes over the years. We love winners and winning because it makes us feel good, inspires us, entertains us and motivates us.
If you asked any NRL fan to name which clubs have a chance of making the top eight, you'd find they would have about 14 teams on their list. The competition is that tough and that close. In saying that the signings we've made for 2016 and beyond have enhanced our present NRL squad, helping us put together a group of players that we believe can take the Warriors to the heights we expect. We are determined to see our club achieve success in the years ahead by consistently being a side that makes the finals but also by going on to be a reliable winner of the NRL premiership on a regular basis.
Equally important are the individuals that make up the Warriors teams. In this area we are focused on growing and developing men who are, and in the future will become, outstanding members of the community on the field but equally important off the field, through the Warriors involvement in the community. We want men who give their best 100% of the time, who constantly strive to improve themselves, who understand that they are part of a team on the field and at home and that their performance matters, men who respect women as their equals, who are connected with their families and who lead by example.
We are driven by our aim to be the most entertaining, most engaging and most respected club in the NRL.
I know in addition to myself that the Board, staff, players and those that truly care about the Warriors Club want a great 2016 season. We want to give our support to Andrew McFadden and to all of the teams that represent the club. This is very much the focus of the Board, management, staff and players.
Rest assured this owner wants what the fans want - to compete and to win every week, giving you a club to be proud of. The 2016 NRL Downer 9s and the 2016 NRL Telstra Premiership are upon us, get amongst it! I'll see you there.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11585601
An interesting choice of words, from someone who clearly has a way with them. "We want to give...", not "We give..."
An amazing story. Thanks, Fenderboy, for the post. Tho it's not so amazing if you think about it. Having once been a CA, even an auditor of the registered variety, I realised at the time (80s, 90s) that for many it was a license to print money. 3 of Anchorage's 4 is it Managing Directors are CPA's or FCA's, which takes my view of them lower still. And I always used to think that it was the solicitors who were the crooks. I'm sure there are a few who are straight up, but...
There are more than a few things seriously wrong with this world right now.
bruce
Contributor
bruce
Contributor
This is a simple version from the Sydney Morning Herald today. Bill Wavish may have some answering to do.
Dick Smith float looks like window dressing
The most obvious thesis is that Anchorage "window-dressed" the inventory balance of Dick Smith when it acquired the business and the inventory remained window-dressed until the company failed.
This suggests the inventory balance shown in the prospectus for the float is false. If this is the case, those who bought shares in the float, mostly super funds, have been played for mugs.
The inventory caper only came unstuck in 2015, long after the crew from Anchorage had socked away hundreds of millions of dollars by tipping their shares into the superannuation system.
That this inventory caper was afoot from the very beginning seems clear – the statutory disclosures at the time of the acquisition simply do not reconcile – and there is therefore scope for regulators to act without waiting for six months.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/dick-smith-float-looks-like-window-dressing-20160205-gmmg88.html#ixzz3zRxI2X8q
I think you could be right, Bruce. The bristlemouth article that Fenderboy quoted https://foragerfunds.com/bristlemouth/dick-smith-is-the-greatest-private-equity-heist-of-all-time/ explains the heist that Anchorage pulled off. But Wavish was a Woolies director when Anchorage bought DSE from Woolies for just a few million. Even according to Anchorage's website, they paid as little as $20m, but as there was cash in DSE's balance sheet, in effect they paid less. But Wavish was part of the Woolies crew that wrote down the valuation of DSE by Woolies to the nth degree for its sale to Anchorage. So was he part of the heist? Maybe even an unwitting participant? A fall guy? He became a DSE director, which makes him out as a complete idiot if the bristlemouth article is true, and I think it is, because the DSE model was always on a hiding to nothing, and because it had been well and truly rogered into the ground before the float.
In this https://www.afr.com/business/retail...ick-smith-yet-says-bill-wavish-20120926-j1od9 we see Wavish talking in 2012 about Woolies concentrating on its core businesses of food and booze and Big W, and also its fledgling home improvements business. Which business is about to cost Woolies gazillions. "Oh look, I've done it again!" ?
Edit: and another thing. Bill Wavish again. He was brought in as MD by Myer's private equity buyout firm Newbridge Capital in 2006. In 2007 Wavish announced profitability everywhere. The company was floated at a profit (based purely on the difference between what Newbridge paid and sold it for) of a cool $1bn. That was in 2009. The share price has since tanked.
Last edited by a moderator:
bruce
Contributor
STEEDEN
Eric Watson wants to put 'New Zealand' back into the Warriors name
Owner and chairman Eric Watson will look at bringing back the 'New Zealand' to the Warriors' name.
The club was formed in 1995 as the Auckland Warriors but when Watson took control, in 2001, they were rebranded as the New Zealand Warriors.
However, in recent years the New Zealand has been dropped from the name, with their sponsor's name added to it.
When the points table is shown on Australian TV, they are listed as just the Warriors and are the only club without a location as part of their name. They are also known as the Warriors in the NRL's media guide.
As a proud Kiwi, Watson said he will have discussions about having 'New Zealand' incorporated again in their name.
"I'm going to take a closer look at it," Watson said.
"We would prefer to see the focus on New Zealand and the fact that a New Zealand team playing an Australian team every week is a big deal.
"So it's an important thing for us."
When the club's name was initially changed from Auckland to New Zealand Warriors, it was done to get the whole of the country behind the team.
From time to time there have been discussions about New Zealand having a second NRL side, with the latest being the South Pacific Cyclones, who want to be based in Wellington as well as hosting games in Fiji and Rotorua.
But Watson said it's still too soon for another NRL team in this country.
"Whatever is best for the grassroots of New Zealand rugby league, as well as taking into account what the NRL thinks is best for the overall game in Australasia," he said.
"But I suspect the NRL would probably be more likely to expand within Australia.
"I would love to think New Zealand could get to a level of success and capacity to have two teams.
"I think that's quite some time away though and the team we have in this country, we need to show can deliver over time.
"Ultimately it's a decision for the NRL."
Watson says he's more hands-on at the Warriors this year than he's ever been. He's become chairman, taking over from Bill Wavish and says he's not only in regular contact with managing director Jim Doyle, but also coach Andrew McFadden and senior players.
"Before, as a shareholder, but not on the board and not chairman, I tended to get more involved when we had some sort of calamity that had to be dealt with at an ownership level and we've had a few dramas over the years," he said.
"But as chairman you need to be in regular contact with the CEO, so Jim and I are speaking every week, no matter where I am in the world.
"I'm also speaking very regularly to the coach and some of the senior players, I'm trying to get down to more games and spend more time in New Zealand.
"I'm here for the Melbourne game and the Dragons game back at Mt Smart Stadium."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/leagu...o-put-new-zealand-back-into-the-warriors-name
Owner and chairman Eric Watson will look at bringing back the 'New Zealand' to the Warriors' name.
The club was formed in 1995 as the Auckland Warriors but when Watson took control, in 2001, they were rebranded as the New Zealand Warriors.
However, in recent years the New Zealand has been dropped from the name, with their sponsor's name added to it.
When the points table is shown on Australian TV, they are listed as just the Warriors and are the only club without a location as part of their name. They are also known as the Warriors in the NRL's media guide.
As a proud Kiwi, Watson said he will have discussions about having 'New Zealand' incorporated again in their name.
"I'm going to take a closer look at it," Watson said.
"We would prefer to see the focus on New Zealand and the fact that a New Zealand team playing an Australian team every week is a big deal.
"So it's an important thing for us."
When the club's name was initially changed from Auckland to New Zealand Warriors, it was done to get the whole of the country behind the team.
From time to time there have been discussions about New Zealand having a second NRL side, with the latest being the South Pacific Cyclones, who want to be based in Wellington as well as hosting games in Fiji and Rotorua.
But Watson said it's still too soon for another NRL team in this country.
"Whatever is best for the grassroots of New Zealand rugby league, as well as taking into account what the NRL thinks is best for the overall game in Australasia," he said.
"But I suspect the NRL would probably be more likely to expand within Australia.
"I would love to think New Zealand could get to a level of success and capacity to have two teams.
"I think that's quite some time away though and the team we have in this country, we need to show can deliver over time.
"Ultimately it's a decision for the NRL."
Watson says he's more hands-on at the Warriors this year than he's ever been. He's become chairman, taking over from Bill Wavish and says he's not only in regular contact with managing director Jim Doyle, but also coach Andrew McFadden and senior players.
"Before, as a shareholder, but not on the board and not chairman, I tended to get more involved when we had some sort of calamity that had to be dealt with at an ownership level and we've had a few dramas over the years," he said.
"But as chairman you need to be in regular contact with the CEO, so Jim and I are speaking every week, no matter where I am in the world.
"I'm also speaking very regularly to the coach and some of the senior players, I'm trying to get down to more games and spend more time in New Zealand.
"I'm here for the Melbourne game and the Dragons game back at Mt Smart Stadium."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/leagu...o-put-new-zealand-back-into-the-warriors-name
Iafetas Kickstand Wang
No thanks. Over here you get bogans by the van full who will criticise us as still not being able to win, despite being a national team. They truly don't get we are a club with a salary cap. Adding NZ to it makes it worse for that.
Ever Hopeful
Contributor
Being a Cantabrian born and bred (don't live there now) I am a staunch critic of all teams Auckland!
However, the team will only ever be the Auckland Warriors to me. That is their home and their roots. Plus, it allows a smooth transition if we ever got an extra team in an NRL expansion.
However, the team will only ever be the Auckland Warriors to me. That is their home and their roots. Plus, it allows a smooth transition if we ever got an extra team in an NRL expansion.
bruce
Contributor
My memory is different. The Auckland Rugby League, then the wealthiest sports organisation in the country set the Warriors up and it was the Auckland Warriors. After the management disasters that followed with Ian Robson, then the Lowe/Boyle/Tainui partnership who took over from the ARL the NZRFL took over the running of the club and then renamed it the NZ Warriors, as they were the NZRFL. Watson came along soon after. I think it had much less to do with promoting it to NZ than the fact that the NZRFL were involved.
Here is your new av brother
snake77
I'm pretty sure it was renamed from Auckland Warriors to NZ Warriors when Watson took ownership. After the Tainui/Lowe debacle they renamed the club and pretty much reset things up the Warriors falling over and the player contract situation is one of the reasons that get cited when there is issues with clubs and players contracts now being protected.
I'm pretty sure after he brought it he said he was renaming the club and had a similar line like in the article about bring an NZ side vs Australians every week.
This also goes along with the change of primary colours after Watson took over from blue home to black.
bruce
Contributor
There was a time gap between the Lowe/Boyle/Tainui collapse, which if I recall left players like Stephen Kearney out of pocket for a years salary, and Watson taking over. The NZRFL took ownership in the meantime in conjunction with the NRL. They went scouting for investment options and that is when Watson came on board. All he had to do was underwrite the club, he didn't have to pay anything for it. The name change happened as soon as the NZRFL took over so it had nothing to do with Watson.
The jersey colour issue was a combination of the change to the NZRFL and sponsorship dislike of the DB Green component of the old Warriors jersey. What a marketing disaster that was, a terrible beer and terrible management.
I would rather Watson concentrated his efforts on getting the club to field consistently winning teams.
bruce
Contributor
Watson is a delegator, not a hands on type. That is why he has employed JD. My guess is keeps in touch with JD to enjoy the ride.
Johnnyray
Personally speaking from marketing perspective I would prefer them to change the name from New Zealand Warriors to the Aotearoa Warriors only because when NRL does any sort of commercial exercise they always list names of teams alphabetical so that one team doesn't seem be getting preferential treatment over another. We call ourselves the Aotearoa Warriors guess who name comes first in all NRL team branding ? Not only that Aotearoa Warriors to me just looks better. It looks like name of one those lost in woods horror movies like Alone In the Dark, Sleepaway Camp or The Burning where group of 13 strangers goes missing. Or one of those gritty inner city horror movies about some urban myth come to life like Candyman. You say name Aotearoa Warriors three times fast in mirror and Charlie Gubb will come out of nowhere and shoulder tackle you ...
Beastmode
Dare to dream.
Contributor
Off The Bench
I recon our little team is on its way up ,
Then it will be the N Z warriors .When everyone
jumps on the bus, But even on this forum there are
people from all over.
Then it will be the N Z warriors .When everyone
jumps on the bus, But even on this forum there are
people from all over.
Similar threads
Last Game
12 May
24 - 12
7.2
Total Avg Rating
10.0
Your Avg Rating
Highest Rated Player
Lowest Rated Player
Compiled from 8 ratings