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| All the staunch fan stuff is right here with news, scoreboard & archive match reports of all the Vodafone New Zealand Warriors 2005 matches in the NRL Telstra Premiership. The Warriors ended 2005 in 11th of 14 teams in the NRL. Follow the links on this page. . Wests Tigers beat the Cowboys 30-16 in the NRL Grand Final with New Zealanders Benji Marshall, Dene Halatau and Paul Whatuira putting in tremendous winning efforts for their team. The Kiwis inflicted an embarrassing 24-0 thumping on the Australians in the 2005 Tri-Nations final in the UK. Despite being unfancied and not favoured both Wests and the Kiwis proved that not just any team, but any special team can win when it really matters and when they have self belief. Check the Warriors 2006 fansite |
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| Home | Menu | Guestbook | Scoreboard | MVP | Match Reports | Previews | NEWS | Paleaaesina 4 Wigan Grant Rovelli signs for 2 years | Latu joins Cronulla | Meli joins St Helens | CEO Watson resigns | Luck joins the Warriors Beetham joins Wakefield Trinity | Faumuina signs short term with Hull FC |
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| official NZ Kiwis site |
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| Warriors 2006 | draw-results | player profiles | links | archives | archives 2 | Warriors 2004 | Kiwis Tri Nations 2005 |
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| "Mr Effective" signs 3 years with Wigan 27 June |
| Barnstorming prop Iafeta Paleaaesina has signed a 3 year contract with English Super League club Wigan for $1.5 million. A crowd favourite Paleaaesina (23) "Mr Effective" (height 1.83m weight 110kg) leaves the Vodafone Warriors at the end of the 2005 season. Warriors CEO Mick Watson announced the deal had been sealed after Paleaaesina�s manager
returned from England. �We wanted to retain Iafeta and we did all we could to try to accommodate him. We couldn�t compete with the offer he had from Wigan
because of salary cap constraints. No club in the NRL would be able to come close to it. We�re sorry to see Iafeta go but we�re happy for him that his financial future has been secured.� said Watson.
One of the most dangerous impact forwards in the NRL he debuted against the Northern Eagles at Ericsson Stadium on June 2001. He started 50 of his 74 first-grade appearances as an interchange specialist and has scored eight tries. |
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| Warriors win/loss
record 1995: 13 - 9 1996: 10 - 11 1997: 7 - 11 1998: 9 - 15 (2 draws) 1999: 10 - 14 2000: 8 - 16 (2 draws) 2001: 12 - 12 (2 draws) 2002: 20 - 7 2003: 18 - 10 2004: 6 - 18 2005: 10 - 14 |
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| Rovelli joins the Warriors for 2 years 22 July |
| Hooker Tevita Latu has signed a two year deal with the Cronulla Sharks starting 2006. A classy dummy half hooker Latu has played 22 matches for the Warriors since debut in 2003 and one Test for the Kiwis in 2004. He has had a mixed 2005 with just 8 games due to the preference of in form players Lance Hohaia, Monty Betham and Nathan Fien. |
| Latu signs for 2 years with the Sharks 23 July |
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| Twenty one year old Grant Rovelli has signed a two year deal with the Warriors from 2006. Captain and halfback of the Sydney Roosters premier league side Rovelli played under coach Ivan Cleary in the Rooster's 2004 Grand final winning premier league team. A multi-talented footballer who plays five eighth, halfback or fullback the young Queenslander will fill the gap left by Stacey Jones and is seen as a back up to Nathan Fien and Lance Hohaia. He'll train in the Warriors 2006 preseason squad |
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| Warriors winger Francis Meli has signed a 3 year deal with the UK Super League club St Helens.
Since debut with the Warriors in 1999 Meli (26) has played 109 matches and scored 59 tries. Recently he has struggled through a patch of indifferent form. The Warriors agreed to release Meli after this season to allow him to join former Kiwis' and Warriors' coach Daniel Anderson, who took over at St Helens in May and has since guided the team to second on the UK points table. A devastsing finisher Meli holds the record for the most tries scored in the NRL playoffs with 5 tries in the Warriors 48-22 win over the Bulldogs in 2003. |
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| Francis Meli joins St Helens 5 August |
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| click the banner 2 visit the Warriors 2006 fansite |
| H - home A - away H v Manly lost 20-26 Mar 13 A v Broncos won 24-12 Mar 19 H v Cowboys lost 22-32 Mar 27 H v Souths won 46-14 Apr 3 A v Wests lost 24 - 6 Apr 9 A v Knights won 30-26 Apr 17 BYE H v Panthers lost 16-14 May 1 A v Sharks lost 28- 24 May 7 H v Roosters lost 10-6 May 15 A v Souths won 34-16 May 21 H v Wests won 21-4 May 29 A v Dragons lost 32-18 Jun 4 H v Storm won 24-16 Jun 12 A v Eels lost 28-18 Jun 18 H v Broncos won 30-18 Jun 26 A v Cowboys lost 24-16 Jul 2 H v Bulldogs lost 24-26 Jul 10 A v Roosters won 24-22 Jul 16 H v Raiders won 24-16 Jul 23 A v Panthers lost 42-34 Jul 30 H v Eels lost 38-20 Aug 6 A v Storm lost 22-10 Aug 13 H v Knights lost 16-4 Aug 20 A v Manly won 22-20 Aug 27 Rd 26 BYE 3 Sep Played Won Lost 24 10 14 home 5 7 away 5 7 click 2 check the full table |
| Stacey Jones of Ngapuhi and Ngati Maniapoto descent acknowledges 17,300 Warriors fans in a post match lap of honour with his whanau at Ericsson Stadium Auckland after the Warriors last home game of 2005 against Newcastle on 20 August 2005. After 11 years at the Warriors Stacey, a grandson of legendary Kiwi prop Maunga Emery, leaves Ericsson Stadium to captain Le Catalans in the Superleague. In October Stacey accepted a call up to join the 2005 Kiwis Tri Nations squad. The fans and his team mates were proud to honour and celebrate his last home match. His Vodafone Warriors records include: * Most appearances (238) * Most points (644) * Most tries (74) * Most goals (168) * Most field goals (12) * 2002 Golden Boot Award * Most consecutive appearances (101 � 1995-99) |
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| In a swift move that caught people off guard Warriors CEO Mick Watson resigned. A source of controversy over player losses and other high profile issues during his 5 year regime he swore if the club didnt perform in 2005 he was out of there. Wayne Bennett reckons the Warriors need a great relationship between the coach, chairman and the CEO and that letting Stacey go was very silly. Bennett is adamant that the administration must take much of the blame. |
| It wasn't me! 23 August |
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| Monty Betham signed a 2 year contract with UK Superleague club Wakefield Trinity Wildcats from 2006. The Warriors agreed to release him after 7 seasons during which time he clocked on 101 games since debut in 1999. Once described as the player that opposition players least want to pick a fight with his career has been plagued with injuries which put him out for 2 full seasons and suspensions. Betham has represented both the New Zealand and Samoan national teams. |
| Beetham joins Wakefield Trinity 2 September |
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Special farewell presentations were made to departing players Stacey Jones, Francis Meli, Iafeta Paleaaesina, Tevita Latu and Monty Betham. Terry Baker won the club man of the year --------- more@ Warriors.co.nz |
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| Simon Mannering Rookie of the Year |
| Stacey Jones Sky TV Viewers Choice voted for by the fans |
| Rueben Wiki Player of the Year voted for by the players |
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| Warriors hero and 34-test veteran Stacey Jones has come out of his 2003 retirement to help the Kiwis in the first 2 tests of the Tri Series. He's available as the side that is struggling for halves due to injury to Thomas Leuluai and the non availability of stars such as Jason Cayless, Benji Marshall and Sione Faumuina. Kiwi coach Brian McClennan will bolster his squad with Kiwi Super League players. Stacey joins the Kiwis to play Australia in Sydney on October 15 and in Auckland on October 22. The Warriors have appointed the former General Manager of North Harbour Stadium Wayne Scurrah as their new CEO. The 45-year-old Aucklander will take over the financial reins from October 31. |
| Stacey's back for the Kiwis - Warriors new CEO 5 September |
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| Wayne Scurrah |
| Ivan Cleary has replaced Tony Kemp as coach of the New Zealand Warriors. The reality of pro football meant the buck stopped at 37 year old Kemp, who failed to get the team into the top 8. Kemp posted 12 wins out of 36 starts as coach since mid 2004. Assistant under Kemp in 2005, Cleary played 189 NRL games from 1992-2002 including 53 with the Warriors from 2000-2002. A reserve grade coach at the Roosters 2003-04, winning the reserve grade championship in 2004 Cleary becomes the club's sixth coach in 11 years. |
| Tony Kemp out Ivan Cleary in 8 September |
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| Benji & Paul Whatuira |
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| 2005 Gillette Tri-Nations Tournament
Crowd Sat 15 Oct Australia 28 v New Zealand 38 Sydney 28,255 Sat 21 Oct New Zealand 26 v Australia 28 Auckland 28,500 Sat 29 Oct Great Britain 26 v New Zealand 42 London 15,568 Sat 5 Nov Great Britain 6 v Australia 20 Wigan 25,004 Sat 12 Nov Great Britain 38 v New Zealand 12 Huddersfield 19,232 Sat 19 Nov Great Britain 14 v Australia 26 Hull 25,000 FINAL Sat 26 Nov New Zealand 24 v Australia 0 Leeds 26,534 |
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| New Zealand Kiwis Tri Nations Squad Nine members of the Warriors team, Louis Anderson, Clinton Toopi, captain Rueben Wiki, Stacey Jones (back from international retirement), Brent Webb, Manu Vatuvei, Awen Guttenbei, Lance Hohaia and outgoing Warrior Iafeta Palea'aesina (to join Wigan) have been selected for the New Zealand Kiwi team to contest the 2005 Tri Nations series with Great Britain and Australia at home and in England. On this tour the Kiwis also play international matches against England and France. In addition to the Warriors the New Zealand Kiwi squad members are: Jake Webster, Paul Whatuira, Shontayne Hape, Nigel Vagana, Paul Rauhihi, Motu Tony, David Kidwell, David Solomona, David Faiumu, Roy Asotasi, Tony Puletua, Frank Pritchard , Bronson Harrison, Ali Lauitiiti, Robbie Paul, Joe Vagana, Willy Poaching and Nathan Cayless. |
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| Tri Nations Final New Zealand 24-0 Kiwis crush hapless Kangaroos in a historic victory Elland Road, Leeds Saturday 26 November 2005 Crowd 26,534 The New Zealand league team won the Tri-Nations tournament after thrashing the hot favourites Australia 24-0 in the final at Leeds.The Kiwis outplayed and out defended the Aussies under their captain, man of the match and 50 test hero Rueben Wiki. Against an error-riddled Australia the Kiwis ramped up 4 tries, the first to centre Paul Whatuira in the 4th minute off a Stacey bomb. In the 21st minute rookie Manu Vatuvei outjumped Brent Tate to score his first try off a pinpoint Stacey bomb then after a Kidwell intercept he finished off a slick passing rush to corner his second try in 26th minute. Stacey posted 2 penalty goals to put the Kiwis up 16-0 at halftime. In the second half fullback Brent Webb extended New Zealand's lead to 22 points with a converted try in the 52nd minute. Stacey followed with a penalty to deliver a crushing 24-0 win over a hapless Aussie team that made 20 handling errors and only completed 17 of 32 sets against the Kiwis 32 of 43 sets. New Zealand 24 Tries: Manu Vatuvei 2, Paul Whatuira, Brent Webb. Goals: Stacey Jones 4. Australia 0 Halftime Kiwis 16-0 NEW ZEALAND Brent Webb, Jake Webster, Paul Whatuira, Clinton Toopi, Manu Vatuvei, Nigel Vagana, Stacey Jones, Paul Rauhihi, Motu Tony, Ruben Wiki, David Kidwell, Shontayne Hape, Louis Anderson. Interchange: David Solomona, David Faiumu, Roy Asotasi, Ali Lauitiiti Kiwis Stats Top Tacklers Wiki 26, Kidwell 25, Anderson 23, Tony 23, Rauhihi 19 Top Hitups Wiki 24, Kidwell 16, Asotasi 15, Rauhihi 14, Webb 10 Top Linebreaks Webb, Tony, Vatuvei Top Offloads Wiki 3, Faiumu 3, Lauitiiti 2, Vatuvei 2, Asotasi full report on the final, Tri Nations tour, pics click here |
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| 2005 Gillette International Newcomer of the Year New Zealand & Warriors 19year-old winger Manu Vatuvei won the 2005 Gillette International Newcomer of the Year award |
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| The Kiwis celebrate their 24-0 win in the 2005 Tri Nations rugby league final at Leeds |
| Kiwis celebrate the 24-0 win |
| Stacey Jones threaded the needle with 2 bombs that resulted in tries to Whatuira & Vatuvei |
| winger Manu Vatuvei after scoring his 2nd try for the Kiwis in the Tri Nations final |
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| Kiwi coach Brian McLennan |
| Kiwi captain Rueben Wiki holds aloft the Tri Nations trophy after crushing Australia 24-0 in the final. |
| Brent Webb |
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| Wests Tigers 30 Nth Qld Cowboys 16 Sydney Olympic Stadium Sunday 2 October 2005 Crowd 82,354 Tigers 30 Tries Fitzhenry, Gibbs, Anthony Laffranchi, Todd Payten, Pat Richards Goals Hodgson (5) Cowboys 16 Tries Sing, Norton, Bowen Goals Hannay 2 |
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| Craig Walker joins the Warriors coaching staff 11 December |
| Craig Walker joins coach Ivan Cleary as the Warriors new skills coach. The 38-year-old spent 12 years with the Sydney Roosters� football department and was also a trainer with the champion NSW State of Origin side in 2004 & 2005. Cleary admits �his qualifications, knowledge and ability are of the highest quality. The players will soon find out how fortunate we are to have someone of his calibre involved at the Vodafone Warriors.� While he was born in Australia, Walker's father was born in Hamilton and he has strong links with New Zealand. |
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| In 1995 the Warriors entered the Winfield Cup then the Optus Cup which became the SuperLeague now the NRL. |