NRL side New Zealand Warriors change team name for 2023 season
Edward Kosi of the Warriors and teammates celebrate their win at the New Zealand Warriors vs North Queensland Cowboys at Morton Daily Stadium, Redcliffe, Australia on Friday, 8 April, 2022. 2022 NRL Premiership. Mandatory credit: © Dan Peled / www.photosport.nz - MANDATORY BYLINE/PHOTO CREDIT NRL Photos/PhotoSportNZ
After nearly two and a half decades, the Vodafone Warriors will have a new name from November 1 and for the 2023 season – One New Zealand Warriors.
The change comes about after Vodafone NZ wanted to be aligned more closely with the nation of New Zealand rather than the company.
Warriors CEO Cameron George spoke on the change, which will see the club continue its relationship with the telco into a 25th year.
“The partnership between Vodafone and the Warriors is an enduring one, spanning 24 years, starting before some of our players were even born,” he said.
“We view this shift in the brand and what it stands for as one which will enhance our mana and better represent who the Warriors are.
The club sees the rebrand as a fresh start for the club, having never won the NRL competition, appearing twice in a grand final but on the losing side each time.
Vodafone NZ’s experience and commercial manager Joe Goddard was asked about the on-field impact the rebrand could have.
“We see this as an opportunity to help reinvigorate the team after the challenge border restrictions presented over the last few seasons,” said Goddard.
“There is a lot of fresh energy that comes with a name change and we see that energy as something the players can tap into heading into the 2023 season. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: ‘This is our year’.