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April 24, 2026 12 mins

For the first time in three years, the Warriors will play an NRL match in Wellington - hosting the Dolphins at Hnry Stadium on Saturday.

It's the first time the Warriors have sold out a match in the capital, and the expected 34,500 crowd is set to make the fixture the third-highest attended Warriors fixture ever on New Zealand soil.

To preview the match, Adam was joined by Warriors centurion, club ambassador and Sky commentator Monty Betham.

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
And it's talk by far the biggest sporting event in

(00:02):
Wellington for the weekend. It is the NRL Warriors hosting
the Dolphins at Henry Stadium. The Warriors in town here
in the Capitol for the first time since twenty twenty
three and just as a sign of their growing support
base around the country. Three years ago they came to
Wellington our hosted Newcastle with a crowd of sixteen thousand.
Three years on, here they are near the top of

(00:24):
the table and selling out. Thirty four thousand plus people
will begin Henry Stadium for the big game tonight. Of course,
the Warriors five from seven this NRL season, in some
great form, looking for their third victory in a row
and it is going to be the third biggest crowd
in New Zealand ever for the Warriors. Henry Stadium is

(00:45):
bigger than their Mount Smart base, so that's pretty significant too.
Big occasion for the Capitol tonight and to discuss the game,
discuss the occasion. Great to be joined by Warriors centurion,
a club ambassador and now Skysport commentator Monty Beith who's
in town for the game tonight. Monty, very good morning
to you, thanks for your time, and goodness me, apposed

(01:05):
to be a big one at the stadium tonight. From
the club's perspective, how special is it heading down to
Wellington two weeks ago knowing that it was going to
be a sellout.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Look, I just want to say twenty five years ago
than the first game at Wonnington Stadium against the Bulldogs.
And you know, if you think about twenty five years ago,
did I think it'll ever get to a point where
you've got the wires and even just calling in the
wars was something you probably wouldn't have thought would have happened.
Are on path not even better than the game of
rugby union in this country. You know, growing up it
was always about rugby union, never about rugby league. It's

(01:37):
always the portlande brother But to see it the way
it is, and I think probably the COVID era, you know,
being one thousand and thirty days without the Warriors up
close and personal, it's really made this supporter base come
out in real force. And you know they say, essence mate,
the heart grow fonder and I think there's been the
case for sure.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
But even since COVID Monty, you know, twenty twenty three
we had the Warriors here starting their season again Newcastle
sixteen thousand. We've got double that this weekend that's going on.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
I can't remember the last time Henry Standing has been
sold out, you know, and to see it sold out
for this and I think in quick fashion is absolutely huge.
What's going on is, you know, they've really found some
individuals and a team that they love the way they
play and what they seem to play for through telling
of maybe the club in terms of what they do

(02:27):
sky TV broadcasting and doing a fantastic job and doing
that just really bridging the gap between the punters and
the Warriors, who you know, the Keys have always loved
an underdog and over the years they're doing their best
to make sure they're not just underdogs, that they're going
to be on paring in the top four asince twenty three.
As you mentioned, you know, home semis and that it's

(02:47):
been something to really enjoy it and everyone jumped on
board with a rugby union fan at first, or it
doesn't quite matter. They just up the wires in the
movement exactly.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
And I think, you know, from my observation has been
to a couple of home games in the last you know,
six to twelve months up in Auckland as well. That
the club's certainly not getting complacent, whether it's fan base
and interest is that they're always looking to evolve and
evolve and deliver events and you know, a fan base
and a playing group that is always better than the
previous week.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, absolutely interest. Yesterday around the tour of the stadium,
Henry Stadium, we had a lot of fans that they
are there a couple of hours, myself and Ellen gooda
Bill and Charlie Garber good Wellington boys. So, like you mentioned,
trying to evolve, trying to make it a fan spectable
spectacle and and just just to feel like everyone's on board.
You know. Even the fact that you can sing the
team song post win at home is pretty great. So

(03:38):
tonight it's all about a really hard game the Dolphins,
who you know, like if you think about last week
when an adas and completion, they took penwith Pan Panthers
all the way to Golden Point. So it's going to
be a good one.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
We know there's a few Wellington connections, the likes of
Jacob Labour and Nasa Katola on the other side of
the equation too, but give us the sort of mindset
of a Warriors player playing a whole game outside of
the fortress of Mount Smart. How is it special? Is
it a different feeling? How do they approach games like these?

Speaker 2 (04:06):
What I'm trying to say with the fans here and
people in and around their Warriors nation, and also even
when they play away, it feels like home. You often
hear it through the broadcast and I remember for the
first time many years ago, twenty five in fact, playing
home away from home. It was something special. But even
now just being in and around Wellington and just sort
of seeing the buzz, the feel, the excitement, not just

(04:27):
from them, from the players. You mentioned Jacob blaven Carte
who's coming back. Of course, he's playing for the Dolphins.
Over the years has been a lot of great Welling
t and servants who have played for the club and
have done very very well. So you know there'll be
a few old boys around here again tonight. So I'm
looking forward to it. But to play in another part
of New Zealand, but for the New Zealand Warriors is special,

(04:50):
especially when everyone turns up in Forced. Like I said
once again to Salauck Henry Stadium, there's just a tribute
to the fans and to the playing crops. So I
know when we be his moms like this at Mount
Smart goa media stata and he says he's got to
repay the faith of the fat and so hopefully the
boys can do that again tonight.

Speaker 1 (05:07):
All right, Well, let's look at the game itself, obviously
chasing three in a row as well, and focusing on
last week a great you know start to the game,
both you know, piling on the points, but also on
defense as well. Titans got back into the game a
little bit. How will they be reflecting on what took
place last weekend? It was another win, but in terms
of improvements to be made for tonight.

Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah, no, absolutely, I think. And what was the difference
was the possession I think in their first half for
the Warriors was seventeen thirty and pretty much that was
what flipped to the other side and into the Titans.
We always knew that they're capable of scoring points, but
doesn't matter where you play or who you play against.
If you give them so much posision, it makes it
really really hard under fatigue and injuries to know your

(05:47):
roles and to execute. But you know, they need to
be better again this week. Are they the only team
in the competition or one of the only teams in
the competitions that have been over eighty percent through every
game they've played this season, So that makes us huge
difference in terms of completion, and then obviously if you
get the ball in hand, we know how little the
side can be as well. You know, with Tanner Boyd
playing in fine form, you've got two Hawkers that are

(06:08):
playing well in terms of heally and wait Egan as well.
So it's exciting times, but you know, like it's a
long game and the Dolphins, you know, in terms of
how they go against the Warriors at the Wooden last
time out, they always get up for this and they've
got a very good side to look at.

Speaker 1 (06:27):
What's the support based site for the Dolphins on the
side of the tesn't.

Speaker 2 (06:31):
I don't know, but you know, every time you get
to go media standing Mount Smart and you see there
and you play the opposition, there's always a healthy little
representation of whoever they play against. And I think, to
be honest, I think that's the same thing that I've
seen with the Dolphins. You to the competition, but in
terms of already getting a supporter base because you know
there's been Kwis that play for them and along the

(06:53):
way as well. So on this side of the Tasman,
you follow your family and your friends and you'd love
to see Keewis do well. So the then popping up
and plus they play a nice, you know, exciting style
of play, you know, with some great players and also
that young leader in Koto.

Speaker 1 (07:07):
As you mentioned, Jackson Ford having an outstanding season, you know,
being talked about right across the league, his stats, you know,
just not just among props, but obviously just competition wide,
positions wide. He sees really you know, getting a lot
of eyes on him this year. What's been behind his
form do you think? And you know, is it something
that you know he's got the support around to sustain
through a long season.

Speaker 2 (07:27):
Oh, look, as the engine is unbelievable. And it's been
that case the whole way through. But when he first
came out from Saint George, who was new to the game,
he had only played twenty odd games in terms of
first grade and they're say only start knowing what you're
doing once you play fifty games. He's coming up on
one hundred games. I think if he hasn't hit that
mark already overall in his NRL career. So a player

(07:47):
with that more experience with great coaching, because he always
talked about Webby and assistant coaches and what they're able
to do for his game, but then just people in
and around him as a result of the way he
plays in the foundation, Eddie lays it just helps it.
But I think for him, his key component to his
game it's just his engine. He just won't stop. He
takes multiple carriers and he backs it up with defense,

(08:07):
and he just doesn't stop. So it's nice to see
a guy who's let's just say no thrills with all
due respect, to be leading the daily right now. I
think he's two or three points clear of the next rival.
So just just you know, one for the guys who
just work hard and probably not as talented as others.

Speaker 1 (08:25):
Any particular matchup We've talked about a few of the
players tonight, Monty, any particular matchup you'll be watching extra closely.

Speaker 2 (08:30):
Oh look, I'm just he'll be fun with. I think
the last time out here go me to a stadium,
he only lasted five or six minutes, but in that
time he played for five or six minutes he was
just destroying the Warriors and then he went off and
as a result, I think the Warrior's got the result.
But he is a world class into probably a guy
that I've been enjoying for a very long time. And

(08:51):
then I was like, OK, so they're just two players
there that I enjoyed. But in saying there too, you know,
you've got Tabla Fudo in the back line. You've got
international many cycle as well as Selwyn Cobbo who's just
resigned for another year extension. So across the board from
the back they've got much like last week, express pace
and express pace is so dangerous in the game, and

(09:12):
you know, and they've got a lot of old heads
and that through the pack too. So it's going to
be an exciting one where the Warriors tonight have to
you know, starts strong, good, start fast, start fast, and
then you know, just obviously going with it.

Speaker 1 (09:27):
Yeah great, And just to wrap up, Monzie, I know
the stadium here and Wellington are very keen to try
and make the Anzac Day well Ransack weekend fixture for
the Warriors a permanent one in Wellington. Is that something
you think the Warriors will be keen to look.

Speaker 2 (09:39):
At well straight away. They're doing everything right. The buzz
around town is amazing as a full house at the
stadium now it's the Warriors tend to see what they
can do to make sure that it's a successful weekend.
Regardless of the result, it's going to be successful as
well in terms of numbers, eyeballs and just celebrating a
wonderful day. Tribute to that also two teams that are

(10:01):
also trying to pay how much to those red.

Speaker 1 (10:04):
At Monty Hable. It's great to have you and a
whole bunch of you know, rugby league greats in town
for the game this weekend. So enjoy it, You enjoy
our city, mate, and thanks to your time this morning.

Speaker 2 (10:14):
Loving it. Thanks Man wenty.

Speaker 1 (10:15):
Bethan Warriors Centurion, club ambassador and now of course Sky commentator.
Ahead of the big game at Henry Stadium tonight eight
o'clock kickoffs, it's the twelfth time the Warriors have come
to Wellington, it's their first sellout and it is set
to be the third largest crowd in New Zealand for
a Warriors game ever in their thirty one year history.

(10:36):
So you know this is huge and Wellington really showing
that why don't they bring a game here every season
or a couple Certainly the fan base is there for
them and what's great for our city as well. Thirty
six percent of tickets they say, have been sold from
people outside of Wellington, so coming into our city to
visit as well. So it's a win win for so
many people. I know the council and Wellington in set

(10:58):
have put a lot of money into this to make
it happen, but surely the benefits are right there. And
I think this is going to be the one time
we see Henry Stadium full this year. I can't see
it selling out for the All Blacks Italy Test in
a couple of months. I really can't. So I think
this will be the biggest sporting event in terms of

(11:18):
a crowd capacity number anyway in the capital this year.
Great for our city. He has opened the Warriors, make
it a regular fixture. Eight o'clock kickoff tonight. If you
haven't been lucky enough to get tickets, they've been becoming
hot property, haven't they been sold out for a couple
of weeks now You can catch the coverage on Sky
with Monty and the team. But sounds like they are
delighted to be in Wellington. The weather's turning it on

(11:40):
for all our visitors and all the locals as well,
following the couple of weeks we've had so enjoy it.
Tonight eight o'clock kickoff at Henry Stadium. It is a sealer,
as I've said, so if you are heading along, do
get there a little bit earlier to make sure you
get in time for kickoff. The Warriors pre match entertainment
is some of the best in the business in New Zealand,
so even if you do you get there early, you

(12:00):
won't be bored sitting and waiting for kickoff. I can
assure you of that. Ready looking forward to it.

Speaker 2 (12:05):
For more from News Talks at b listen live on
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