The New Zealand Warriors 2008 season was the New Zealand Warriors 14th first-grade season. The club competed in Australasia's National Rugby League . The coach of the team was Ivan Cleary while Steve Price was the club's captain.
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31 March – Round 3: Grant Rovelli played in his 50th match for the club.
19 April – Round 6: Lance Hohaia played in his 100th match for the club.
22 June – Round 15: Sam Rapira played in his 50th match for the club.
14 September – Qualifying Finals: The Warriors become the first team finishing eighth to beat the minor premiers when they defeat the Melbourne Storm , 18 – 15.
October–November: 11 players from the club participated in the World Cup : Steve Price , Brent Tate (Australia), Nathan Fien , Lance Hohaia , Simon Mannering , Sam Rapira , Jerome Ropati , Evarn Tuimavave , Manu Vatuvei (New Zealand), Ian Henderson (Scotland), Epalahame Lauaki (Tonga). In addition, John Ackland coached Samoa and Wairangi Koopu played for the New Zealand Māori side in the Welcome to Country match.
The Warriors again did not change their jersey, sticking with the predominantly Black & White design supplied by Puma AG . The away jersey also remained unchanged, being mainly Grey with Black details. For the "Heritage Round" the Warriors played in a strip based on their 1999 Red away strip
The Warriors used Mt Smart Stadium as their home ground in 2008, their only home ground since they entered the competition in 1995.
Trial Matches
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Date Round Opponent Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report
15 February Trial 1 Newcastle Knights North Harbour Stadium , Auckland Loss 14–22 Ah Van , Vatuvei , Koopu Witt (1)9,000 [1]
23 February Trial 2 Auckland Vulcans Henham Park, Auckland Win 50–0 Solomona (2), Hohaia (2), Fien , Witt , Locke , Taylor , Mika Witt (7)[1]
29 February Trial 3 Manly Sea Eagles Stockland Park, Sunshine Coast Loss 16–24 Rovelli , Witt , Solomona Witt (2)8,040 [1]
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Regular season
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Date Round Opponent Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report
17 March Round 1 Melbourne Storm Telstra Dome , Melbourne Loss 18–32 Vatuvei (2), Ropati Witt (3)20,084
23 March Round 2 Parramatta Eels Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Win 30–16 Vatuvei (2), Rovelli , Tate , Tuimavave Witt (5)15,250
31 March Round 3 Manly Sea Eagles Brookvale Oval , Sydney Loss 6–52 Hohaia Witt (1)10,175
6 April Round 4 Newcastle Knights Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Win 26–20 Shortland (2), Ah Van , Tuimavave Witt (5)11,518
13 April Round 5 Bulldogs Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Win 36–16 Vatuvei (2), Ah Van , Fai , Hohaia , Wiki Witt (6)15,912
19 April Round 6 North Queensland Cowboys Dairy Farmers Stadium , Townsville Loss 20–48 Henderson , Ropati , Mannering Witt (4)20,544
27 April Round 7 Gold Coast Titans Skilled Park , Gold Coast Loss 24–36 Witt (2), Luck , Vatuvei Witt (4)25,310
4 May Round 8 Canberra Raiders Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Win 14–6 Shortland , Tate Witt (3)7,358
Round 9 Bye –
18 May Round 10 Penrith Panthers CUA Stadium , Sydney Loss 22–46 Mannering (2), Henderson Packer Hohaia (3)9,450
25 May Round 11 Sydney Roosters Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Loss 12–38 Henderson , Kirk Hohaia (2)11,922
31 May Round 12 Newcastle Knights EnergyAustralia Stadium , Newcastle Win 18–16 Ah Van , Crockett , Henderson Ah Van (3)15,489
6 June Round 13 South Sydney Rabbitohs Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Loss 28–35 Crockett (3), Ah Van , Kirk , Ropati Ah Van (1), Hohaia (1)13,112
13 June Round 14 Cronulla Sharks Toyota Park , Sydney Loss 8–24 Ropati Hohaia (2)9,023
22 June Round 15 Manly Sea Eagles Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Loss 14–20 Kirk , Vatuvei , Mannering Witt (1)7,141
29 June Round 16 Wests Tigers Leichhardt Oval , Sydney Win 28–26 Fai , Fien , Henderson , Hohaia , Ropati Hohaia (2), Witt (2)15,027
Round 17 Bye –
12 July Round 18 North Queensland Cowboys Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Win 24–14 Fai , Kirk , Luck , Mannering , Ropati Hohaia (2)7,722
19 July Round 19 Bulldogs ANZ Stadium , Sydney Win 40–22 Solomona (3), Fai , Hohaia , Kirk , Price , Rapira Hohaia (4)12,973
27 July Round 20 Melbourne Storm Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Win 8–6 Fai Hohaia (2)8,700
2 August Round 21 South Sydney Rabbitohs ANZ Stadium , Sydney Loss 18–16 Hohaia (2), Ropati Hohaia (2)9,276
9 August Round 22 Brisbane Broncos Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Win 16–12 Matulino , McKinnon , Witt Witt (2)13,007
16 August Round 23 Cronulla Sharks Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Win 18–4 Hohaia , Ropati , Vatuvei Witt (3)10,417
24 August Round 24 St. George Illawarra Dragons WIN Stadium , Wollongong Loss 6–36 McKinnon Witt (1)11,583
31 August Round 25 Penrith Panthers Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Win 42–20 Vatuvei (2), Henderson , Luck , McKinnon , Ropati , Witt Witt (7)15,214
6 September Round 26 Parramatta Eels Parramatta Stadium , Sydney Win 28–6 Vatuvei (3), Tate (2)Witt (4)5,102
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Finals
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Date Round Opponent Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report
14 September Qualifying Final Melbourne Storm Olympic Park Stadium , Melbourne Win 18–15 Ropati , Vatuvei , Witt Witt (3)15,193
19 September Semi Final Sydney Roosters Mt Smart Stadium , Auckland Win 30–13 Hohaia (2), Henderson , Kirk , Vatuvei Witt (5)25,585
27 September Preliminary Final Manly Sea Eagles Sydney Football Stadium , Sydney Loss 6–32 Kirk Hohaia (1)32,095
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Twenty Six players played for the club in 2008. Eight players made their debut for the club, including five who were also making their first grade debuts.
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Chief Executive Officer: Wayne Scurrah
NRL Staff
Head coach: Ivan Cleary
Assistant coach: John Ackland
Football Manager: Don Mann, Jr.
Club Doctor: John Mayhew
Trainer: Craig Walker[2]
Gains
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Losses
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In 2008 the Junior Warriors competed in the new Under 20's competition, the Toyota Cup , while Senior players who were not required for the first team played with the Auckland Vulcans in the NSW Cup . The Auckland Vulcans were coached by Bernie Perenara. Wayne McDade was named the Vulcans player of the year with Aaron Heremaia as the runner up and Pita Godinet as the Rookie of the year.[3]
Junior Warriors
The Junior Warriors finished third in the Toyota Cup, making the finals before losing to the Brisbane Broncos in a Preliminary Final. Both Russell Packer and Ben Matulino were named in the Toyota Cup's team of the year.
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Simon Mannering won the Player of the Year award.[4]