GWM Game Day Guide: Back home at last

Culture and community will be woven together for the One New Zealand Warriors’ first game on home soil in more than a month when they host the Dolphins on Sunday (6.05pm kick-off).

With gates opening at 2.45pm, the focus is on the NRL’s annual Indigenous Round, Go Media Stadium being renamed Te pā o Rarotonga to mark the occasion.

And, buoyed by their fabulous 22-20 win over Penrith on Sunday, the Warriors will be resplendent in their spectacular Indigenous Round jersey Te Kura Pō as they take on the Dolphins.

With another sell out announced on Wednesday, there’ll be a strong cultural and community flavour throughout the day.

One of the highlights will be a traditional welcome to Te pā o Rarotonga by Ngāti Whātua Orākei as the teams come onto the field at 6.00pm before kick-off.

And at halftime there’ll be a performance by Angitu, who have just finished a successful 2024 Kapa Haka Regionals campaign and will be representing Tamaki Makaurau at the 2025 Te Matatini Nationals.

The Warriors Community Foundation and Kidz First are teaming up as match day partners promoting Kidz First’s annual Jammies in June drive which seeks to keep kids warm in winter. To that end there’ll be a Jammies relay timed for 5.10pm.

On the field there’ll be two big games for the price of one.

Kicking off at 3.00pm the One New Zealand Warriors take on the Melbourne Storm in a 12th-round Jersey Flegg Cup match which will again showcase the junior talent coming through the Warriors’ pathways programme.

And at 6.05pm it’s the main attraction when the Warriors collide with a Dolphins side which is running fourth in the competition and comes to Auckland on the back of three straight wins over North Queensland, Manly Warringah and the Wests Tigers.