It’s the feel-good story of 2023. After years of finals droughts and a Covid-induced exile, the New Zealand Warriors are back. The team that finished 15th on the ladder last year is now just 80 minutes from playing in their third grand final.
For their long-suffering fans, it must feel like the world’s turned upside down. The Warriors’ 40-10 thumping of the Newcastle Knights in front of a heaving home crowd at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday was their first home win in finals football since 2007.
