‘We Are the Warriors’: How a Club Song Became the Soundtrack to an NRL Revival

By Jonathan Reedman, Editor-in-Chief

The New Zealand Warriors’ changing-room chant – built around the refrain “We are the Warriors, 100 percent” – has evolved from a simple post‑match ritual into one of the most recognisable sounds of the National Rugby League. Rooted in the club’s Pacific identity and amplified by the “Up the Wahs” movement, the song now sits at the heart of how the team and its supporters see themselves.

What began as a victory tune shared among players has become a cultural marker for a club that represents not just Auckland, but a wider New Zealand and Pasifika fan base in a predominantly Australian competition.

A club song that reflects a Pacific‑led identity

The Warriors are the only New Zealand‑based side in the NRL, a competition otherwise made up of Australian clubs. That geography has always made them different. The “We are the Warriors, 100 percent” chant reflects that difference by drawing heavily on Pacific rhythms, call‑and‑response patterns and group participation often heard in church choirs, village gatherings and school teams across the region.

Players and staff describe the chant as a unifying moment after games, a way of bringing together a squad that typically includes Māori, Pasifika and Australian athletes alongside international recruits. The lyrics emphasise collective effort and identity rather than individual stardom, mirroring a playing style built on physicality, work‑rate and shared defensive responsibility.

Within the dressing room, the song functions as both a reward after a win and a ritual that centres the squad on who they represent. For a team that spends long stretches of the season on the road in Australia, that reminder carries particular weight.

From private ritual to public symbol

As the Warriors’ on‑field performances have improved in recent seasons, footage of the chant has increasingly moved from the inner sanctum of the changing room to television broadcasts and social media feeds. Clips of players leading the song in front of teammates and staff have been widely shared, turning a once‑private tradition into a recognisable visual and audio signature for the club.

This visibility has helped anchor the Warriors’ resurgence in something deeper than tactics and team sheets. The song has become shorthand for the club’s renewed connection with its fan base – particularly the younger supporters who have adopted “Up the Wahs” as an everyday phrase that extends well beyond game day.

For an international audience, that shift matters. In a league where many clubs share similar colours, sponsors and playing styles, the Warriors’ post‑match celebrations now signal a distinct brand built around Pacific culture, New Zealand identity and a sense of community that crosses borders.

Why the chant matters in a competitive landscape

At the elite level, performance still decides ladder positions, finals qualification and contract futures. Yet rituals like the “We are the Warriors” chant influence the environment in which those performances occur.

On the field, a clear, shared identity can simplify decision‑making under pressure: players know what the jersey stands for and what is expected when the match tightens. Off the field, the chant reinforces a sense of belonging that can affect retention and recruitment, especially for young Pasifika and Māori talents weighing up opportunities across multiple clubs or codes.

In commercial terms, a strong, authentic club culture is increasingly valuable. The Warriors’ song has become an easy entry point for brands and partners seeking to align with themes of resilience, community and cultural pride, while still needing to respect that the chant remains first and foremost a team ritual, not a marketing asset.

The legacy of relocation and resilience

The importance of the song is sharpened by what the Warriors have been through in recent years. Border restrictions forced the club to base itself in Australia for extended periods, separating players and staff from their families and home supporters. During that stretch, maintaining a sense of “home” inside the squad was not a soft factor; it was a competitive necessity.

Rituals like the victory chant helped recreate something of Mount Smart Stadium’s atmosphere inside borrowed Australian facilities. When the club eventually returned to regular matches in Auckland, the emotional connection on display – sell‑outs, extended ovations, and players staying long after full‑time to acknowledge the crowd – felt like the public expression of a culture that had been held together behind closed doors.

For veterans of that period, the song is a reminder of the sacrifices made to keep the club in the NRL’s top tier during its most disrupted seasons. For newer players, it is a gateway into a history they did not live through but are expected to understand.

How it shapes careers and selection

Coaches at NRL level are judged on results, but there is growing recognition that cultural cohesion can influence career arcs as much as any tactical system. At the Warriors, embracing the “We are the Warriors” ethos – in behaviour as much as in song – is now part of what it means to be considered a good club citizen.

While selection remains performance‑based, players who buy into the shared identity often find it easier to settle, connect with teammates and handle the scrutiny that comes with a high‑profile role in a one‑club market. For younger squad members stepping into first‑grade environments, being invited into the post‑match circle is a tangible signal that they belong.

That, in turn, can affect confidence, resilience after poor performances and willingness to take responsibility in big moments – all elements that can lengthen or shorten an NRL career.

Fan culture and the “Up the Wahs” phenomenon

The chant does not exist in isolation. It sits alongside a broader fan movement that has seen “Up the Wahs” used on banners, in songs and in everyday conversation, from schoolyards to workplaces. For supporters, hearing the players’ victory song after a match is a form of call‑and‑response that closes the loop between terraces and dressing room.

This relationship is particularly significant in a cross‑border competition. While Australian clubs can rely on local derbies and short travel to maintain engagement, the Warriors need rituals and symbols that keep a geographically dispersed fan base emotionally close, even when the team is playing thousands of kilometres away.

The song also functions as a bridge between rugby league and other codes. In New Zealand, rugby union has traditionally dominated. The visibility of the Warriors’ chant, coupled with their improved results, has given league a clearer cultural identity, making it easier for potential fans and participants to understand what the code stands for in a New Zealand context.

Institutional respect and the modern NRL

The NRL has invested heavily in recognising and supporting Indigenous and Pasifika cultures through themed rounds, community programmes and player welfare initiatives. Club‑driven traditions like the Warriors’ victory chant sit within that broader institutional shift towards acknowledging the cultural foundations of the playing group.

By embracing and protecting their own song, the Warriors contribute to a league‑wide trend where identity is not treated as a side issue but as part of the competitive fabric. That aligns with the NRL’s wider efforts to present itself as a modern, inclusive competition that understands the communities it represents on both sides of the Tasman.

A soundtrack built to last

Rituals in professional sport can fade quickly when results dip or personnel change. What gives “We are the Warriors, 100 percent” a chance of enduring is that it is anchored in something larger than any single season – a blend of Pacific pride, New Zealand identity and a hard‑earned sense of resilience forged during years when just competing required significant sacrifice.

For now, the chant remains a post‑match celebration, a private moment that occasionally spills into public view through broadcast cameras and social clips. But its influence runs deeper. It shapes how players see themselves, how supporters see their club, and how the only New Zealand team in the NRL asserts its place within one of rugby league’s most demanding competitions.

In an era where every club is searching for an edge, the Warriors have found one in four words that say as much about who they are as any statistic on the ladder: “We are the Warriors.”