WATCH | How the NZ Warriors won the Harold Matthews Cup in their first year

01/05/2024 08:00

First year in the league, and already with a title to their name. It's the kind of start that most teams could only dream of.

But the One NZ Warriors' foray into the under-17 Harold Matthews Cup competition sees CEO Cameron George's vision of creating a complete pathway from the age groups, through to the NRL side, finally come together after years of battling and recovering from the pandemic which ripped apart the club's systems.

The young Warriors were crowned Harold Matts Cup champions after defeating the Western Suburbs Magpies 34-16 in Saturday's Grand Final, running in six tries to three, including doubles by halfback Jack Thompson and lock Lennox Tuiloma.

They did it the hard way though, having to go through Parramatta and Canterbury Bankstown first to become the first Warriors side to advance through to a championship game since 2014.

It brings with it a feeling of optimism for the Warriors' faithful, with young talent being fostered properly and creating a professional environment where they can thrive.

Winning coach TJ Ashford joined Stephen McIvor and Anthony Gelling in studio this week for a special edition of Running It Straight.

Along with discussing the finer points of the victory, the trio look at the main club's loss to the Gold Coast Titans and their Round 9 matchup with the Newcastle Knights.

Watch the full episode below on the SENZ YouTube: