Dallin Watene-Zelezniak of the Warriors makes a run during the NRL Round 23 match between the Redcliffe Dolphins and New Zealand Warriors at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Sunday, August 11, 2024. Photo: AAP / www.photosport.nz
In their 30th NRL season, will 2025 finally be the Warriors' year?
Their path to glory has been laid out with the release of next season's draw.
Kicking off with a historic clash in Las Vegas, the Warriors will also take their Anzac Day event to Christchurch for the first time, playing Newcastle in the round eight game at Apollo Projects Stadium on 25 April.
Warriors chief executive Cameron George said the move was an easy one following the support the Garden City has shown in recent times.
"We saw how much the fans from the city and surrounding areas got behind the Warriors for our trial against the Tigers and then our NRL match against the Raiders this year. The same happened again last month when the Kiwis played the Kangaroos."
The match would be the second season running and just the third time in history that the Warriors will have staged their Anzac Day game in Aotearoa.
Warriors head to Las Vegas
The Warriors open their season playing a game in the United States for the first time.
The Las Vegas clash with the Canberra Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on 1 March coincided with the return of the Warriors' NRLW side, which will have double headers with the NRL team four times next year.
Another highlight was the confirmation four-times premiership-winning Penrith Panthers were set to make a rare trip to Mount Smart Stadium, their first in six years.
Warriors 2025 draw
- Round 1: 4pm Saturday 1 March vs Raiders in Las Vegas
- Round 2: 8pm Friday 14 March vs Sea Eagles at Go Media Stadium
- Round 3: 8pm Friday 21 March vs Roosters at Go Media Stadium
- Round 4: 6.15pm Sunday 30 March vs Wests Tigers at Campbelltown
- Round 5: bye
- Round 6: 2pm Sunday 13 April vs Storm at AAMI Park
- Round 7: 7.30pm Saturday 19 April vs Broncos at Go Media Stadium
- Round 8: 8pm Friday 25 April vs Knights at Apollo Projects Stadium
- Round 9: 5.30pm Saturday 3 May vs Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium
- Round 10: 5.30pm Saturday 10 May vs Dragons at WIN Stadium
- Round 11: 3pm Saturday 17 May vs Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium
- Round 12: 6pm Sunday 25 May vs Raiders at Go Media Stadium
- Round 13: 2pm Sunday 1 June vs Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium
- Round 14: 5.30pm Saturday 7 June vs Sharks at Shark Stadium
- Round 15: bye
- Round 16: 5pm Saturday 21 June vs Panthers at Go Media Stadium
- Round 17: 3pm Saturday 28 June vs Broncos at Suncorp Stadium
- Round 18: bye
- Round 19: 4pm Sunday 13 July vs Wests Tigers Go Media Stadium
- Round 20: 4pm Sunday 20 July vs Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium
- Round 21: 5pm Saturday 26 July vs Titans as Go Media Stadium
- Round 22: 8pm Friday 1 August vs Dolphins at Go Media Stadium
- Round 23: 7.35pm Saturday 9 August vs Bulldogs at Accor Stadium
- Round 24: 8pm Friday 15 August vs Dragons at Go Media Stadium.
- Round 25: 5.30pm Saturday 23 August vs Titans at Robina Stadium
- Round 26: 8pm Friday 29 August vs Eels at Go Media Stadium
- Round 27: 6pm Friday 5 September vs Sea Eagles at 4 Pines Park
- Qualifying finals: 12-14 September
- Semi-finals: 19-20 September
- Preliminary finals: 26-27 September
- Grand final: 5 October
Warriors players celebrate their win following the NRL Round 11 match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Penrith Panthers at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt/ Photosport) Photo: AAP / www.photosport.nz
The other big news is the return of the Warriors Women.
The team was in the NRLW from its inception in 2018 and played three seasons until Covid-19 came along.
They are back and straight into the fire against the reigning premiers, the Sydney Roosters, on 6 July.
The season will be much shorter than the NRL, at just 14 weeks with a three-week finals series.
However, the growth in the NRLW has already been significant, as when the Warriors started there were just four teams playing a month-long competition.
This has since tripled to 12.
Warriors Women NRLW Draw
- Round 1: 12pm Sunday 6 July vs Roosters at Allianz Stadium
- Round 2: 2pm Sunday 13 July vs Eels at Go Media Stadium
- Round 3: 6.15pm Sunday 20 July vs Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium
- Round 4: 2.45pm Saturday 26 July vs Titans at Go Media Stadium
- Round 5: 11.50am Sunday 3 August vs Cowboys at McDonald Jones Stadium
- Round 6: 5.15pm Saturday 9 August vs Bulldogs at Accor Stadium
- Round 7: 7.15pm Saturday 16 August vs Raiders at Go Media Stadium
- Round 8: 3.45pm Sunday 24 August vs Sharks at Go Media Stadium
- Round 9: 3.15pm Saturday 30 August vs Dragons at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
- Round 10: 2pm Sunday 7 September vs Broncos at Go Media Stadium
- Round 11: 12pm Sunday 14 September vs Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Sports Stadium
- Finals week one: 19-21 September
- Finals week two: 26-28 September
- Grand final: 5 October