Mad Butcher Club at MT SMART STADIUM, HOME of the MIGHTY VODAFONE WARRIORS

Sir Peter Leitch’s Mad Butcher Club AT MT SMART STADIUM, HOME OF THE MIGHTY VODAFONE WARRIORS

2015 Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines Special Edition Newsletter

Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines Details

Date: This Saturday 31st January and Sunday 1st February, 2015

Time: Saturday - Gates open: 11:30am - Event commences: 12:00pm - Gates close: 8:30pm Sunday - Gates open 10:00am - Event commences: 11:10am - Event ends: 8:30pm

Venue: Eden Park, Mt Eden, Auckland

Parking/Transport: There is no parking on-site. However complimentary public transport to and from Eden Park on special services is included with your ticket; just present your ticket upon boarding. For more info visit: www.AT.co.nz/info/events.aspx

Please note there is only ONE ticket for BOTH days so please keep your ticket safe. Ensure everyone brings their ticket each day as it will be required for entry. Please also read the condi- tions of entry to Eden Park at www.edenpark.co.nz and rules of play that are in the newsletter.

Buy tickets at www.ticketek.co.nz/nrlakl9s To ensure everyone has a great can be consumed on transport at No commercially bought food (e.g weekend, the organisers have any time. McDonalds, KFC, Burger King some rules of play that must be etc) may be brought into the ven- adhered to: If you have purchased tickets to ue, but you are welcome to bring the family zone, note that this is small amounts of non-commer- A liquor ban will be enforced in an alcohol free zone and no al- cially produced food for personal the neighbourhood surrounding cohol may be purchased or con- consumption. Eden Park. sumed in this area. There will be free water availa- As mentioned on the previous They have zero tolerance for in- ble throughout the venue, please page, there is complimentary toxication. Those who arrive at the make sure you stay hydrated and public transport available with gates intoxicated, will be asked to sun smart by bringing sunscreen your ticket to and from Eden park leave the venue for the rest of the and sunhats. on both days. Note that no alcohol day.

I’m ready for my weekend of fun at the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines.

You can grab gear just like this from: http://www.nrlaucklandninesshop.com/

Star Players Guaranteed

288 Star Players. Including:

Shuan Johnson Manu Vatuvei George Burgess Roger Tuivasa-Sheck Benji Marshall Issac Luke Daly Cherry-Evans Kieran Foran James Maloney Jared Warae-Hargreaves Sam Tompkins Josh Dugan Adam Reynolds Josh Morris Dave Taylor and many more...

Mad Butcher Club Newsletter Page 2 DICK SMITH NRL AUCKLAND NINES ALMOST HERE!

Last year’s inaugural NRL Auckland Nines was a great success on all fronts, with the event itself running smoothly, attracting capacity crowds and exceeding Auckland Council’s targets for visitor nights and new money into Auckland’s economy.

This year’s event looks to build on last year’s success with preparations almost complete for the event at Eden Park, as well as a three day Festival and Fanzone in Aotea Square and a three part legacy programme, announced today, which will help develop the sport of rugby league.

Festival and Fanzone – You’re invited

The NRL Nines Festival and Fanzone runs for three days from Friday 30 January to Sunday 1 February in Aotea Square.

You’re invited to join us there for an NRL-hosted free public event from 9am on Friday 30 January.

This event will provide rugby league fans with the opportunity to meet all 288 NRL Nines players as they appear throughout the day. There will be exclusive signing sessions and it will be a great chance for fans to practice their ball skills with their heroes on a specially laid grass pitch.

There will be giveaways, activities, live entertainment, a rugby league exhibition featuring all seven rugby league trophies, free kids’ rides and games, a marketplace and more.

The team schedule for the day is: 10am – Cowboys, Eagles 11am – Roosters, Tigers 12pm – Knights, Rabbitohs, Panthers 1pm – Storm, Raiders, Dragons 2pm – Titans, Broncos, Sharks 3pm – Eels, Bulldogs, Warriors

From 9am on Saturday and Sunday the Aotea Square Fanzone will be the next best thing to being at the Nines. Enjoy the relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, with two days of giveaways, activities, live entertainment, a rugby league exhibition, free kids’ rides and games. Live entertainment..

Check out the full program at www.aucklandnz.com/nines

We hope you enjoy the NRL Auckland Nines weekend and stay safe. We look forward to seeing you at Aotea Square for the Fan Day on Friday 30 January. If you are lucky enough to have a ticket for Eden Park enjoy the action. It not, come down to Aotea Square and enjoy the festivities – the next best thing to being at Eden Park.

The next best thing to being there. A total of 34 games broadcast live including 3 test matches between the Kiwi Ferns and Jillaroos (Australian womens rugby league team)

Mad Butcher Club Newsletter Page 3 DICK SMITH NRL AUCKLAND NINES CONFIRMED VODAFONE WARRIORS TEAM

Shaun Johnson (c) Matthew Allwood Nathan Friend Ben Henry Ryan Hoffman Solomone Kata Ngani Laumape Sam Lisone Tuimoala Lolohea Sione Lousi Suaia Matagi Ben Matulino Ken Maumalo Nathaniel Roache Bodene Thompson Sam Tomkins Chad Townsend Manu Vatuvei

Mad Butcher Club Newsletter Page 4 30 JAN – 1 FEB • AOTEA SQUARE

Get ready for a FREE action-packed weekend of Rugby League. Meet NRL star players, watch all 34 games live, plus live music from top Kiwi musicians, giveaways, markets and more.

aucklandnz.com/nines What’s on in AKL DEST391 30 JAN – 1 FEB • AOTEA SQUARE

SCHEDULE OF FREE EVENTS

FRI 30 JAN SAT 31 JAN SUN 1 FEB 9AM – 9PM 9AM – 8PM 9AM – 8PM

LIVE MUSIC & LIVE MUSIC & LIVE MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT MCs Rodg (The Rock) and MC Hadleigh Pouesi (Mai FM) MC Gary Pointon (More FM) Shawn Cleave (More FM) DJ09 on the turntables DJ09 on the turntables DJ09 on the turntables 11.10am 10.10am 10:45am House of Shem Unplugged Ministry of Tone Live music from Grace Brebner, Play It Strange Foundation 4.45pm Live entertainment 11.45am NRL MATCHES LIVE Live music from ON THE BIG SCREEN 6.30pm Ianetta Solomon-Brown, Sammy Johnson feat. Swiss 12.30pm Eels vs. Sea Eagles Play It Strange Foundation 12.55pm Knights vs. Dragons 12:35pm NRL MATCHES LIVE Live music from RANDA – NZ on Air 1.20pm Storm vs. Cowboys ON THE BIG SCREEN Critics Choice award winner 1.45pm Panthers vs. Rabbitohs 11.10am Eels vs. Dragons 1:45pm 2.20pm Wests Tigers vs. Raiders Live entertainment 11.35am Sea Eagles vs. Knights 2.45pm Titans vs. Warriors 2.35pm 12.00pm Storm vs. Rabbitohs Live music from Taye Williams, 3.10pm Roosters vs. Broncos 12.25pm Cowboys vs. Panthers NZ X Factor finalist 3.35pm Bulldogs vs. Sharks 12.50pm Wests Tigers vs. Warriors 7.00pm 4.00pm Women’s Game 1 (NZ vs. Aus) Movie screening 1.15pm Raiders vs. Titans 4.25pm Eels vs. Knights 1.40pm Roosters vs. Sharks 4.50pm Sea Eagles vs. Dragons 2.05pm Broncos vs. Bulldogs NRL TEAM 5.15pm Storm vs. Panthers ARRIVAL TIMES 2.30pm Quarter Final 1 5.40pm Cowboys vs. Rabbitohs 2.55pm Quarter Final 2 10.00am Cowboys & Eagles 6.15pm Wests Tigers vs. Titans 11.00am Roosters & Wests Tigers 3.45pm Quarter Final 3 ts 6.40pm Raiders vs. Warriors 4.10pm Quarter Final 4 12.00pm Knights, Rabbitohs & 7.05pm Roosters vs. Bulldogs Panthers 4.35pm Women’s Game 2 (NZ vs. Aus) 7.30pm Broncos vs. Sharks 1.00pm Storm, Raiders & Dragons 5.25pm Semi Final 1 2.00pm Titans, Broncos & Sharks 5.50pm Semi Final 2 3.00pm Eels, Bulldogs & Warriors 6.40pm Women’s Game 3 (NZ vs. Aus) 7.30pm Tournament Final

For more information visit aucklandnz.com/nines What’s on in AKL DEST391 POOL DRAW AND GAME SCHEDULE

DAY 2 POOL Tigers Raiders Titans Warriors HUNUA SUNDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 2015

POOL TIME MATCHES SCORE Storm Cowboys Panthers Rabbitohs WAIHEKE Game 17 11.10am Eels Dragons POOL Eels Sea Eagles Knights Dragons RANGITOTO Game 18 11.35am Sea Eagles Knights Game 19 12.00pm Storm Rabbitohs POOL Roosters Broncos Bulldogs Sharks PIHA Game 20 12.25pm Cowboys Panthers

Game 21 12.50pm Tigers Warriors DAY 1 Game 22 1.15pm Raiders Titans SATURDAY, 31 JANUARY 2015 Game 23 1.40pm Roosters Sharks

TIME MATCHES SCORE Game 24 2.05pm Broncos Bulldogs Game 1 12.30pm Eels Sea Eagles 1st Quarter Final G a m e 25 2.30pm Game 2 12.55pm Knights Dragons 1st Pool Rangitoto 2nd Pool Waiheke 2nd Quarter Final Game 3 1.20pm Storm Cowboys Game 26 2.55pm 2nd Pool Rangitoto 1st Pool Waiheke Game 4 1.45pm Panthers Rabbitohs 3rd Quarter Final Game 27 3.45pm Game 5 2.20pm Tigers Raiders 1st Pool Hunua 2nd Pool Piha 4th Quarter Final Game 6 2.45pm Titans Warriors Game 28 4.10pm 2nd Pool Hunua 1st Pool Piha Game 7 3.15pm Roosters Broncos W2 4.35pm NZ Australia Game 8 3.40pm Bulldogs Sharks 1st Semi Final Game 29 5.25pm W1 4.00pm NZ Australia Winner QF1 v Winner QF2 2nd Semi Final Game 9 4.25pm Eels Knights Game 30 5.50pm Winner QF3 v Winner QF4 Game 10 4.50pm Sea Eagles Dragons W2 6.40pm NZ Australia Game 11 5.15pm Storm Panthers Tournament Final Game 31 7.30pm Game 12 5.40pm Cowboys Rabbitohs Winner 1st SF v Winner 2nd SF

Game 13 6.15pm Tigers Titans

Game 14 6.40pm Raiders Warriors

Game 15 7.05pm Roosters Bulldogs

Game 16 7.30pm Broncos Sharks

DICK SMITH NRL AUCKLAND NINES 31 JAN & 1 FEB 2015 2 DAY 2 POOL Tigers Raiders Titans Warriors HUNUA SUNDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 2015

Game 21 12.50pm Tigers Warriors DAY 1 Game 22 1.15pm Raiders Titans SATURDAY, 31 JANUARY 2015 Game 23 1.40pm Roosters Sharks

Game 13 6.15pm Tigers Titans

Game 14 6.40pm Raiders Warriors

Game 15 7.05pm Roosters Bulldogs

Game 16 7.30pm Broncos Sharks

DICK SMITH NRL AUCKLAND NINES 31 JAN & 1 FEB 2015 Check out www.aucklandnz.com/nines 2 JOIN THE VODAFONE WARRIORS FAMILY. CAREER OppORTuNITIES

For 20 years we have stood together against all odds, striving to better our club and our community. Now you can join us in our quest to take the Vodafone Warriors to the next level. Opportunities on offer: Fan Engagement Manager Events & Entertainment Manager Memberships Coordinator For further information, please visit www.warriors.kiwi/careers

Win a Vodafone Warriors Double Membership

To be in to win a Vodafone Warriors double membership just send a stamped, addressed envelope or postcard to me in the mail with your name, address and phone number on the back to the address below.

Win Warriors Season Pass P.O Box 54295 The Marina 2144, Manukau, Auckland

Drawn on Wednesday 28th Jan Mad Butcher Club Newsletter Page 9 DICK SMITH NRL AUCKLAND NINES THIS WEEKEND!

Well the mighty Vodafone Warriors announced a sensational squad for the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines last week and with only FEW DAYS TO GO I am bloody excited!

With four of their biggest name players in the Warriors extended squad, regular season captain, Simon Man- nering, 2014 Nines MVP winner Shaun Johnson named captain again, Sam Tomkins and The Beast Manu Vatuvei all named in the squad, they are set to light up the competition!

I can reveal that the competition to be in the top 18 is fierce, so I’m imagining that coach Andrew McFadden’s lawns are pretty well manicured at the moment and the boys are putting in their own extra training!

Also, hot off the press my old mate Benji Marshall has just been confirmed to play for his team The Dragons, so it will be his first return to Eden Park since playing with the Blues last year. I’m looking forward to seeing him with some extra space on the field!

Other notable players that I can’t wait to see at the Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines are Raiders player Sisa Waqa – who was the Storms highest try scorer last year, Josh Hoffman in his first outing for the Titans, our Kiwis player Alex Glenn for the Broncos along with their newest star Anthony Milford.

I’m enjoying all the talk around town about the Nines and the city is looking awesome with all the branding going up around the place. The buzz has certainly started and you don’t want to miss this - the best weekend of our greatest game of rugby league!

Mad Butcher Club Newsletter Page 10 A JOKE “IF THE AUSSIES HOSTED THE NINES” - BUT WE WON’T BE LAUGHING By John Deaker

The one and only patron of New Zealand Rugby The commitment by Smith and the NRL to launch League says its “a joke” and has publicly told Aus- the 2015 season in Auckland this week can be seen as tralian parties trying to get their hands on any an indication that they continue to have faith in the future hosting rights of the Auckland Nines that City of Sails and recognise the value that Auckland they should “piss off”. The sad reality though is that and New Zealand provide to the National Rugby no matter what Sir Peter Leitch or anyone else says League’s competition. They will be well aware that it this side of the Tasman, many Australian parties are would be an insult to rugby league in New Zealand looking likely to have a crack at stealing the Nines to take an event away from Auckland just when it’s event that at this stage has only been committed to starting to gain momentum. Auckland through till 2018. The positive impact of the Australian threat is that The tragedy if the Aussies were able to get the event it’s likely to ensure the tournament’s organisers stay moved to somewhere like Melbourne or Brisbane on their toes and take the event to a new level in the is that so much hard work was done this side of the next few years. The first few year’s of anything are al- Tasman to get the event off the ground - and contin- ways about setting a platform where you can expand ues to be done to ensure it remains successful. and Duco haven’t given any indication that they will When Duco Events’ Dean Lonergan begun talking go in to a comfort zone. However, just like it’s healthy up their intention of getting an NRL Nines tourna- for any good player to have competition for their po- ment off the ground a few years ago it seemed like sition, the Australian threat will ensure the Nines as pie in the sky stuff. Rugby League’s only significant we knew it in Year 1 could be dramatically different experience with a Nines tournament in the past was from the event we see in years 3, 4 and 5. when the Super League ran an international competition back in 1996 and 1997. Duco are likely to need more assistance from the Auckland City Council to retain the event in Auck- It appeared very unlikely that the NRL would agree land. The New Zealand Herald reported this week to the Nines concept at all - let alone allow the tour- that Auckland ratepayers are contributing $12 mil- nament to be hosted in Auckland. It’s a huge credit lion over five years towards the Nines - and that last to Duco Events’ hard work and determination that year’s event was worth $9.35 million to the Auckland they managed to get the event off the ground. To economy - nearly three times the original forecast have it taken away from Auckland just as it’s starting of $3.8 million. It resulted in 68,380 visitor nights, to embed itself as an important event on Auckland including 27,749 international visitors. and New Zealand’s sporting landscape would be a travesty of justice. Common-sense suggests that the “SuperCity” Coun- cil should put up substantially more in the future It’s important to note that there hasn’t been any towards Duco’s bid to keep the Nines in Auckland. indication from the NRL that they intend to move Sadly it is a City Council that might call itself “Super” the event across the Tasman. This time last year the - but are reknowned for making decisions that are NRL’s CEO David Smith couldn’t have been more anything but that. Places like Melbourne have proven complimentary in his praise of Auckland’s ability to to be much more willing than Auckland to invest big embrace the tournament. bucks in attracting sportspeople and sporting events to their area. For example right back in 2009 the Vic- “It’s amazing, it’s outside our wildest expectation the torian government paid $1.5 million towards Tiger way it has been received,” Smith said. Woods appearance fee at the Australian Masters Golf “The city is absolutely on fire. There is a real energy tournament. The return on investment for the Victo- behind the event. rian economy was huge. “I don’t think there is anyone in New Zealand who isn’t aware rugby league has come to Auckland.” Continued next page...

Mad Butcher Club Newsletter Page 11 Continued from previous page ... Aucklanders can enjoy this event for many more years post-2018.

The fact that the Nines is filling up Eden Park for a For decades now Aucklanders have said “We need weekend is something that the “SuperCity” Council an event like the Wellington Sevens”. FInally thanks shouldn’t take for granted as it continues to grapple to the hard work of particularly Dean Lonergan and with its under-utilisation of many of its stadiums - David Higgins, it has something similar. It seems including Eden Park. Let’s hope that when it comes unthinkable that we could allow it to be lost across to the crunch, common-sense prevails and the the ditch. Surely only a “Super-Silly-City” would be Council is willing to contribute sufficiently to ensure capable of that.

Check out www.aucklandnz.com/nines

Mad Butcher Club Newsletter Page 12

JOIN THE VODAFONE WARRIORS FAMILY. CAREER OppORTuNITIES

These awesome photos were taken at last years Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines. Some featuring fan costumes such as; Billy T James, SWAT and Vikings. Others show both Shaun Johnson and Sam Tomkins in action as well as the huge crowd in attendance.

Check out www.aucklandnz.com/nines

The Newsletter Team

Here is the team that help me make the newsletter each week. Between us we make the newsletter happen - and like everything it’s a team effort. David Kemeys Sir Peter Leitch Hayden Woodhead Editor at Large Editor Graphic Designer