Pinot Wahs: How the Warriors fan group started and why Mike ...

The Warriors fandom frenzy has notched another milestone.

Buoyed by their success on the field, calling yourself a Warriors fan has become more trendy than being photographed at the release party of drink company Pal’s latest flavour.

First, it was the viral catch-phrase “Up the Wahs” which spread faster than a certain not-to-be-named airborne virus as the Mount Smart club surged up the NRL ladder in 2023.

This has evolved into all manner of spin-off sayings, like inserting Wahs into as many player names as is decently possible: Kurt Capewah, Dallin Wahtene-Zelezniak and Addin Fonuwah-Blake among the best to emerge.

The latest Warriors viral sensation the “Pinot Wahs” has been claimed by Radio Hauraki’s Matt Heath, who uses the term to categorise a subset of Warriors fan who enjoys their Friday Night Footy with a glass of red wine.

Defined as “Collective noun: An elite group of New Zealand Warriors supporters that watch games from home with an expensive bottle of red wine.”

Day one Warriors fan and NZME colleague, Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking, joined Heath on his radio show The Matt and Jerry Show which he hosts with Jeremy Wells to compare notes and discuss how Hosking’s wife, former Newstalk ZB host Kate Hawkesby, had contributed to the spread of the Pinot Wahs fanbase.

“I was having a pinot noir while watching the Warriors and my mind just ticked over and said ‘Pinot Wahs’ and I thought this is clever, so I put it into the group chat and much like your wife does to you - it was just thrown out onto social media.

“When I said that to Jerry on the Monday he said well Mike Hosking has been doing that for a very long time.”

Hawkesby is known for posting to her Instagram photos of Hosking watching his beloved Warriors - often accompanied by a glass of Bordeaux’s finest.

While the Pinot Wahs movement has largely had a positive response on both sides of the Tasman, there are some who Heath alleges seek to gate-keep Warriors fandom.

“There are gatekeepers, even of the Warriors, which is supposed to be the people’s thing. We had [ACC commentator] Manaia Stewart on here the other day and he was going ‘You’re trying to take this away from us, you elites with your red wine watching the Warriors’.

“We said you know Mike Hosking’s been there from the start watching with his red wine and it’s actually a very good way to watch it. But why would you not want all comers?

“It’s not like [Warriors CEO] Cameron George would go ‘Oh I only want a certain type of fan’.”

Heath goes further to suggest that the label of wine, be it a domestic product or from further afield, ought to be selected carefully.

Watching the Warriors’ round five match against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Heath says he was enjoying a glass of Central Otago vineyard Rabbit Ranch’s pinot noir which he opined was something like “drinking the blood of your enemy”.

“That’s probably overthinking it,” replied Hosking.

Friday’s Warriors match is away against the Dragons and provides an excellent opportunity for the Pinot Wahs movement to grow further, with a friendly kickoff of 8pm New Zealand time. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the fixture.

Kickoff: 8pm Friday 19 April

WIN Stadium, Wollongong

Live updates on NZ Herald Sport & Watch the Alternative Commentary Collective’s coverage live on Sky Sport 9

Here’s a look at the teams:

Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Kolkstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Jackson Ford 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Tohu Harris

Interchange: 14. Tom Ale 15. Jacob Laban 16. Ali Leiataua 17. Adam Pompey

Dragons: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Christian Tuipuloti 3. Mosese Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Kyle Flanagan 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Hame Sele 11. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 12. Jayde Su’a 13. Tom Eisenhuth

Interchange: 14. Blake Lawrie 15. Jack De Belin 16. Ben Murdoch-Masila 17. Michael Molo

Warriors team news

Very much the same line-up for the Warriors as last week besides a couple of changes: Chanel Harris-Tavita forced an adjustment on Thursday by withdrawing due to a leg injury he sustained during training, Ali Leiataua being added to the squad in his place on an inexperienced looking interchange bench. The second new face on the bench is Adam Pompey, who has replaced the injured Jazz Tevaga (hamstring). Mitch Barnett brings up game 150 in his NRL career.

2023 results

Warriors 18 - 6 Dragons

Warriors 48 - 18 Dragons

TAB odds

Warriors $1.40

Dragons $2.85

Prediction

The Dragons, despite sitting 13th on the NRL ladder, are no easy beats at home. There is also just one point between them and the Warriors, who sit seventh. The Warriors therefore will need to remain patient and ensure their edge defence is on point in handling the likes of the dangerous Zac Lomax. The Dragons have edge concerns of their own, with 52 per cent of tries they concede come down their right hand side - look for Warriors winger Marcelo Montoya to get plenty of work (priced at $2.20 to score any time with TAB).

If the Warriors consider themselves title contenders then beating teams like the Dragons is a non-negotiable. The hosts will come out strong for their home crowd so if the Warriors can hold firm early, they should have more than enough quality to emerge with the biscuits.

NZ Herald prediction: Warriors 1-12

- with RNZ’s Liam Swiggs.