SEASON LAUNCH TO KICK OFF VODAFONE WARRIORS?ONE COMMUNITY CARNIVAL WEEK 
 
Feb 23, 2010 - Tomorrow night's 2010 Vodafone Warriors season launch will also kick off the club's One Community carnival week featuring hospital and school visits and all the fun of the fair on carnival day itself.

 
Special guests, sponsors and the media will join the Vodafone Warriors' full NRL squad and football staff plus front office staff at a cocktail function at SKYCITY to herald the start of the club's 16th season in the Australian competition.

 
The launch will be the springboard for One Community activities to follow culminating in the Vodafone Warriors' third and final NRL trial against 2008 premier Manly at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday. That match, kicking off at 5.00pm, will be preceded by the Vodafone Junior Warriors' last warm-up match ahead of their NYC campaign when they'll face stern opposition from the Auckland Vulcans (3.00pm kick-off). Go to www.ticketek.co.nz for ticket information.

 
NRL head coach Ivan Cleary says the strongest available combination will take on the Sea Eagles in the final rehearsal before the club's season-opener against the Gold Coast Titans in Robina on March 14. The Vodafone Warriors have won each of their first two trials against the Sydney Roosters (26-8) in Rotorua and North Queensland (28-6) in Cairns while Manly has had only one genuine trial, beating Cronulla 18-4; the Sea Eagles fielded NYC players in a 12-42 loss to South Sydney two weeks ago.

 
The Vodafone Junior Warriors have won trials against Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay opposition by 94-0 and 96-0 but will be up against senior players in a Vulcans side building up for the 2010 New South Wales Cup. Several Vodafone Warriors NRL squad members are expected to play for the Vulcans.

 
One Community activities will see the Vodafone Warriors lending support to two of the club's major charity partners Kidz First Children's Hospital and DebRA New Zealand during the week as well as visiting some North Shore schools and participating in the Vodafone Warriors' One Community carnival at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

 
On Thursday (1.00pm) the Vodafone Warriors will visit Kidz First in Manukau City while on Friday morning the team to play Manly will have an open training session at North Harbour Stadium (10.00am). From 1.00-3.00 groups of players will visit three North Shore schools, attending assemblies at each school and then running drills with competition winners.

 
The One Community carnival - open and free to the public - will start at North Harbour Stadium's Domain Fields at 12.00pm, running through to 4.00pm. Included on the programme will be backyard rugby league coaching and mini games as well as king of the castle, the rampage obstacle course, amusement rides and loads of other entertainment. There'll also be a junior rugby league registration station, spot prizes and cheerleading clinics with the Lion Red Rockettes.

 
The day - February 27 - happens to be International Rare Diseases Day, providing an important link with one of the club's major charity partners, DebRA. International Rare Diseases Day draws in groups from New Zealand and around the world as they work to improve information and support for patients and families affected by rare diseases, and to improve health care and boost research into treatments for them.

 
Carrying the flag for all rare disease groups at the Vodafone Warriors' One Community carnival will be DebRA, which supports patients and families affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa, a skin blistering disease which means skin can be lost at the slightest touch. In its most severe form EB can require many hours of skin repair and bandaging each day.

 
The DebRA group has led an innovative service development that funds specialist EB nurses from the group's own fundraising, and which has significantly improved the health and quality of life of EB patients and families.

 
The Vodafone Warriors have been a staunch ally of rare disease groups and other health interests for several years.

For further information please contact:

Richard Becht
Media & Communications Manager
Vodafone Warriors
Mob: + 64 21 814 537
Email: richard@warriors.co.nz