The first-ever Warriors captain, Dean Bell, knew a lot was on the line when he led his team out for its very first game on March 10, 1995.
“I didn’t want to let the whole country down because it felt like the whole country was with us,” he told 1News presenter Melissa Stokes.
Bell said it was great to be part of the amazing night — one he’ll never forget.
“I remember standing there in the tunnel and I think, yeah, I was nervous but I was excited as well. Obviously, the crowd were excited.”
It was a capacity crowd of 30,000 at the newly refurbished Mt Smart Stadium. They had been revved up by a stunning opening, with mock battles, war games, and a helicopter all used to create an atmosphere. As Bell led the team out, flames shot out either side of the tunnel.
“I think probably one of the biggest sporting spectacles this country has ever seen,” he said
“As you walk through, these flames exploded; I didn’t really expect them to happen. It gave me a bit of a shock but I avoided a very big thing that could have been very embarrassing, even after all these years.
“As we were walking out onto the track, there was a little raise, where there was a little bit of a carpet area just to go over the side of the track, and I tripped on that with my studs, and I nearly fell over.”
The start of the Warriors was the final chapter in Dean Bell’s stellar career.
He was 33 and had been asked by coach John Monie to come back from the UK to play a single season for the fledgling team. He agreed because he didn’t want to have any regrets in his career.
The build-up to that first game was all-encompassing.
Bell said: “The hype was unbelievable. We had film crews around us most days. We did adverts. We were in billboards in Auckland City.
“New Zealand rugby league has never seen it before. We probably overtook the All Blacks, you know, our national game.”
One particular event Dean remembered was the season launch at ASB Stadium in Kohimarama, East Auckland.
“They brought the special effects team in, and we had this Māori warrior’s face in the background on stage, and all of a sudden, this loud thunder and lightning.
“It was deafening, and the smoke came out of this warrior’s nose. When the smoke had cleared, I was standing in the middle and each player that was going to be in that first team that night was either side of me. It was just like theatre.”
Dean said the most important thing about the first game was how the team performed.
“We had some really marquee players, Greg Alexander, Phil Blake… but we had a lot of younger players that have come through the New Zealand system themselves. So we just didn’t know how it was all going to come together until that night, and obviously, it came together pretty well.”
The Warriors led 22-10 at one point in the second half. But the Brisbane Broncos eventually won 25-22.
After the game, Bell said a big tent was set up behind the Western Stand, and what looked like a “rave” was taking place.
“Even though we’d lost the game, there were people. They were just so happy with the performance.”
By the end of the first season, the team had just missed out on the top eight. Despite this, Bell believes the job of establishing a viable future for the club was achieved.
“We just wanted to set the club up… ‘This is our first season, we’re here.’ We wanted our fans to make sure they returned, and I think we achieved all that.
Bell called it the biggest year in the club’s history — until they won a premiership, which he said would come in a matter of time.
“They’ll win it one day. They will win the Premiership one day, just got to be patient.
“It is going to happen. I think it’s become too big a game now, and just what they’re doing at the Warriors now. I know their season wasn’t great this year, but they’ll make amends for that.
“I mean, they’ve got a good coach, they’ve got a good owner who’s willing to put his money in and invest into the junior game. So there’s a lot of things that they’re doing at the moment that say that, you know, it’s not too far off.”
Bell is not above yelling a few “up the wahs” himself and said it was amazing that the very first game was still remembered 30 years later.
“I think it was the only game that I’ve ever played and I’ve lost that I’ve actually got some satisfaction out of. Because normally, when you lose, I’m grumpy as anything, but that was a bit special that one.”
