It was a decent jersey, but why the f**k should an Auckland team be wearing a Wellington jersey? It's like if Cronulla played a game at Gosford and wore the blue and gold of the Central Coast - it's disrespectful. I get that the Warriors are trying to expand their brand, and good on 'em, but there was something off about them wearing another city's colours.
It's a shame that the name & branding change from Auckland Warriors to NZ Warriors didn't bring games out to the rest of the country in 2000.
However at the time it was a "necessary" (quote-unquote) move to distance the new owners from the previous administration which left the club broke - I'm glad that they're making a move not to reflect that name a little more by taking a home game out of Auckland. Better late than never.
Hopefully they follow the lead of the Phoenix and take a game to Christchurch as well - that will go some way towards satisfying the non-Auckland public's desire to see top level rugby league. (If they wear a red & black jersey in Christchurch, that's fine with me.)
As for the jerseys.. it was in celebration of the event, and last year's centennary of Wellington Rugby League, and a nod to the late Bernie Wood - Wellington administrator & league historian.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/obituaries/8632205/Rugby-league-king-left-lasting-legacy
As a Wellingtonian I actually felt quite honored that they used our colours for the night - it's the next best thing to going to see the Orcas in an NRL game.
Anyway, they've never worn Auckland colours for a long long time - heritage kits aside, I think the last time they ran out in a blue & white home jersey was pre-2000 (the Superleague Nike design) - and that had elements of green & red trim that aren't Auckland's provincial colours.
Oh, and your Cronulla argument is invalid, because they've never claimed to be the "Central Coast Sharks" so wearing Central Coast colours if they take a game there is a little out-of-step with their billing.
