Prior to the Warriors starting up in 1995, I only have vague memories of games being on TV in NZ (including the Tina Turner & "Friday Night's A Great Night For Football!" ads!) but barely watched the game, so didn't really support other teams. If anything, I liked the three B's : Bears, Broncos & Bulldogs for their respective colours and logos (in fact, I had a Canterbury Bulldogs t-shirt around 91-92, but fairly certain I only realised it was a league shirt in retrospect!)
I remember watching the Warriors first game against the Broncos with the family in '95, but for whatever reason I didn't really catch on as a supporter until much later. I think the fact I was much more interested in watching pro-wrestling with my brother than watching sports in general had a big hand in that!
It actually wasn't till early 2002 where the league flames (and support of the Warriors in particular) inside me were stoked via random coincidence.
I had travelled down from Palmerston Nth to Wellington to go to a Tool concert around April, and after failing to get in touch with the mates I was supposed to be staying with, with less than an hour before the concert was due to start I decided to try my luck at the nearest backpackers. The moment I walked in a bunch of old mates from High School walked out of the lift, turns out they were also going to the concert, so I went to Tool with them, stayed on the floor in their room that night for free, then was invited to go to the Warriors v Bulldogs at the stadium the following day (which I had no idea was on), which was damn exciting (loss aside).
Ended up moving into their flat in Palmy a month or so later, which is where I really got hooked on league and started bleeding the Warriors, including my first ever bet being a correct first tryscorer (boy would that beginners luck bite me in the years that have followed), following that grand season with delight through to the Grand Final (VB's all round!), and in the proceeding years have been to every remaining Warriors and International game that was held in Wellington (regardless of where I was living at the time).
It wasn't until 2007 when I travelled up to Mt Smart for my first true Warriors home game (against Titans which we won, YEAH!) and then again in 2010 (against Knights which we won, YEAH!!!).
So in short, mates were the main influence for becoming a true supporter in the first place, and haven't wavered since regardless of their ups and downs since that massive year in 2002.
EDIT : As for favourite players that captured my imagination, I can't really comment on the '95-'01 period as I didn't really follow it, but in 2002 I was a total mark for Stacey Jones, Kevin Campion & Ali Lauitiiti (as most people that year I suppose), as well as Henry Fa'afili's try celebrations.
