'More than a jersey': Warriors reveal powerful meaning in new Kotahitanga design

The New Zealand Warriors have revealed a new jersey with a powerful message that captures the team’s strength - Kotahitanga.

Meaning unity, togetherness, and becoming one, the design is a well-thought-out creation from Ōtautahi (Christchurch) born Lewi Brown - who played 84 games as Warrior #151 from 2009-2012.

Its red-and-black palette pays tribute to Christchurch, a city rebuilt through courage and connection.

The same city gearing up to host the club’s first NRL clash at One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch against North Queensland on June 21.

“For the people of Christchurch, the past decade has carried unimaginable weight. They have endured loss, grief and tragedy, yet they have continued to show up for one another with strength, compassion and unity," Brown says.

“This jersey honours that spirit. It pays tribute to the families and victims of the Christchurch earthquake, and to the resilience of a city that continues to rise."

The Jersey design was largely inspired by the 2001 kit the team wore, the same year the club changed their name from the Auckland Warriors to representing the whole motu.

“It was more than a name change,” the Warriors have shared. “It was a moment that called on a country to believe in more than a team. It called on every grassroots rugby league town, every small club, every field, every family, and every community that had carried the game quietly for years.”

This jersey also carries the memory of three New Zealand rugby league figures through the detail in the Kotahitanga gripper - Quentin Pongia, Sonny Fai, and Doc Mayhew.

Created by Brown’s 19-year-old niece, Grace, the gripper is a symbol of honouring the presence of those “who are still felt in the fabric” of the club.

“Their legacy is not loud. It is steady. It sits within the jersey as a reminder of courage, service, and the people who continue to guide us long after they are gone,” the team shared in an Instagram post.

Other key details include the regional colours of the grassroots rugby league clubs from around the country, the koru fern crest shield representing protection and guidance and the icon placement of the Warriors logo on the collar - inspired by early millennial jersey designs.

As the club puts it, this jersey is about “More than a name. More than a club. Something deeper, carried deep and passed from player to player, family to family, generation to generation.”

“The hard carry. The inside chase. The unseen tackle. The sacrifice that gave someone else their moment. That is our heartbeat.”

The Warriors is a club where the meaning of kotahitanga is deeply felt.