NRL finals: Warriors chant ‘Up the Wahs’ takes New Zealand by storm as footy team chases grand final glory – and NBA legend Steve Kerr even got involved

A new catchphrase has swept New Zealand as the Warriors attempt to win their first NRL premiership, and even NBA legend Steve Kerr is behind the rugby league team.

The Warriors are in the midst of their best season in two decades, with their spellbinding footy casting a spell over their hordes of supporters as they dare to dream of grand final glory.

The club sealed a top four finish this season, putting them in a strong position heading into the finals, and the fanbase are well and truly behind Andrew Webster on their quest for the top prize.

And the catchphrase ‘Up the Wahs’ has taken over the sporting landscape in New Zealand, with songs reworked to make room for the slogan, supermarket signs donning the message and beer cans plastered with the three words. 

But where did it come from? According to the New Zealand Herald, the phrase may have come from Australia – where footy fans used to refer to the team as the ‘Wah Wahs’ due to their tendency to whinge.

A three-word catchphrase has swept New Zealand ahead of the Warriors’ finals push

‘Up the Wahs’ has taken over ahead of the NRL team’s bid to win the premiership

Others claim that legendary halfback, Shaun Johnson, was the brains behind the slogan. 

Gerard Cronin, a hardcore fan of the footy club, turned the catchphrase into an anthem by transforming Kiwi classic How Bizzare by OMC to ‘Up the Wahs’. The song also features shout outs to Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and the team’s huge forward pack. 

‘A lot of people who don’t like the word [Wahs] still enjoy the song and people who are fans of other teams have gotten into the song as well,’ he said. 

‘It really came out of nowhere … something just clicked in my head.’

Even Steve Kerr is on board with the club’s incredible finals charge. 

The 57-year-old, who coaches the Golden State Warriors in the NBA, was asked for his thoughts on the New Zealand Warriors’ finals push, to which he replied: ‘Up the Wahs’. 

The team’s success in 2023 has seen a boom in shirt sales, with retro jerseys being snapped up in their droves, while a brewing company has begun making an ‘Up the Wahs’ lager. The first batch quickly sold out. 

‘On April Fools, we put out a post that we were putting in a bid to buy the Warriors and we were going to move them down to the Waikato,’ Damon Youdale, head of marketing for Good George Brewing said. 

NBA legend and Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is on board with the battle cry

‘A few people fell for it and others understood it was a bit tongue in cheek. 

‘We could tell that our audience just loved the Warriors and I guess there were a few die-hard pans in the office as well. That kind of planted the seed and obviously, it’s been one of the best seasons in a long time.’ 

The Warriors play reigning champions the Panthers in Penrith on Saturday night.