An hour and a half before kick-off, Caxton Street in Brisbane was closed to traffic. Police had barricaded the roads. Outside the Lord Alfred Hotel, thousands of Warriors fans in blue and green were gathering, flags in hand, drums beating. Word had gone out: we march together. The hīkoi moved slowly at first, then gathered momentum as more fans joined from the side streets. Gawking locals watched from pub windows. The Warriors fans chanted, sang, and cheered their way to Suncorp Stadium, where they would outnumber every other fanbase in the building. At half-time, the stadium played Poi E. The crowd sang Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi. The Warriors won 42–12.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who scored twice, looked up at the northern stand and said: “There were so many fans here, it felt like Auckland.”
It was not just a rugby league match. It was a declaration.
