New Haven Warriors

New Haven Warriors

Club information
Full name	New Haven Warriors Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)	Warriors
Colours	Black      Grey
Founded	2006
Current details
Ground(s)	Ken Strong Stadium West Haven, Connecticut (5000 [1])
CEO(s)	Adam Hamon
Coach(s)	Justin Xenelis
Captain(s)	Siose Muliumu
Competition	USA Rugby League
2011	4th
Records
Premierships	1 (AMNRL) (2008)
Runners-up	2 (1 USARL, 1 AMNRL) (2011 (USARL), 2010 (AMNRL))
Minor premiership	1 (AMNRL) (2010)

The New Haven Warriors are a semi-professional rugby league football team based in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. They currently play in the USA Rugby League. They play their home games at Ken Strong Stadium in West Haven, Connecticut.

The team was established in 2006 as an expansion team of the American National Rugby League (AMNRL). They played in the AMNRL for five seasons, winning the 2008 Grand Final. On January 12, 2011 the Warriors became one of seven clubs that withdrew from the AMNRL to form the new USA Rugby League. The club has an affiliate partnership agreement with New Zealand professional club the New Zealand Warriors, who currently compete in the National Rugby League.^[2] They won the 2008 ANMNRL Championship and have made playoff appearances every year of play, advancing to the AMNRL Grand Final in 2010 and the USARL Grand Final in 2011.

History

The club was founded for the 2006 AMNRL season by Adam Hamon, Blair Wards, Chris Willey and Tony Feasey. The Warriors management now consists of Adam Hamon (chairman), Justin Xenenlis (President), Brian Lee (Marketing and Sponsorship), Chris Yeargan (Treasurer), Bill West and Ed Reed (IT), and executive committee members Tony Feasey, Siose Muliumu. In their debut AMNRL season the Warriors side had an impressive inaugural year finishing 5th and within the top tier bracket of the competition and qualifying for the playoff series; however they would eventually be knocked out by the New York Knights in a close encounter that finished 26 - 22.

In 2007 the club again finished 5th and again faced the New York Knights in the playoffs to the final. This time they won 34 - 8 but were eliminated by their interstate rivals and eventual champions the Connecticut Wildcats in the semi finals 42 - 18. The Warriors has already earnt the reputation as the most physical side in the AMNRL, and includes several Maori and Polynesian players from New Zealand. In 2008, the club won the Grand Final, beating the Aston DSC Bulls 50 - 18 at Fort Dix, NJ. They advanced through the semifinal by beating the Connecticut Wildcats 40 - 34.

USARL

The club joined the breakaway USARL competition in 2011, finishing 4th in the inaugural season. The Warriors achieved an upset win over the minor premiers Jacksonville Axemen to secure a championship final berth against the Philadelphia Fight. They were defeated by Philadelphia in the USARL's inaugural Grand Final.

USARL season summaries

C=Champions, R=Runners-Ups, F=Finished first, P=Playoff Appearance, L=Finished Last
(Brackets Represent Playoff Games)

Competition	Games Played	Games Won	Games Drawn	Games Lost	Ladder Position	C	R	F	P	L	Coach	Captain	Notes
2011 USARL season	8 (1)	5 (0)	0	3 (0)	4/8		R		P		Justin Xenelis	Siose Muliumu

Uniform and colors

Team badge used until 2010

For their inaugural American National Rugby League season the club adopted the colors of navy blue, green and white stripe design characteristic of the old style vintage rugby league jerseys. The warriors now sport the reverse colors of their affiliate club, the New Zealand Warriors, who play in grey and black.^[3]

Current squad

New Haven Warriors
USARL squad								Coaching staff
Karl Buck - SR Matt Callan - PR Jon Paul Davis - SR Dillon Ford - WG Wesley Haughton - PR Andrew Hull - SR Brian Lee - WG Amosa Lio - PR Michael Lombard - PR Andrew Maroney - PR Jimmy McGowan - PR Siose Muliumu (c) - LK Keith Nelson - CE		Damien O'Malveney - HB Edward Reed - CE Ewan Robinson - LK Derrick Roma - CE Joe Roucken - WG Matt Sbordone - WG Brian Schacht - HK Tauruean Sheehan - HK Bill West - CE Justin Xenelis - SR Chris Yergan - PR						Head coach Justin Xenelis Legend: (c) Captain (vc) Vice captain (gk) Goal-kicker Injured Updated: 15 June 2011 Source(s): http://newhavenwarriors.net/?page_id=79

Stadium

The Warriors home ground is Ken Strong Stadium at West Haven High School in West Haven, Connecticut.^[4]

Statistics and records

Biggest winning margin

Margin	Score	Opponent	Venue	Date
76	76 - 0	Northern Raiders	Andrews Field	June 14, 2008 (Rd 2)

Biggest losing margin

Margin	Score	Opponent	Venue	Date
16	40 - 24	Connecticut Wildcats	Jonathan Law Stadium	June 30, 2007 (Rd 5)

Most points for the club

Player	Points	Years	M
Siose Muliumu	28 (6 tries)	2006	5 *

Most points in a match

Points	Player	Opponent	Venue	Date	Score
36 (3 tries/12 conversions)	Luke Carr	Northern Raiders	Andrews Field	Round 2, 2008	76 - 0
8 (2 tries)	Siose Muliumu	Connecticut Wildcats	Depew Park	Round 4, 2006	22 - 42
8 (2 tries)	Siose Muliumu	Boston Braves	Saunders Stadium	Round 7, 2006	32 - 18
8 (2 tries)	Siose Muliumu	Connecticut Wildcats	Dealy Field	Round 9, 2006	26 - 32
8 (2 tries)	Blair Wards	Boston Braves	Saunders Stadium	Round 7, 2006	32 - 18
8 (4 goals)	Steve Scanlan	Boston Braves	Saunders Stadium	Round 7, 2006	32 - 18

Honors

2006 - 1/4 finalists

2007 - semi finalists

2008 - Grand Final Winners

2009 - Semi finalists

• AMNRL Championship titles: 1

• 2010 - Grand finalist runner up

• 2011 - Grand finalist runner up

See also

• Rugby league in the United States

References

1. ^ http://newhavenwarriors.net/news/2010/5/68/
2. ^ AMNRL - American National Rugby League
3. ^ New Haven Warriors Rugby League - New Haven CT Rugby
4. ^ http://newhavenwarriors.net/news/2010/5/68/

External links

• Official website