Sport unites with popular music culture to give the Auckland Warriors’ anthem, Matter of Faith, a new lease of life. One New Zealand has revived the legendary NRL team anthem 25 years after the song was first created by Vodafone, turning a piece of the brand and club’s shared history into a celebration of Warriors fandom today. Originally released in 2001, Matter of Faith became part of the soundtrack to a defining period for the club. Now, One NZ has returned to the song as a way of celebrating the Wahs, their fans and the belief that binds them together.

The 2026 version, created with McCann and reimagined by Māori brothers band, Coterie, draws on One NZ’s long-standing relationship with the Warriors and a simple truth that has endured throughout it: no matter the result, Warriors fans keep showing up.

Susannah Winger, head of brand experience at One NZ, stated, “We’ve been backing the Warriors for more than 25 years, so there’s a huge amount of shared history between our brand, the club and its fans. Matter of Faith is part of that history, but the idea behind it feels just as true today. Warriors fans are there through the highs and the lows. They show up, wear the colours and keep believing – and we’re right there with them.

“Bringing the song back 25 years later is our way of celebrating that enduring faith in the Wahs and the incredible community around them.”

Working with One NZ, McCann helped bring the idea to life, taking the original piece of brand history and reimagining it as a contemporary expression of Warriors fandom.

The track is accompanied by a film shot at Go Media Stadium and directed by longtime Warriors supporter, Andy Morton. It puts the fans at the centre, with Coterie leading supporters through the stadium’s tunnels, concourses and stands before coming together for a mass performance on the pitch. The film brings together faces from Warriors past and present alongside vintage jerseys and memorabilia, including the first Warriors jersey presented at the club’s original 1995 launch.

“To be involved in celebrating the best fan base in sports is special,” Morton stated. “It’s a nod to where we’ve come from, but more so, it’s a tip of the hat to those who stand ten toes deep for the club and always keep the faith.”

For One NZ, the new anthem recognises the brand’s commitment to the Warriors and the extraordinary loyalty of the people who support them.

Matter of Faith 2.0 by Coterie is available on Spotify here and Apple Music here

Credits:
Client: One New Zealand
Agency: McCann New Zealand
Director: Andy Morton
Production: Triple Double
Band: Coterie