Kids ready to tackle league heroes

Selwyn School students Brody Taroa , 10 (left), Bob Korau, 7, and Darryl Walker, 10, cannot wait to meet their league heroes when they visit the school on Thursday. Photo / Stephen Parker

Young Rotorua rugby league fans will get a chance to meet their heroes when the Vodafone Warriors come to town.

The players will be visiting 12 Rotorua schools from Thursday, ahead of playing Penrith Panthers at Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday.

Leading the delegation of players will be two Kiwi rugby league legends - retired centre Jerome Ropati, who has been appointed an NRL community ambassador, and Warriors rehabilitation coach Ruben Wiki.

They will be joined by current players Siliva Havili, Glen Fisiiahi and Charlie Gubb.

Ropati told the Rotorua Daily Post the visit to Rotorua schools will be the first time he will be promoting health in the community in his new role.

"[My role] is about being with the kids and sharing the message about simple things in life - like how to hydrate, how to include one another in schools.

"[I'll be] bringing some players along to create awareness in what we do as players and also it's a way to give back to the community," he said.

"Players understand the situation a lot of kids are going through with struggles in their primary school years. Not only in the physical sense, but being accepted, and how important it is to ask for help in school."

Selwyn School principal Peter Barker said his students were excited to be one of the schools chosen for the visit.

"Our kids are very sport-orientated in both rugby, league and touch, and these players are the kids' heroes so it's a great opportunity to for them to connect with their role models.

"They're huge fans, there's always Warriors jerseys in our school."

Some Warriors will also appear at the Rotorua Night Market on Thursday, attend the WaiCoaBay Nines on Friday night (which also run on Saturday) and support club sponsor Wendy's with an in-store appearance at its Fairy Springs Rd branch.

Warriors head coach Andrew McFadden has said he would field the strongest possible squad on Saturday in what will be the Warriors' only NRL build-up match on New Zealand soil.

Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster in the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre, online at www.ticketmaster.co.nz, or by calling (0800) 111 999. Tickets are $20 for adults, $7.50 for children and $45 for a family pass of two adults and three children.