Warriors to visit Rotorua schools

Vodafone Warriors legend Jerome Ropati along with NRL team's rehab coach Ruben Wiki will be spearheading a delegate of players who will be visiting 12 Rotorua schools this week.

Vodafone Warriors greats will be visiting close to 5000 students at 12 schools in Rotorua this week.

Jerome Ropati, who has just been appointed as an NRL community ambassador, and former team-mate Ruben Wiki, the NRL team's rehab coach, will be visiting from Wednesday night for a community and promotional visit ahead of the Vodafone Warriors' NRL trial against the Penrith Panthers at Rotorua International Stadium on Valentine's Day this Saturday.

Before romance meets rugby league, Ropati, Wiki and Vodafone Warriors community relations manager Petrece Kesha will be joined by three players from the club's NRL squad for a series of community activities.

Split into two teams of three, the Vodafone Warriors' advance guard will visit six schools on Thursday and another six on Friday in an intensive community initiative before the club's NRL players and coaching staff arrive on Friday to prepare for the trial.

"Jerome and Ruben plus the three current players will be heading into the schools to give the kids a chance of getting up close and personal with the Vodafone Warriors," Ms Kesha said.

"They'll also spread the NRL's community message this year which is all about wellbeing, focusing on everything from nutrition and healthy eating to the importance of regular exercise and its effect on mental health."

As well as visiting schools, the Vodafone Warriors will be involved in other activities including an appearance at the Rotorua Night Market on Thursday, attending the Wai-Coa-Bay Nines on Friday night (which also run on Saturday) and supporting club sponsor Wendy's by making an in-store appearance at its Fairy Springs Road site.

The Vodafone Warriors' activities in Rotorua are among the first events in the NRL's 2015 Community Carnival; the carnival was launched in Australia last week by Olympic great Cathy Freeman and another new NRL community ambassador Anthony Minichiello.

"This is a particularly special Community Carnival as we celebrate 15 years of the programme and we're delighted to have Catherine throw her support behind this year's wellbeing message," head of NRL Community Adam Check said.

"Community Carnival has made a tremendous contribution over the years by raising awareness of important societal issues such as bullying and social inclusion. The programme has demonstrated that the game, our ambassadors and players can impart positive messages that students and young people will observe."

The Vodafone Warriors' community activities in Rotorua will heighten awareness of what will be the club's most important trial heading into the 2015 NRL season.
Head coach Andrew McFadden used an inexperienced side in Saturday night's hit-out against the Gold Coast which had always been the plan.

For the Penrith trial, though, McFadden will field the strongest squad possible in what will be the Vodafone Warriors NRL build-up match on New Zealand soil.
As they did in Toowoomba on Saturday night, the Vodafone Warriors will wear the 'Zion' training kit for the Rotorua trial.