Warriors poncho backlash: V looks at new colours after Raiders colour controversy

Warriors fans with green ponchos during the clash with the Raiders. Photo / Photosport

New Zealand energy drink V will look into supplying different coloured ponchos at Warriors games after a good deed backfired during Friday’s NRL clash with the Canberra Raiders.

As the match kicked off at Go Media Stadium, steady rain began to fall and eagle-eyed fans noticed more lime green appearing among the crowd.

But that wasn’t due to a late influx of visiting team fans.

Those uncovered areas had been given lime-green, V-branded ponchos to match the colour of the drink’s original flavour.

While the intention was good to keep spectators dry, the colour made it look like there was more support for the Raiders than there actually was.

The issue wouldn’t have occurred with any other side, as the Raiders are the only team that wears that shade of green.

Many Warriors fans took to social media to share their displeasure, including the Instagram page Boomfa Vintage run by Duncan Wood, who tagged the energy drink in his post.

The V social media account replied saying: “Drinking blue [V] today in solidarity. Will look into this V Blue poncho idea”.

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The response was signed off stating it came from the “head of V’s marketing department”.

The Herald has reached out to V, an official sponsor of the club, for further comment, along with Suntory Oceania, which produces the drink, while the Warriors have also been approached.

The Warriors went on to win the match 40-6 on the back of a dominant second-half performance and now sit second in the standings after two rounds, one of six NRL teams who are unbeaten so far.

They travel to Newcastle for a clash against the Knights on Saturday, but will be without Kurt Capewell and Chanel Harris-Tavita.