Warriors vs Panthers: School principal gives motivational speech to students following big Warriors win

Warriors players celebrate their win during the NRL Round 11 match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Penrith Panthers at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AAP Image/Jason OBrien/ Photosport) with Inset of Ngahinapouri school principal Mark Harrop. Photo / Photosport

It seems the Warriors are not the only ones riding high following their Magic Round upset of the defending NRL premiers on Sunday.

Riddled with injuries, a makeshift side stepped out at Suncorp to attempt to stem the flow of a five-match winless streak against the Penrith Panthers.

In one of the gutsiest performances in Warriors history, they ran out 22-20 winners, with several players stepping up in the absence of big names.

Ngahinapouri School principal Mark Harrop saw the win as an opportunity to impart a lesson on resilience to his students, with a clip of a speech he delivered doing the rounds on social media.

“It was looking grim, 10 key players out with injury,” as the principal set the scene for his students.

“The Warriors, with a whole bunch of inexperienced young players, stepped up. They never gave up, they played with heart and they won the game.”

The principal saves his best line for last.

“Resilience, that’s what it looks like.”

Harrop told the Herald speeches like that were a regular occurrence at Ngahinapouri because finding a common ground with his students was important.

“I walk through the school all the time and talk to all the kids and half of them will give me an “Up the Wahs” and a high five.”

Resilience is one of the core values at Ngahinapouri and Harrop says he likes to incorporate his beloved Warriors, who he has been a fan of since 1995, into his nuggets of advice to the students.

But having the clip blow up on social media was certainly not something he expected, he says.

“ It’s a bit surreal to be honest. I talk like that all the time to the kids... hopefully, the Warriors see it and come and spend some time with the kids.”

The clip has swiftly gone viral on TikTok as league fans on both sides of the Tasman revel in what was the upset win of the round and a potential kick-starter for the Warriors’ faltering season.

One commenter even went as far as to say their educational prospects may have been improved had they been under Harrop’s tutelage.

“I could have been something if he was my teacher.”