Local league fans head to Las Vegas

Len Paris and Alan McFadyen have combined their passion for road trips and rugby league to follow the New Zealand Warriors to Las Vegas this week.

The pair met through hockey, with Len coaching Stoke, and discovered their shared love of league. Sit down with them and it is quickly apparent how knowledgeable they are about the game, too.

Alan was born in Blackball, on the West Coast, and proudly points out it had the top league club in New Zealand for 30 years. He captained the Nelson league team, coached the Orcas for two years and has watched the Warriors since day one in 1995.

“I have always been loyal to rugby league, not so much the Warriors. I enjoyed playing the game I was best equipped for,” says the former open side prop, who also represented  Marlborough and Manawatu before retiring at 36.

Len took a very different path, moving to Sydney in 1985. “I had rugby league forced upon me. It was like a religion there and I became an avid North Sydney Bears fan, so I was already used to suffering,” says Len, who returned to Nelson after 10 years away. “So, I didn’t start supporting the Warriors until their second year and I only switched because North Sydney amalgamated with Manly. It was the vilest thing ever,” he declares.

Hockey brought Len and Alan together 15 years ago and you can just imagine their discussions. Alan used to admire the Canberra team, especially their front rowers, and admits he still has a Raiders flag in his garage. Len cites props Joe Vagana and Jerry Seuseu as his favourite Warriors because they did the hard yards, and Queenlanders Kevin Campion and Micheal Luck because they were tough guys too.

“There is only one team in New Zealand to support. I don’t think a South Island side is ever going to happen,” rues Len. Making two grand finals were his best Warrior highlights.

Alan went to the first of them in Sydney in 2002. And the lows for Len, when they had Australian Matthew Elliott as coach in 2013-14. So how did Las Vegas come about?

“We were having a beer one day and heard there was a supporters trip being organised and we thought we could do it cheaper than that. Len is the number cruncher and found much cheaper flights,” enthuses Alan.

Len probably should have been a travel agent. The pair left Nelson at 6.45am on Tuesday and went via Tahiti to Los Angeles where they picked up an SUV for their road trip.

As well as the Warriors playing the Raiders, there are three other matches the same day and Alan packed another league jersey for when Wigan faces Warrington.

“I like English league better than Australian these days,” he reveals. Understandably he is a Wigan supporter, as Cecil Mountford played for the club.
Actually the “Blackball Bullet” also represented Warrington as a player and then coached there.

After taking in the four matches, the two 65-year-olds will hit the road.