KEY POINTS:
The beards finally came off yesterday - revealing more than just skin.
After months of speculation, the Warriors finally revealed the reason behind the hairy business.
Members of the team were at Auckland City's Aotea Square yesterday morning, getting their beards shaved off for Kidz First Children's Hospital in South Auckland.
Loose forward Wairangi Koopu - who is the Kidz First ambassador - came up with the idea, after team members began growing their facial hair.
"We knew that the boys were going to take them off sometime so thought: 'Why not shave them off for a good cause?'
"The curiosity from the public made it better - there was another reason why the boys were growing them - I'm glad that they got into it," Koopu said.
He encouraged people to show their support for the Warriors' big shave-off for Kidz First, by texting "beards" to 4483 to make an automatic $3 donation.
Funds raised will go towards purchasing prescription eye glasses for youngsters - a much-needed tool for many children, South Auckland Health executive director Pam Tregonning said.
"A lot of families, with food prices rising and so on, they're struggling," she said. "We can imagine going to school without eye glasses when you need them - it affects how they learn and their ability to learn."
Koopu said that many of the children at Kidz First had a strong connection with the Warriors, as a number of the team grew up in South Auckland.
"You get a lot of kids - when they see us - we make their day."
He said a number of his teammates' partners were not so keen on the beards. "And I've had a few calls from wives today saying they're glad the beards are being shaved off today."
