‘Up the Wahs’: Auckland trains graffitied amid Warriors fever

Auckland Transport (AT) has “nothing to say” after a vandal graffitied a rallying call for Warriors supporters on the side of one of its trains.

Video footage shared on social media shows a freshly painted “Up the Wahs” on a train sitting in a storage shed.

The user behind the account that posted the video appeared pleased with the work. saying “[this is] by far my fav[ourite] one this year”.

A spokesman for AT, however, seemed less pleased. “We wouldn’t have anything to say on this,” he said, “[It] has not been commissioned by AT.”

An Auckland train has been graffitied with 'Up the Wahs', a supportive slogan for the Warrirors. Photo / Supplied

The catchphrase “Up the Wahs” has taken off in 2023 following the Warriors’ impressive season, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Fans around the country and across the Tasman have embraced the nickname with Kiwis taking every opportunity to seek fame online for using the term.

The “Wahs” movement has taken over from the “Let’s gone Warriors” catchphrase, with a number of current squad members revealing they’ve embraced the new term.

The chief executive of the club’s main sponsor, One New Zealand, has also been seen using the “Wahs” term in videos and announcements to customers and fans.

“Up the Wahs” even went stateside when the coach of NBA Side the Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr, used it in a press conference.

Asked whether he thought the Warriors could win the NRL season, he looked directly at the camera, gave a smile and said: “Up The Wahs”.

The term also made its way into Parliament this week when Speaker Adrian Rurawhe addressed the house issuing a last thank you.

The last thank you was to “the number one Warriors fan in Parliament, and he’s up there in that sound booth. His name is Colin Pearce.”

Concluding the debate, and so the business of the House of Representatives, before throwing to a waiata, the speaker said: “So, mister sound man: Up the Wahs!”

The Warriors play the Dolphins on Saturday night.

Their first playoff match will either be against the Brisbane Broncos or the Penrith Panthers.