Even though the One NZ Warriors have been taking a few knocks lately, you know there's always that hardcore Wahs fan who still reckons it's "their year".
One UK-born Christchurch lady came up with a wicked way to show her bloke's mad love for the team during their Bali trip, and it's meaaan as!
When Francesa Barrett was sorting out accommodation for her and Scott Lopdell's first overseas trip together, she noticed the Balinese villas offered the option of paying extra for special 'pool decor' to be set up on arrival.
Usually, the staff are asked to spell out the soppy stuff like 'I love you' or even to pop the big question but not Francesa. She bucked the trend with an 'up the Wahs' set-up that left her man gobsmacked.
"I thought, 'why not?'" she said. "It worked out as about $170 for the pool and bath decorations and a bottle of wine - which was actually pretty nice!."
"He loves anything Warriors-related, so he was pretty chuffed with the result," she added.
Scott's mates chimed in with a few "she's a keeper" comments, but the best reactions came from their fellow holiday-goers, who were sure it must have been the couple's honeymoon or that they were getting engaged.
"He was getting an earful when he said no," she said.
Francesca wanted to do something special for Scott to celebrate his first holiday in years since starting his business, Riverstone Concrete in Christchurch. She said she forced him to take a break, but that he was still fielding calls at 2am from eager customers while they were away.
After a 2.5-hour taxi drive from the airport, the pair were so overheated they only waited 30 minutes before jumping in the pool, but the decorations lasted well into the next day when they were served their floating breakfast amongst the Wahs dedication.
Earlier in their relationship, Francesca got a custom Warriors cake made for Scott and says she's "working towards" becoming a proper fan of the team herself.
"Funnily enough we’re doing a 'Warriors tour' for our next two trips, going to Auckland in June and then Brisbane in August to see them play," she said. "He even bought me my own jersey."
As for when that engagement might actually happen? "Maybe if the Warriors make it to the final…"
What a legend!
