Chiefs season 2025: Game on!
It’s been a thrilling season so far, and as proud major sponsors, we have been right there in the action – helping to fuel the fan experience and support the next generation of rugby talent.
At the games
This year, we stepped things up with two eye-catching Fanzones. The original on the Porter stand side (complete with merch giveaways and games), and a brand new one on the Brian Perry stand, also loaded with giveaways.
Porter stand
Brian Perry stand
Tuatahi Chief for a Day
Tuatahi Chief for a Day is back for another season! This unforgettable experience gives one lucky under 12 Chiefs fan the chance to deliver the match ball, sit with players in the dugout and feature in an interview on the stadium’s big screen. The prize pack includes five game tickets, a Chiefs jersey, and food and beverage vouchers.
Tuatahi Mahi Award
In another initiative to support grassroots rugby, we launched the Tuatahi Mahi Award. This was a competition celebrating the grit and commitment of our rising rugby stars (aged 13 and under).
At half-time during the recent game against Moana Pasifika, 10 winners were presented with awesome Chiefs merch, a $50 Prezzy Card and trophy, with one standout winner getting the honour of presenting the Tuatahi Fans Player of the Year Award at the annual Chiefs Awards dinner.
The lucky overall winner was 12-year-old Tom Hatting, an avid rugby player who truly embodies the core values of the game – teamwork, respect, hard work, and perseverance. Tom plays in the 13th grade for the Suburbs Community Rugby Club. He’s also actively involved with the Waikato Referee Association, where he’s training as a first-year referee - an impressive undertaking for someone his age.
Tom was nominated by his mum, who spoke with pride about his dedication: “I'm proud to nominate Tom for this award in recognition of his outstanding commitment to rugby and the hard mahi he puts into his training and games both on and off the field. Tom brings unmatched passion and energy to the game. As a player, he leads by example – dedicated, driven, and always putting the team first. His respect for all aspects of the game makes him a true role model in the rugby community.”
Tom’s coach also shared glowing praise: “Tom is a really great kid and an awesome player – an absolute pleasure to have on the team. His brother loves training with us too, which shows how much they both enjoy being part of the team and their love for the sport. What really stands out is that he even takes on some refereeing duties as well as playing, which is pretty awesome at his age. He's an all-round standout and a very deserving recipient of this award.”
At Tuatahi, we’re proud to recognise young athletes like Tom through the Tuatahi Mahi Award – the future of rugby is in good hands.
Junior rugby club visit
In a recent social media competition, Tuatahi gave junior rugby clubs the chance to win an unforgettable experience with the Gallagher Chiefs.
Around 60 young players from the Raglan Junior Rugby Club – the lucky winners – descended on the Chiefs' training ground at Ruakura to get up close with their rugby heroes.
Chiefs players Samipeni Finau, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Xavier Roe, Bradley Slater, Jahrome Brown, and Naitoa Ah Kuoi led the action, running a variety of fun activities including a skills session, bullrush, an obstacle course, and a rugby-themed puzzle and trivia challenge. They wrapped up the afternoon handing out merch, signing autographs, and posing for photos with the excited junior players.
“On behalf of Raglan Junior Rugby Club I would like to thank Tuatahi First Fibre and the Gallagher Chiefs for such an amazing experience,” says Luca Bosch, parent and 7th grade assistant coach.
Luca says the kids – from very young to the older ones with grey beards - were over the moon when they heard we had the opportunity to train with some of the Chiefs players, score some merchandise and get some tickets to the Chiefs game.
“The main talking point in our 7th grade chat was how all of our kids refused to take their Chiefs tees for a couple of days. Another cool moment was as my son and I walked to the Moana Pasifika game, other fans commented on the Tuatahi/Chiefs wig he got the visit and I could see him swell up with pride.”
