XF Sports Forum - NZWarriors.com

[tajhay]

Website
www.nzwarriors.com

About
The website is about a Rugby League professional club based in New Zealand, that plays in the Australasian Rugby League Comp (NRL). It caters for fans of the team usually referred to as the NZ Warriors, but for sponsorship reasons are officially known as Vodafone Warriors. Official website is at www.warriors.co.nz. This website is not affiliated with the official website in anyway, and as the official website does not provide a voice for the fans, we decided to create this. It has been around in various forms and URLs since 2003, having gone through various name changes nzwarriorsonline.com, nzwarriorsfans.com and now back to nzwarriors.com

After a couple of fans took ownership of the site 1.5 years ago, we decided to drop all the existing posts and start afresh. A lot of spam, and most importantly low quality posts had started invading the problem. To create a culture shift, we decided on a new base(xenforo) from the previous VBulletin 3.8 software, and to try to educate the users on what was acceptable posting. We are fairly lenient though, but lets face it, noone likes to wade through crap 'lol', 'i agree bro' type posts in order to get to the meaningful discussion that takes place.

Addons

Spoiler: Enabled

Add Poll to Existing Threads 1.1.4
Add-on Install & Upgrade 1.1.0
Allow Tabs in Redactor Editor by Waindigo 1.0.0b
Announce When A Trophy Is Awarded 1.0.1
AzuCloud 0.1.2
******* - Modern Statistics 1.7.0
Calendar 2.6
Conversations Access by Waindigo 1.0.1a
Custom Footer customFooter
Daily Statistics 1.2.0
Digital Point Ad Positioning 1.2.1
Digital Point Better Analytics 1.0.4
Email Idle Users by Waindigo 1.0.2b
Enable Debug From Admin Home 1.1a
Friend Inviter 2.0.8
Go To Top ! 2.1.1
History 1.2
Instagram Media Site 1.1
Install and Upgrade by Waindigo 1.0.8
Keyword Alert 1.0.2b
Keyword Replace by Waindigo 1.0.3a
Last Post Avatar by Waindigo 1.1.8c
Live Update 3.0
Login As User by Waindigo 1.1.8a
New User Notification System 2.1
Nodes As Tabs 1.2.2
Notifications 1.5.2
Post Comments 2.0
Post Message Regex Replacer 1.0.0
Querier 1.0.0
QuoteME ! 2.0.5.1
Search Log 1.6
Similar Threads 2.7
Sitemap for XenForo 1.3.2
sonnb - XenGallery 1.1.4
Start Conversation from Post 1.2.5
TaigaChat Pro 1.2.0
Template Syntax 1.6.1
Template Tools for Admins 1.1.0
Thread Watchers 1.2
Twitter Bbcode 1.2.7
WDB Extra Stats 1.0
Xen Cache 1.0.1
Xen Extra Alert 0.0.3
XenFacil's Quote 7.0
XFA - Previous and Next thread link 1.0.0
[bd] Anonymous Posting 2.2
[bd] Cache 1.0.5
[bd] Content List 0.9.3
[bd] Image 1.0.0b
[bd] Widget Framework 2.4.8
[Iversia] FAQ Manager 3.0.0
[NFLJ] Pickem 1.2.0
[NFLJ] Showcase 1.3.1
[NFLJ] Sportsbook 1.3.0
[Nobita] Overall Player Stats 1.1.0
[Nobita] Player Rating 1.3.4
[Nobita] Player Stats 1.1.1
[Nobita] Scheduled Post 1.3.3
[rellect] Favicon for Links 1.0.4
[RT] Online Status Ribbon 1.3.7
[Tinhte] Attach Image Optimization 2.2.11

Spoiler: Currently Disabled (Turned on for certain tasks/waiting for addon to be further developed to suit our needs)

Admin Image Uploader by Waindigo 1.0.2
Conversation Search by Waindigo 1.0.4
CTA Featured Threads 1.5.0
Custom Fields by Waindigo 1.3.0e
DataTables BB Code by Waindigo 1.0.6a
HashTagging 1.1.1
Just In Time Registration 1.0.1
Magic Breadcrumb Arrow 2.2
MassAlert 1.1.0
Maximum Guest Views by Waindigo 1.0.0e
ParseHTML 1.0.7
Podomatic Media Site 1.0.0
Poll as Pie Chart 0.4.0
Prefix Forum Listing 1.2.3
Quoted Media & Images As Links 1.0.0
ragtek First Post Moderated 1.0.0
RazorThemes Twitter Module 1.0.6
SoundCloud BBcode Media Site 1.8.3
User Criteria by Waindigo 1.0.10
vFcoders - Hide Hack 1.4.3
Website Width Toggle 1.1
WYSIWYG Editor for Pages 0.9.2
XenForo Resource Manager 1.0.1
XF Arcade 0.0.9
[8wayRun.Com] XenPorta (Portal) 1.6.0
[bd] Mails 0.9.2
[bd] Social Share 1.4.2
[bd] Tag Me 3.0.2
[oxy] News Portal 1.12e
[Tinhte] XenTag 1.8.4b
[XenMods] HashTagging 2.0 Beta 1
[XI] Blog 1.0.0
[YOU] hack 1.1.1

Key Features
Anonymous Posts
We have sources close to the club i.e. Players, Club Staff/Officials/Friends of players/Former Players who frequent the site and the verified ones are able to post certain rumours Anonymously. We have a very high rate of rumours being substantiated, and the site is viewed as the best place to get latest news on the team.
Player Profiles
We changed Showcase to display player profiles instead. Also through the use of custom addons, we have enhanced it for our needs to display 2013 player stats along with displaying their current 2014 ratings by user and average of the community who rated the player in the match.








Rating Games
Ability to rate each game and see who rated each player what.


- Fixture Lists
This displays upcoming games, full fixture lists as well as completed games. It also stores the results of each game, the man of the match (highest rated player on average) as well as the pre and post match discussion threads (not displayed in the screenshot below).


Selection of user 'Dream Teams'
This allows the user to be the coach/manager and choose what they think is the best team. In the next tab it displays what proportion of people who choose dream teams chose each player in their 'dream team'




2013 stats
- we store all the 2013 stats for each game so users are able to use the tools provided to create their own queries to see who the better performers were in key criterias last year.



Linking of player names back to their player profiles
As can be shown, as well as in the threads etc, all player names are linked to their player profile.

Bookie/ Sportsbook (virtual betting)
We use sportsbook to allow users to wager amounts on each game throughout the season. A myriad of odds are presented for each game and are promptly settled after every game. We gave out a 2013 jersey signed by the whole team for last years winner.

Pickem (virtual tipping)
Our tipping is fairly popular amongst the community and gets everyone involved. We also gave out a 2013 jersey signed by the whole team for last years winner.

Offtopic Posts
We send offtopic topics that do not belong in the discussion to the bog. Each thread created in that area is locked from replying. It basically gives the users an idea on what not to post. No warnings etc are used.

Theres a few other things features/ things we do, that are probably different to how its usually done by other forums. Unfortunately if i wrote it all out id be here all day!

I do not expect anyone from here to sign up to the site considering our CAPTCHA requires you to know a little bit about the team, but if you want to have a look around feel free to drop me a message and i can create an account for you to look around. We have different user profiles, so even if you register you do not necessarily get to see everything as we open up the site with all the features only after ppl have posted 50 posts or been with us for over a year.

Thank You
The site would not be what it is without the support of the great community here, and the wonderful developers that have provided some great addons. I have pretty much bought most of the addons and tried to utilise them for the benefit of the site. To the developers, you guys rock! In particular thank you to the following people:
@oman
@Bob B
@Nobita.Kun
@Brogan
@Jake Bunce
@xfrocks
@Waindigo
@Chris D
@Sheldon
@Andy B

Please feel free to view the site, critique it, and or give suggestions. Please do note that the front page is currently going through some changes as it is using a unreleased addon by a known author on here, and is not finished. There are currently new skins being worked on which will eventually take over from what is currently there.

The season is starting for us this sunday (season runs from March till October) and it looks like its going to be a bumper year for the site based on this time last year.

Some Google Analytics Stats

 

[Kim]

What a huge amount of work you have put into your forum, well done it's a very comprehensive site!!!

I am sure it's a great place to hang out if you're a fan or just into NRL or the Warriors in particular.

 

[tajhay]

What a huge amount of work you have put into your forum, well done it's a very comprehensive site!!!

I am sure it's a great place to hang out if you're a fan or just into NRL or the Warriors in particular.

Thanks Kim, appreciate it! If you have any suggestions on styling etc (im not very good at it at all) would love to hear if you get the chance

 

[Jethro]

Kia Ora Bro,

Impressive site though I was slightly confused with the current season fixtures, which only shows Round 1. Lot of work gone in there which presents as the best team support site I've ever seen.

Mildly support the Warriors till the CC Bears make the comp in 2017 or so

Add a Rugby forum down near the bottom and I'll sign up Hawke's Bay Magpies supporter.

How are things looking in Warriors land currently? - must be better than over in Eastern Sydney after last night's slam dunk by the Rabbitohs.

Good luck with the site, you deserve every success with it. Might be worth joining league unlimited with a sig link

 

[tajhay]

Kia Ora Bro,

Impressive site though I was slightly confused with the current season fixtures, which only shows Round 1. Lot of work gone in there which presents as the best team support site I've ever seen.

Mildly support the Warriors till the CC Bears make the comp in 2017 or so

Add a Rugby forum down near the bottom and I'll sign up Hawke's Bay Magpies supporter.

How are things looking in Warriors land currently? - must be better than over in Eastern Sydney after last night's slam dunk by the Rabbitohs.

Good luck with the site, you deserve every success with it. Might be worth joining league unlimited with a sig link

Haha knew there would be another kiwi on these forums! Kia Ora bro!

Yeah so far i have only posted up round 1 as was busy with other things. Full schedule will be up (to round 20 anyway) sometime next week.

There are some rugby threads in the 'Other Sports' section (http://www.nzwarriors.com/forum/other-sports.15/). Unfortunately a lot of hatred between the two codes and the stigma of being the poor cousin of the codes still reigns supreme with most leaguie supporters so im sure you will fire up a few league fans with rugby posts, although there are many who enjoy union just as much (me included).

Warriors looking good this year (dont ask about last - we finished 14th/16th), signing Sam Tomkins helps and the gun youngsters like Shaun Johnson, Glenn Fisiiahi coming through and getting more experience helps. Most are quietly confident of a top 4 spot this year.

Thanks for the review bro, appreciate it. I think LU nazi mods remove sigs to competing sites (they have a warriors section), even though they open copy and paste a lot of our content on their site (we use tynt to monitor where our content is copied to).

Churr bro!

 

[Dakis]

This is an amazing site, well done!!

 

[Kelvin]

Like the design, very good job you have done, good luck on your forum.

 

[Paul B]

Nice write up.
Out of interest, why do you have Featured Threads disabled (and why are you still running 1.5.0)?

 

[tajhay]

Nice write up.
Out of interest, why do you have Featured Threads disabled (and why are you still running 1.5.0)?

Because I would have liked the option to display an image of my choosing/predefined image based on the forum the thread was from rather than showing users avatars. Since that idea is still "under consideration" since first release of the addon I simply deactivated addon and stopped updating. Im sure im not the only one who purchased who wants that either.

 

[Jethro]

tajhaj, there's a couple of other kiwis hanging around as well

So joined your site, you have some problem posters to be honest which is going to restrict your membership potential. Only took a few posts to have some muppet go on the warpath Mind you have seen similar reactions on rugby sites when people raise league topics. Which reminds me need to go check out what sort of a disaster the Canes turned in last night.

 

[Tai Coromandel]

Go the Warriors!

Brilliant site, I can see a lot of effort has been put into it. I also can see someone I know on the notable members tabs (cough sup42)!

 

[eberkund]

Cool site, it looks like you really captured a great niche. Do you mind me asking what add-on you are using for your homepage?

 

[tajhay]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

A couple of things added recently:
- Customised version of post ratings. 4 options (Like/Agree, Funny, Inappropriate, Offtopic).
- Using the standard features of the above ratings we hide posts that gather too many offtopic or inappropriate ratings. We are using this addon as a moderating tool and letting the members self moderate each other.
- Few changes made to this addon including:
a) posters DONT get alerted when someone has rated their post negatively (inappropriate/offtopic). This stops revenge ratings.
b) posters dont get to see who rated their post negatively. Only mods (permission control) can see the negative ratings and who gave them etc.
c) any deletes by the mods (soft or hard) have a penalty of 5 negative rating points collated into the offtopic bucket.

The system helps moderate the community. Users with red creeping into the postbit bar start caring and change their posting habits. Makes the nods notice repeat offenders a bit more. Great system.

Cool site, it looks like you really captured a great niche. Do you mind me asking what add-on you are using for your homepage?

We use an unreleased portal solution by a prominent developer on here. Since the addon hasnt been released yet publically I wont mention his name or the addon, but its in the list of the addons i listed above. To be honest i have not modified the homepage at all and it really is needing some love. Will do it once a more stable version of the addon is released.

You can achieve the same look using XenPorta, Extra Portal, or alternatively CTA Featured threads, or Oxy News for a different look and feel.

All of them have their pros and cons. I will probably be moving to CTA Featured Threads for my portal or Oxy News in the future, or even Extra Portal (once they have the new design sorted out).

 

[Kevin Remer]

- Fixture Lists
This displays upcoming games, full fixture lists as well as completed games. It also stores the results of each game, the man of the match (highest rated player on average) as well as the pre and post match discussion threads (not displayed in the screenshot below).

What did you use to create this? Or is it all custom work? I have a forum for 4 sports teams, and was looking for something exactly like this.

 

[tajhay]

What did you use to create this? Or is it all custom work? I have a forum for 4 sports teams, and was looking for something exactly like this.

Custom addon that is configurable for other sports sites/teams. Addon has been further enhanced since the write up. PM me if interested in purchasing. Limiting the use of the addon to select sites.

 

[tajhay]

UPDATE

Huge overhaul of the site in regards to style, logo and functionality. @pixelExit.com guys have done a fantastic job based on our requirements with additional work carried out to customise it even further. Members liking the cleanness of it.

website is : http://www.nzwarriors.com/

Happy for any feedback (good or bad).

If anyone has a sports or related site and wants to delve a lil deeper, happy to provide a posting disabled account to have a look around and play with the features, otherwise feel free to join, although its a very niche sports related forum (most people on here wont even know what rugby league is )

Note : As an unofficial site to the actual club(http://www.warriors.kiwi/), we are not allowed to use their logo, hence have gone for a look incorporating the teams jersey colours. However we are sure they would prefer our domain over the one they have

 

[CFodder]

I hope the Warriors put in as much effort on the field as you have on the site mate, it looks very nice indeed .

Only suggestion I would make, as it's a personal preference, would be have an optional fixed width theme, I couldn't find one but if you already have it then my apologies.

 

[Oz_Horror]

Wow site looks awesome. How much is your stats system and what are you using for the dream team? You have improved this dramatically over the years. Looks really great.

 

[tajhay]

Wow site looks awesome. How much is your stats system and what are you using for the dream team? You have improved this dramatically over the years. Looks really great.

Thanks for the kind words. The stats/dream team selections and player ratings are custom addons. Will look at updating the screenshots on here sometime - there have been numerous enhancements since my first post.

Pity the Warriors are going so bad this season lol

 

[Oz_Horror]

Thanks for the kind words. The stats/dream team selections and player ratings are custom addons. Will look at updating the screenshots on here sometime - there have been numerous enhancements since my first post.

Pity the Warriors are going so bad this season lol

Oh you think the Warriors are going bad... I moved from NZ to the Gold Coast in 97 - supported the Chargers and now... The Titans. Talk about going bad I am worried we wouldn't even beat the bye the rate we are playing.

Anyway awesome site - fantastic work please keep it up the NRL and other sports need fans and fan sites like this and you are doing an awesome job.