Warriors star Shaun Johnson says it was fun running water for an under-10 rugby league side in south Auckland.
"It was a bit of a different role. I haven't run the water before. They just simply asked me when they wanted the water and I squirted it in their mouth," he said after a morning with the Manurewa Marlins' Southsiders team at Mountfort Park on Saturday.
He actually did the job for the Southsiders and for their rivals, the Tuakau Broncos.
The number of spectators swelled to about 200 from the usual 40, owing to the status of the waterboy.
The Warriors halfback, in a post on Facebook on Monday night, offered to run the water for a lower-grade team. He received 9900 responses and 1900 comments before making his decision on Thursday.
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After delivering on his promise he said hopefully the juniors had fun.
"It's kind of indescribable," said Johnson, who began his league with the Hibiscus Coast Raiders at the age of four.
"I remember playing for my local club through all these local grades, under-nines, under-10s, everything."
Johnson said Mountfort Park was a ground he played at during his younger days.
"To be able to come back in a different role and just seeing how much they love the sport, it's really refreshing," he said.
"It's definitely something I'll do again."
Johnson is next in action for the Warriors against the Melbourne Storm on Monday.
