Vodafone Warriors — Combat Football

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Sitting in a restaurant while visiting NZ, US Army Special Forces Chief Hand To Hand Combat Chief Instructor Sergeant Major Lawrence Jordan (retired) was annoyed by the TV blaring in the background as he enjoyed the company and cuisine. Everyone else seemed to be taking in the game on the TV.

There were cheers from time to time and most diners were glued to the TV. Now Larry, being a special operations covert operator, was not into team sports unless it involved no rules and automatic weapons. He was here to assist Tank Todd on a CQB course and catch up with friends and meet the who's who of military close combat in New Zealand.

Eventually he transferred his attention to the TV and the Warriors NRL game. He commented, "Combat Football," much to the delight of everyone. Combat Football it was, and how right he was; bursts of explosive speed and power hard hitting tackles and a game of combat simple objectives with quick stop and start action.

The training and basic physical aspects of combat sports fit well with rugby league and a team like the Warriors with its innovative coaching staff recognise the value of this type of training.

The basics of boxing and wrestling training combined have a lot to offer Combat Football in speed, power, strength and endurance. The world of high performance sport has always recognised that wrestling is one the most fitness orientated sports and that wrestlers are some of the fittest athletes.

Unlike all other combat sports there is no submitting in wrestling or backing off. Ken Reinsfield one of New Zealand's top amateur wrestlers of all time and now a wrestling coach at the Warriors states, "after the tackle in Combat Football it's very much a wrestle."

The Warriors also have Danny Codling, a top class boxer, on board bringing to the Warriors the cardio conditioning aspects of the sport of boxing.

Monty Betham, a former Warriors captain, has not only been involved in the sport of boxing through his father but has made his mark on the National and International Karate scene prior to his professional rugby league career.

Rugby league is eighty minutes of Combat Football that combines all the aspects of stand up and ground work of combat sports and at a blistering pace and with heavy contact that would make many martial arts seem far less challenging.

Fight Times are true blue rugby league fans and have been since Adam was dummy half for the Israelites, about the time that Tank, the owner editor of Fight Times, as a very young school boy in the far south played three games against Australia for Otago. He later assisted the late Mick Foley when he established the St Kilda Sharks Rugby League team in Dunedin, as a team masseur. Tank and the team at Fight Times would like to thank Ken Reinsfield, Richard Becht, Don Mann, Danny Codling and Monty Betham for being so obliging with this article and wish the entire team a very successful 2005 season.

Monty Betham, Kenny Reinsfield, and Danny Codling. Image copyright 2004 Don Mann, Cullen Sports

Monty Betham, Kenny Reinsfield, and Danny Codling. Image copyright 2004 Don Mann, Cullen Sports

Player Monty Betham and coaches Kenny Reinsfield and Danny Codling Combat Sports Profiles.

Monty Betham

  • Started Shotokan Karate aged 6
  • Changed to Robu Kai Karate
  • 10 years as a Karate practitioner
  • Represented New Zealand at the world junior championships in Perth.
  • Bronze in team Kumite.
  • Won several New Zealand junior titles (Kumite)
  • Silver medal Oceania individual Kumite
  • Gold medal Oceania team Kumite
  • Last competed in 1994
  • Won NZ Men's Kumite open aged sixteen
  • Kiwi rugby league international and former Vodafone Warriors captain (resigned as captain this season)

Danny Codling

  • 84 amateur fights
  • Won three New Zealand titles
  • One gold medal Oceania (fighter of tournament)
  • Two silver Oceania medals
  • One bronze Oceania medal
  • Arafura Games gold medallist
  • Commonwealth Games gold medallist
  • Professional record ­ 4-0 (three knockouts)
  • Trainer of Shane "The Mountain Warrior" Cameron
  • Head trainer of Vodafone Warriors

Kenny Reinsfield

  • Wrestled 35 years
  • Won 10 New Zealand championships
  • Won two Australian championships
  • Silver medal 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games
  • Fourth 1978 Edmonton Commonwealth Games
  • Sixth 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games
  • Fifth world championships
  • New Zealand representative 10 years
  • Toured United States, Japan, Australia, Canada and United Kingdom
  • Now Vodafone Warriors wrestling coach

Like the Mad Butcher and all the loyal Warriors supporters get out there and support the Warriors and watch this space for upcoming player profiles and information on our Combat Football team – the Vodafone Warriors.

Article written by Tank Todd

Special Operations CQB Master Chief Instructor. Over 30 years experience. The only instructor qualified descendent of Baldock, Nelson, and Applegate. Former instructors include Harry Baldock (unarmed combat instructor NZ Army WWII), Colonel Rex Applegate OSS WWII and Charles Nelson, US Marine Corps. Tank has passed his Special Forces combative instructor qualification course in Southeast Asia and is certified to instruct the Applegate, Baldock and Nelson systems. His school has been operating for over eighty years and he is currently an Army Special Operations Group CQB Master Chief Instructor. His lineage and qualifications from the evolutionary pioneers are equalled by no other military close combat instructor. His operation includes his New Zealand headquarters, and 30 depots worldwide as well as contracts to train the military elite, security forces, and close protection specialists. Annually he trains thousands of exponents and serious operators that travel down-under to learn from the direct descendant of the experts and pioneers of military close combat. Following in the footsteps of his former seniors, he has developed weapons, and training equipment exclusive to close combat and tactical applications. He has published military manuals and several civilian manuals and produced DVDs on urban self protection, tactical control and restraint, and close combat. He has racked up an impressive 100,000+ hours in close combat.