WHAT WAS CLAIMED
A Facebook page features news about the New Zealand Warriors NRL club.
OUR VERDICT
False. The stories are fake.
AAP FACTCHECK - New Zealand rugby league fans are being targeted by foreign-run Facebook pages pumping out AI-generated disinformation.
One page, Warrior Spirit NZ, is posing as a fan account for the New Zealand Warriors.
Facebook transparency data reveals it is operated by users in Vietnam who are posting content throughout each day.
Each post includes a link in the comments to an external website strewn with adverts.
One post claims a 35-year-old Warriors employee was fatally shot while breaking up a bar fight, and features a supposed image of the man in the club's jersey.
"A beloved staff member of the New Zealand Warriors has tragically passed away at just 35 after being fatally shot while attempting to stop a violent bar altercation," the post reads.
The story is fake. There are no media reports of any shootings involving Warriors personnel at the time of writing, and the club has made no such announcement.
The image of the supposed victim is AI-generated.
AAP FactCheck found several versions of the fabricated image on Facebook, all featuring the same staff member but with the jersey digitally altered to represent other sports teams.
In one version, the star-like logo of Gemini, Google's AI assistant, is visible in the bottom-right corner of the image.
Another post claims Warriors star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck donated $500,000 to the family of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby, who was allegedly murdered in Alice Springs in April 2026.
The post includes a supposed message from Mr Tuivasa-Sheck claiming his "heart is shattered" for the family.
However, AAP FactCheck could find no evidence of the supposed donation or statement.
Another post claims Tuivasa-Sheck bought his childhood home in Auckland.
"He secretly buys back his childhood home in Auckland, the one his parents always dreamed of owning and returning to as a family," the post reads.
However, there are no credible news reports confirming the claim.
A reverse image search shows the supposed photo of his "childhood home" is a multi-million dollar coastal mansion located in the NSW town of Palm Beach, around 50km north of Sydney.
Warriors head coach Andrew Webster has also been targeted by the fake posts.
One post claimed Webster was named in TIME magazine's 2026 list of the world's most influential people. The post included an image appearing to show Mr Webster on the cover of the magazine.
However, Mr Webster does not appear in TIME's official 2026 list of influential people, as revealed in a TIME media release.
A Google Image search of the supposed cover also reveals a hidden digital watermark showing it was "Made with Google AI".
Another post appears to show the coach recovering from surgery, including one image displaying a surgical incision.
"GOOD NEWS from Andrew Webster: A heartfelt message after surgery," the caption reads.
However, there are no credible reports of Webster undergoing surgery.
A Google Image search of the photo reveals it was also made with Google AI.
AAP FactCheck identified several near-identical posts on Facebook featuring public figures in hospitals, with the same quotes and details, but with the name and likeness changed.
In one such post, featuring Irish singer Ronan Keating, the Gemini AI logo is still visible in the bottom right corner.
AAP FactCheck has identified numerous Facebook pages posing as NRL supporter groups that spread false claims about players, staff and fans.
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