A future Immortal has thrown his support behind the idea of having the Warriors play the entire 2022 NRL season in New Zealand despite NRL’s boss already shooting the thought down.
Cowboys great Johnathan Thurston praised the Warriors this week during his “Roast or Toast” segment on Nine for once again setting up a base in Australia during the Covid-19 pandemic for the sake of the competition.
“They’re away from their extended families back home,” Thurston said.
“It’s unbelievable what they’re doing.”
After the Warriors opened their 2021 season with an impressive 19-6 win over the Gold Coast Titans last Saturday, new club consultant and rugby league great Phil Gould suggested the Kiwi club should get to play the entire 2022 season in New Zealand as a gesture of thanks for their sacrifices.
Gould suggested each Australian team could take their 2022 home games against the Warriors to venues all around New Zealand, not just Mt Smart Stadium, as a reward for their efforts over the last 12 months.
“I think the game owes it to them ... it would be a nice gesture to the Warriors from the rest of the competition,” Gould said.
“Twenty-two or 24 games of rugby league in New Zealand in 2022 would be a great advertisement for the game.”
During his “toast”, Thurston said he backed the proposal whole-heartedly.
“I am totally and in a 100 per cent agreeance with this,” Thurston said.
“What they’ve done the last two years to keep the competition up and running, I think the least the clubs here in Australia could do is take a home game over there.
“I like it, I hope it gets the go ahead.”
Thurston even joked he hoped some games ended up in the picturesque Queenstown for a little escape from Australia of his own since he’s now a commentator.
However, those hopes could all be for nothing with NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo believing the gesture to be too big for them to deliver.
“I think it's a wonderful idea and a wonderful gesture but ... in all seriousness, it'd be wonderful, but I don't think we can do that.”
Earlier this month the Warriors conceded they’d be in Australia until at least June after the draw originally had them back at Mt Smart for round five this year with a trans-Tasman bubble looking promising.
However, community Covid-19 outbreaks in Auckland have slowed the bubble’s progress, leading the team to accept they may have to wait until at least round 16.
"When it's safe to do so, we look forward to sharing the biggest homecoming party with everyone at Mount Smart Stadium,” Warriors CEO Cameron George said.
“But for now, the players and staff are focused on [what’s happening now]."
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