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Warriors deny report they've given up on playing in NZ this year after Auckland's Covid-19 outbreak

March 4, 2021
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (center) Vodafone Warriors training session ahead of the 2021 NRL rugby league season. Scully Park, Tamworth. NSW, Australia. 24 January 2021. © Copyright Photo: Emma Steed / www.photosport.nz

The Warriors have denied a report claiming they have accepted the fact they will spend the entire 2021 NRL season in Australia.

Newshub reported last night the Warriors had effectively given up hope on playing on home soil this year after the recent outbreak of Covid-19 in Auckland which has resulted in 15 community cases so far and two level three lockdowns.

The report added the possibility of borders closing while they were in New Zealand was another issue deemed too big a risk to the competition.

However, Warriors CEO Cameron George and the club have since released a statement, denying the report and stating an official announcement would be made later in the week.

“It was originally decided the team would remain in Australia for the first four rounds of the season with the hope a Trans-Tasman bubble would be approved enabling the Warriors to return to Auckland to play Manly Warringah at Mount Smart Stadium on April 9,” the club said in a statement.

“George reiterated the club had always planned to review its position in early March and that their desire was still to return home in 2021.”

The NRL has been hopeful of returning the Warriors home this season all throughout the offseason – a desire that was backed by comments made by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last December when she said they hoped to establish a trans-Tasman travel bubble by the end of March.

Ardern admitted last month though – before the latest outbreak of Covid-19 in Auckland had even surfaced – that goal may be unreachable.

"It's fair to say things have changed at little bit since we set that goal and aspiration," Ardern said at the time. 

"I absolutely feel the weight of New Zealander's preference sits heavily on the side of whatever you do, do it carefully. Once we enter into that arrangement, it will be very hard to undo it."

In the meantime, the Warriors remain on Central Coast in their team camp working towards their season-opening match next week against the Gold Coast Titans on March 13.

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