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Women's Warriors stripped of nearly all their players because of Covid-19 restrictions

September 2, 2020

The team is preparing to travel to Australia to take part in the NRLW.

The Warriors women’s side has been stripped of nearly all their players because of Covid-19 as the team prepares to fly out to Australia for NRLW.

Georgia Hale and her teammates have bags packed for a trip to Sydney and the challenges of a season like no other.

“I guess the exciting thing is that we are playing. There's something to look forward to flying out on Saturday - obviously not with a full side,” Hale said.

Last year, the Warriors had over 20 players from here, but being away from family in Australia for 10 weeks straight, similar to the men's team, has seen all but five of the women's players pull out.

The squad will be filled with loan players.

“Families, children, work - there's lots and those are some of the things we juggle usually in a season, but with the extra effort of going over for a 10-week period it is a big ask for some of our girls,” he said.

“For some of our mums, they are solo mums as well so really they are the mother figure, they are the father figure and they're doing everything at home.”

Those who are going will quarantine on Milson Island, an hour north of Sydney on the Hawkesbury River.

They'll link up with new coach Brad Donald, who usually plots against the Kiwi Ferns with the world champion Jillaroos

“Brad does know a lot of the girls. He's very well connected and [we're] pretty much trusting him to find some teammates for us.”

After initially being named to travel, Kiwi Ferns star Honey Hireme has pulled out with injury.

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