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Warriors CEO Cameron George and head coach Nathan Brown.
As the Warriors prepare for another extended stay in Australia, the club’s chief executive, Cameron George, has written an open letter to fans insisting that they will not use their plight as an excuse for the upcoming season.
The New Zealand-based Warriors players depart for Tamworth on Sunday to join the rest of the team for a preseason camp before returning to their 2020 base on the central coast of New South Wales for the start of the New South Wales campaign. the NRL.
The Warriors will spend at least three months in Tasmania, including their first four games, in the hope that a trans-Tasman bubble will be established as they return to Auckland for the fifth-round clash against Manly on April 9.
However, a Covid-19 outbreak in Sydney has put plans for non-quarantine travel between the two countries in the air in the first quarter of 2021.
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“It goes without saying that we wish we could be preparing the Mount Smart Stadium for our first game, but at this point it will not be,” George wrote in a letter on the club’s official website.
“Starting the 2021 season in Australia is not what we wanted to do, but it is what we have to do. This time, however, we are prepared for what lies ahead and we accept that the future remains very uncertain.”
Mark Kolbe / Getty Images
Captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and the rest of the New Zealand-based Warriors players depart for Australia on Sunday.
The Warriors spent the entire 2020 campaign in Australia, overcoming a series of setbacks, including the firing of former coach Stephen Kearney, to arrive late, albeit unsuccessfully, to the final.
The club spent the run-up to Christmas of pre-season training split between Auckland and Kiama, NSW, a situation that was far from ideal, particularly with a new coach in Nathan Brown and a number of new recruits who have yet to meet. with the majority. of his teammates.
The government rejected the Warriors’ request that their Australian-based players train in administered isolation in New Zealand. So while the 2021 season doesn’t start until March 13, they made the decision last month to continue their preparations as “a full group” in Australia starting Sunday.
“We want all of our fans to know that despite the adversity we face again, we are committed to facing it and having a chance,” added George.
“We do it willingly, ready to overcome whatever comes our way. We don’t want anyone to feel sorry for us, and while it is not a perfect situation, it is what we have been tasked with doing in 2021 on your behalf. Our fans , our partners and our families. “
An impressive recruiting drive combined with last year’s promising final has raised expectations among fans that the Warriors can return to the final in 2021.
George promised that the club will continue to build on the resilience they demonstrated last year and, “above all, we will play with pride every time we go out on the pitch.”
“In our absence, stay strong and united. But be ready to fight with us at Mount Smart when we can get back home,” George said.
“For our fans in Australia, we need your support now more than ever, and we look forward to seeing you in the crowd from the first round.
“Enjoy the 2021 season and thank you again for your support. See you soon in New Zealand!”
