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Warriors CEO says it will 'take years' for the club to recover

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Warriors chief executive Cameron George says it will take the NRL club years to get over their two-and-a-half year COVID-enforced exile as they prepare for Sunday’s homecoming match against Wests Tigers.

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Some 60 matches and 1039 days since they last played at home, having relocated to Australia as the pandemic hit, the struggling Warriors will hope for a huge boost in front of a sell-out crowd.

They flew into Auckland on Monday and were greeted at Mt Smart Stadium on Tuesday with a traditional welcoming ceremony as the build for the clash continues.

But George admitted even an emotional win couldn’t paper over cracks that have emerged in recent times, the side riding a seven-game losing streak that included the departure of coach Nathan Brown.

“I feel for our club in general. It’ll take years to get over what we’ve been through, but on the face of it, we have to get through it pretty quickly,” he told reporters.

“We can do that by going out in the field and winning for our fans first and then we can rebuild the club behind the scenes, both financially and structurally to get it right.”

While many thought the carrot of returning from their Queensland base would inspire increased performance, George said it had the opposite effect with a number of deficient performances in their recent losing run.

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“I thought it might have really inspired the guys over the last couple of months, but I think what’s happened is they’ve had their eyes on the prize of coming back,” he said.

“It may have just had their mindset focusing on this, so they get to live the dream and the emotions on Sunday and we’re looking forward to that.”

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Halfback Shaun Johnson admitted he wasn’t sure how he and his teammates would be greeted after their recent poor form.

His team have gone 21-39 in their 60 games since they last played at Mt Smart and sit second-last on this season’s ladder with a 4-11 record.

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“Coming back, you weren’t sure how you were going to be received, especially after the last couple of months,” Johnson told reporters.

“But the feel around town, people in the shopping centres, wherever I’ve been are so excited to have us back.

“I’ve certainly felt the love already and I know the boys are going to get to experience that this weekend.”

Forward Tohu Harris, who’s been with the Warriors throughout the exile, admitted putting pride back in the jersey was top of the priority list, agreeing with interim coach Stacey Jones’ assessment they lacked resilience.

“Teams in the past here at the Warriors, they always fought right to the end, and that’s something we’ve got to show we’re willing to (do),” he told reporters.

“We need to be better in those areas to fight back and turn the momentum back in our direction.

“Those sorts of things are really important because if we don’t have the resilience the opponent will just get too much momentum and pile on too many points.”

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BeamMeUp 44 minutes ago
The Springboks have something you don't have

A few comments. Firstly, I am a Bok fan and it's been a golden period for us. I hope my fellow Bok fans appreciate this time and know that it cannot last forever, so soak it all in!


The other thing to mention (and this is targeted at Welsh, English and even Aussie supporters who might be feeling somewhat dejected) is that it's easy to forget that just before Rassie Erasmus took over in 2018, the Boks were ranked 7th in the world and I had given up hope we'd ever be world beaters again.


Sport is a fickle thing and Rassie and his team have managed to get right whatever little things it takes to make a mediocre team great. I initially worried his methods might be short-lived (how many times can you raise a person's commitment by talking about his family and his love of his country as a motivator), but he seems to have found a way. After winning in 2019 on what was a very simple game plan, he has taken things up ever year - amazing work which has to be applauded! (Dankie Rassie! Ons wardeer wat jy vir die ondersteuners en die land doen!) (Google translate if you don't understand Afrikaans! 😁)


I don't think people outside South Africa fully comprehend the enormity of the impact seeing black and white, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and all the other hues playing together does for the country's sense of unity. It's pure joy and happiness.


This autumn tour has been a bit frustrating in that the Boks have won, but never all that convincingly. On the one hand, I'd like to have seen more decisive victories, BUT what Rassie has done is expose a huge number of players to test rugby, whilst also diversifying the way the Boks play (Tony Brown's influence).


This change of both style and personnel has resulted in a lack of cohesion at times and we've lost some of the control, whereas had we been playing our more traditional style, that wouldn't happen. This is partially attributable to the fact that you cannot play Tony Brown's expansive game whilst also having 3 players available at every contact point to clear the defence off the ball. I have enjoyed seeing the Boks play a more exciting, less attritional game, which is a boring, albeit effective spectacle. So, I am happy to be patient, because the end justifies the means (and I trust Rassie!). Hopefully all these players we are blooding will give us incredible options for substitutions come next year's Rugby Championship and of course, the big prize in 2027.


Last point! The game of rugby has never been as exciting as it is now. Any of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Scotland, England & Australia can beat one another. South Africa may be ranked #1, but I wouldn't bet my house in them beating France or New Zealand, and we saw Argentina beating both South Africa and New Zealand this year! That's wonderful for the game and makes the victories we do get all the sweeter. Each win is 100% earned. Long may it last!


Sorry for the long post! 🏉🌍

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