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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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RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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