I doubt we'll ever be privy to the terms of the agreement, but I'm not bothered. Councils need to make the lives of their citizens better and an event such as this achieves that.
We don't know exactly when the Warriors will play in Napier in 2023, or who their opponents will be. But good on the club and good on NCC for getting this over the line.
I've covered Warriors games in Wellington and can vouch for the genuine efforts the club makes to promote these transplanted home games and to support rugby league in that area.
Rugby league in Hawke's Bay is not in rude health.
Hamish Bidwell. Photo/ Warren Buckland
The rise of 1st XV rugby as a television sport, and direct path to Super Rugby contracts, has hurt the 13-a-side game.
We're also about 30 years removed from the days of the old Lion Red Cup, in which Hawke's Bay competed with the best teams in the country. That was an elite competition, featuring a host of former or future NRL and English Super League stars.
The Unicorns more than held their own back then, and games at Hastings' Nelson Park were an event.
Chances are those heady times will never return, but this visit by the Warriors will at least give the code some profile and local league fans something to cheer about.
From a media point of view, the Warriors were superb ahead of their home games in Wellington. For months in advance players and coaches were available to be interviewed, but it was the clinics and coaching sessions that spoke most of the club's commitment to grow the sport beyond Auckland.
Kids can't dream what they can't see. But put a genuine Hawke's Bay sporting hero in front of them, such as Warriors captain Tohu Harris, and you have a living, breathing example of how rugby league can become a career.
The Warriors, to their great credit, commissioned a black-and-gold strip for use in Wellington and we can only hope they do similar for Hawke's Bay.
Wellingtonians wore that black-and-gold jumper with great pride. They felt the club acknowledged them and cared about them and those fans walked taller with that jersey on.
Rugby league in Hawke's Bay needs that. It needs a connection to the professional part of the game and something for junior players to aspire to.
And, if it embarrasses the Hurricanes into doing more to promote rugby in this region too, then so much the better.
Sometimes it feels as if national sporting bodies take the provinces for granted. No matter how many players from regional towns populate the All Blacks, Kiwis, Black Sticks, Silver Ferns or Black Caps, it's always the big cities who enjoy the attention and resources.
Sure, the NCC will have paid plenty to briefly put Hawke's Bay on the rugby league map, but I reckon it's money well spent.
So let's get along, let's support this initiative and let's show everyone that Napier deserves an annual spot on the Warriors' itinerary.
