Covid 19 coronavirus: Warriors players donate money to help staff at struggling NRL club

The Warriors players have dug into their own pockets to help out the embattled club, as the NRL franchise braces for an uncertain future in the wake of the season suspension.

In what CEO Cameron George described as a "wonderful gesture", all members of the first grade squad have donated their players' fund to the club, as a way to show their support.

"They have a fund each month and they wanted to donate it to the club, to try and retain as much normality as possible," George told the Herald. "It's wonderful, an amazing gesture."

"The players donate whatever they do through their own mechanism into a players' fund, for their own activities, every month. And they want to offer that to the club, and it's for helping the staff out."

George said he was stunned when Blake Green called him on Wednesday with the initiative, after the halfback had consulted with the other members of the leadership group (Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Adam Blair and Tohu Harris) and they had then reached out to the rest of the squad.

"I was blown away by that offer," said George. "It shows these guys never stop thinking about doing what is right, even after the last two weeks they have had, which have been so difficult, being away from their families."

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

The players are now all at home with their families, in isolation and are limited with what they can do, though coach Stephen Kearney said he would be meeting with head trainer Craig Twentyman on Friday to put together some personal plans for the squad that can be shared online.

The club's Mt Smart offices are now completely locked down, which George described as an "eerie feeling" when the doors closed on Wednesday evening.

"You are so used to seeing so many people around, so much happening," said George. "It was strange, a bit eerie to see the place completely deserted."

The New Zealand Warriors. Photo / NRL / Photosport

Like most of the country, George will be working from home as he plots the options for the club over the next few months.

"We have a lot to do, and a lot we don't know," said George. "But we have to be positive that we can get through this."

ALERT_STAGES