Rugby league: Bigger picture unchanged for Warriors despite Stephen Kearney's emotional departure

The Warriors will have to turn their attention to a match against the Melbourne Storm on Friday night. Photo / Photosport

Despite suggestions some members of the Warriors playing group may wish to return to New Zealand following the departure of Stephen Kearney, forward Tohu Harris insists the bigger picture hasn't changed.

The question over what the players would want to do was put to interim head coach Todd Payten on Sunday morning, following comments from former Warriors Sione Faumuina who said if he was part of the current group he would want to come home.

Payten, not in any position to speak on behalf of the players so soon after the news broke, responded: "Some may (want to return home)…I haven't had a chance to talk to the group or any individuals as such yet."

When asked the same question on Monday morning, Harris was able to provide more of an insight and said the players still had a job to do.

"The choice is still pretty much the same as before we came here," Harris explained. "If we decide to go home, we don't have a job.

"I honestly don't know how everyone's feeling in that respect, I feel like the choice is the same as it was a couple of months ago. Everyone still has to be here and work to provide for their families - that's the reason we've come here and why a lot of the staff are here. They need that income, so it's not really a choice to be honest; we have to do it for our families livelihoods."

The team was hit hard by Kearney's dismissal with many members of the playing group forming close bonds with the coach prior to and during his tenure with the club. While Kearney was their head coach, he had taken on the role of supporting his players mentally during their unique situation and had been hailed by Harris as the one holding the team together.

Kearney, who has been away from his Brisbane-based family throughout his Warriors tenure, was a willing confidant for players struggling with being in a similar position.

"Mooks (Kearney) has been the one who has given us a shoulder or been the ears that a lot of us can talk to about the struggle of not being with families, so we have to try find another way through it," Harris said.

"There's a lot for us to get through this year. This situation is a unique one; we just have to get through this day-by-day. Hopefully we get to see our families again soon which will make it a bit easier."

The transition to life in the post-Kearney era will be an uncertain one for many players, with 12 of the current squad off contract at the end of the 2020 season. Included in the 12 are current starters Gerard Beale, Blake Green, Peta Hiku and Patrick Herbert, and talented young forward Isaiah Papali'i, while veteran middle Adam Blair has a player option for the 2021 campaign.

"We just have to keep moving forward and keep finding a way."