Warriors coach Nathan Brown has been doing preseason work the team in Auckland. Photo / Photosport
Warriors coach Nathan Brown has been doing preseason work the team in Auckland. Photo / Photosport
Warriors chief executive Cameron George has revealed the club had hoped to bring their full squad together in New Zealand after Christmas, but their application to do so was declined.
The Warriors are working in split groups for the rest of the year, with some staff and 14 players basedin Kiama, New South Wales.
With a new coach in Nathan Brown and seven new signings joining the team this year, they had hoped to be allowed to bring their full squad together in Auckland, but will instead ship out to Australia early in the new year.
"What we tried to achieve after Christmas was to bring all the Australian-based players and staff into New Zealand through a quarantine facility, very similar to what the Wallabies undertook," George explained.
"That was declined for whatever reasons were set out in response to our application, so we had no other alternative but to head offshore. We did want everyone to come here, be a part of our club and with our fanbase in New Zealand it was crucial, and the Australian-based players desperately wanted to come back here.
"Up until Christmas, what we tried to do was eliminate any isolation as best we could for the players, for their own wellbeing and family benefits. It would've been great to have everyone here after Christmas for a few months, but that's not the case."
When asked if there was any frustration at the fact international sporting teams had been allowed into the country when their applications had been declined, George said the club had moved on.
"We've got our plan now and we're excited about it."
New signing Euan Aitken is one of the 14 Warriors players based at their based in Kiama. Photo / Getty Images
The New Zealand-based group will travel to Australia on January 3, with the full squad linking up in Tamworth before ultimately moving their operation to Terrigal on the Central Coast for the first four rounds of the NRL season.
While they hope to play at Mt Smart Stadium again next year, with no transtasman bubble established, they made the decision to again start their campaign overseas.
The period between their arrival in Australia and the start of the NRL season in March will be a crucial one; with the new members needing time to familiarise themselves with what will be a new-look team for the 2021 campaign.
However, Brown is taking a glass-half-full approach to his side's unusual situation heading into the season.
"When we get to Tamworth we get a good month where there's not many distractions for them," he said. "It's pretty much nearly a whole month of focusing on the team working together and getting that process right before we get to the Central Coast.
"The fact we're all going to be living together is probably a bonus for us as opposed to living in different parts of New Zealand. Our access to the players and the players' access to all the staff is far, far more reaching if we're all living together."
Brown said there would be a playing group of more than 40 players with the club in Australia, with players available to them through their partnership with the Redcliffe Dolphins.
However, for now, Brown is happy getting to work with the group in Auckland, most of which has included young players in the wider squad. Many of the first-team squad have been allowed time away from the club after a testing 2020 campaign.
As he has done with every situation thrown at him since joining the club, Brown found the silver lining in only being able to work with small groups at the moment.
"For those young kids training in smaller groups, the shyness goes a bit quicker because they're not around as many of the high-profile players," he explained.
"So, it's been a real good opportunity for them and hopefully by the time we get to Tamworth those younger guys are feeling more comfortable around the squad."
