Warriors interim coach Todd Payten says the team will be 'picked on effort and defensive capabilities moving forward'. Video / NRL
Warriors prop Leivaha Pulu is making his way back to New Zealand after his pregnant wife was involved in a car crash.
Pulu has become the first player to leave the Warriors' team base in Terrigal on the Central Coast as he heads home to be with wife Tolina in Auckland.
She has been given the all-clear by doctors, the club confirmed, while Pulu will go into isolation for 14 days when he arrives home.
"Thankfully Tolina and baby are fine but Vaha naturally wanted to be as close to his family as possible at this time," said Warriors CEO Cameron George.
"Hopefully he'll be able to return to Terrigal later in the month if our families are given an exemption for them to enter Australia."
The Warriors have been given clearance by the NRL to sign another loan player as cover after Pulu's departure. Having already signed Jack Hetherington on loan from the Panthers earlier this week, George confirmed they were now seeking another forward for the upcoming weeks.
Pulu's decision to leave comes after the team yesterday revealed they had given the NRL a 23-day ultimatum to sort out exemptions for families to join the players in Australia or face a player boycott which could jeopardise the rest of the season.
Warriors stars David Fusitu'a, Ken Maumalo and Agnatius Paasi have expressed their desire to return to New Zealand to be with their families, but have agreed to stay until their July 19 match against the Sharks.
Interim coach Todd Payten said the club are already lining up potential replacements for players who intend to leave if the NRL family exemptions aren't granted.
"There's obviously a plan around those three guys, we've put together a list over the last three days and we'll continue to look at that list," Payten said.
"We've drawn up a list, that's as far as its gone. I think it's prudent that we're prepared if that does happen because we're going to have to go to the NRL, go to the clubs and get them over the line.
"It'd be idiotic just to leave it until they go and then be caught with our pants down.
"There is a list, it is being looked at daily, and if we haven't heard anything within a week, I guess we'll push down that path a little bit further."
Leivaha Pulu. Photo / Photosport
Payten said the players and club were frustrated with the lack of progress with the Warriors' family situation.
"From our end, the frustration was around there being plenty of talk and no real resolution," said Payten.
"At the end of the phone call we laid it all out there and they know where we stand.
"It's just the three at the moment but if they go, obviously there's some other challenges that will face the group.
"So fingers crossed we get the right answer from the government and the NRL, we can move on and have 100 per cent focus on our games from week-to-week."
Paasi has four young children in Auckland, while Maumalo is also a young father and Fusitu'a's partner is expecting their first child.
ARLC Chairman Peter V'landys said he is hopeful that a transtasman bubble will be established soon to help ease the burden of the Warriors' two-month stay away from home.
