NRL 2020: New Zealand Warriors’ homesick players will go home after Round 11
The pregnant wife of New Zealand Warriors star David Fusitu’a has opened up on why she needs her husband to sacrifice playing in the NRL to return home for the first time in three months.
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The pregnant wife of New Zealand Warriors star David Fusitu’a has made an emotional plea for her husband to return home for the wellbeing of their unborn child.
Fusitu’a is one of four homesick Warriors players who have been booked flights home to be reunited with their families, the NRL club has confirmed.
Ken Maumalo, Agnatius Paasi, King Vuniyayawa and Fusitu’a have secured seats on an Air New Zealand flight home to New Zealand on July 27 — two days after their Round 11 game against two-time reigning premiers the Sydney Roosters.
There are no promises the four players will be able to return to Australia and take any part in the rest of the 2020 NRL season.
But for people like Fusitu’a, there are more important things than football going on in their lives.
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His wife, Eden Fusitu’a, took to social media on Wednesday to praise the Warriors for supporting the return of her husband to New Zealand after almost three months away.
“For my health and the health of our baby, we need David home,” Eden Fusitu’a posted on Twitter. “We’ve needed him home for a while.
“Ngā mihi (thanks) @NZWarriors, @RLPlayers, (coach) Todd (Payten), the welfare staff and the players for being so understanding and supportive.
“And David, for being the best husband and soon to be dad.”
The players had originally committed to stay in Australia only until Sunday’s match against Cronulla at Gosford, unless the NRL was able to secure travel exemptions for their families to enter Australia.
According to the Warriors, due to the unavailability of flights, the four players will remain with the team another week until after the Roosters match.
That means the players will have been away from their loved ones for two months and 25 days by the time they touch down on Kiwi soil.
For my health and the health of our baby, we need David home. We’ve needed him home for a while.
— Eden Fusitu’a (@edenfusitua) July 15, 2020
NgÄ mihi @NZWarriors, @RLPlayers, Todd, the welfare staff and the players for being so understanding and supportive.
And David, for being the best husband and soon to be dad 🤎 https://t.co/tLVCq7s3O9
Warriors chief executive Cameron George said everyone at the club supported Fusitu’a, Maumalo, Paasi and Vuniyayawa.
“We can’t say enough about the sacrifice they have made being away from their families so long,” George said.
“We fully understand the predicament they have been in and we’re so appreciative of what they have done in committing to the cause for as long as they have.
“When we travelled to Australia we promised the players everything possible in our control would be done to secure travel exemptions for their families to join them there.
“Ultimately the decision lies with government agencies to approve the applications the NRL made on our behalf. There hasn’t been any sign of a favourable result, which we accepted was always a possibility. Given those circumstances David, Ken, Agnatius and King are free to go home.
“As well as thanking them for all they’ve done we would like to thank Peter V’landys and the NRL for all the work they’ve put in for the players and their families. I would also like to thank the RLPA staff for their support of the players during this time. We’re hugely disappointed it hasn’t worked out as we would have liked but it was out of our control.”
Rugby League Players’ Association CEO Clint Newton commended the returning players on their commitment during such trying and uncertain times.
“The club’s management has shown a level of compassion for the players in working through this and we appreciate their understanding of the unique set of circumstances each player is faced with,” Newton said.
“These players and their families have made tremendous sacrifices since March when the challenges first began, which should be recognised as they return home to New Zealand at the end of the month.”
Once they arrive home, the players will be required to go into isolation for 14 days before they can see their families next month.
George said consideration was now being given to how best to replace the returning players in the squad.
The Warriors currently have Penrith forward Jack Hetherington on loan, and may need to rely on rivals releasing more players to keep the club competitive this season.
Coach Todd Payten confirmed the players were likely to head home after his team’s loss to the Titans on Friday night.
“Yeah at the moment they are (leaving),” Payten said.
“I’ve given them my word that if we don’t have a clear outcome from the government or the NRL then they can go home.”
He said their departure and uncertain return to Australia will put pressure on the club at the end of the season — with the team already low on troops.
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The returning NRL season is set to run until at least the end of October, meaning the Warriors players could be looking at as long as five months away from their loved ones.
The incredible sacrifices made by the club were on display in May when players said goodbye to their families and flew to Australia for the resumption of the 2020 season following the season suspension due to the closure of state borders in Australia.
Images of Warriors forward Adam Blair farewelling his son left plenty of NRL commentators emotional.
The club also lost star speedster Peta Hiku earlier this year when he returned to New Zealand for the birth of his child. He made the tough decision to leave his teammates after the first round of the competition, but was able to return to Australia after the season suspension.
Originally published as NRL 2020: New Zealand Warriors’ homesick players will go home after Round 11