New Zealand Warriors in limbo with arrival in Australia in doubt

Warriors CEO Cameron George says rugby league’s great new saviours may not be leaving for Australia this Sunday as planned

Warriors CEO Cameron George wants answers before the team flies to Sydney

Warriors chief executive Cameron George says rugby league’s great new saviours may not be leaving for Australia this Sunday as planned, stressing: “We have a lot of questions that still need answers.”

While the Aucklanders had hoped to begin self-isolating in Sydney from this weekend, George said he was yet to hear from NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg on several matters, including where the team would be staying and whether players’ families could travel too.

The Warriors boss added, however, that they remained “desperate” to be part of the NRL competition revival on May 28.

It is understood Greenberg will ramp up talks with the Warriors from Wednesday to ensure, come Sunday, the New Zealanders can fly out to begin yet another 14 days isolating.

“We desperately want to be part of the NRL competition,” George said.

“But we can’t leave home until this is sorted out.

“We’re seeking a lot of answers to a lot of questions, but we haven’t received that yet. That’s sitting with Todd Greenberg and we’ve got nothing back yet. So our players can’t make a decision.

“We are supposed to fly out Sunday, but can’t until we have all the information. I have to make sure our players can make the best decisions for themselves and their families.”

Quizzed on what questions needed answering, George continued: “It all centres around the personal risks and sacrifices our players and staff will make to compete in the NRL. Particularly around families.

“Can they travel with the players now, in a couple of months … we’ve got a lot of issues involving school, work, things that have a long-term impact. I also understand we’ll need a special exemption to come into Australia, so what does that mean for families if they don’t come now?

“Will they be excluded in the future? Is there only a window of exemption? We have a strong desire to be involved in this competition, but there are a lot of personal decisions that need to be made. We also need to know where we will be located, both short term and long term.

“And how long the competition will run. If it goes through to December, there’s a chance our boys could be returning home to then isolate through Christmas.”

George added that with all NRL clubs allowed back to training from May 4, the Warriors would need to leave for Australia this Sunday, so they could be out of quarantine by that date.

“They’ve said we can train May 4,” he said. “But we have to undertake 14 days confinement before that.

“So in order for us to train like every other team in the competition, we have to be departing New Zealand this Sunday. Otherwise that date isn’t possible.”

The Daily Telegraph