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read moreVodafone Warriors Chief Executive, Cameron George has confirmed the club will relocate to Australia for at least the first four rounds of the 2021 NRL season.
Making the announcement on Friday, George confirmed the full squad would be based in the Northern NSW city of Tamworth for a month from 3rd January before moving to Terrigal on the NSW Central Coast where the team were in camp from late May until the final round of the COVID 19-affected 2020 season.
The decision means the Auckland-based club’s first two home games against Gold Coast and Newcastle will now be played at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford after originally being allocated to Mount Smart Stadium when the 2021 draw was released last month. The Vodafone Warriors will remain in Australia for their away games against Canberra and the Sydney Roosters in the third and fourth rounds.
Speaking about the relocation, George advised "it’s not what we want to do but it’s what we have to do. Our priority is to ensure we do all we can to enable our team to be as well prepared as it can be for 2021.
"It’s a football decision that needs to be made now. We can’t afford to speculate about what might or might not happen any longer. We need clarity for our players, staff and families.
"We tried to arrange a quarantine facility like other sporting bodies have done to bring our players from Australia to train here as a squad but our request was declined so we’ve had to adapt.
"We’ll keep abreast of the border situation and in early March will decide with the NRL what the best course of action is after the first four rounds, hopefully returning to New Zealand to play at Mount Smart for the first time since 2019 in round five."
The Vodafone Warriors have been split into two preseason groups since mid-November with 14 of the NRL squad training in Kiama in NSW while the rest have been working with new head coach Nathan Brown in Auckland.
On 3rd January, the New Zealand-based players and staff will fly to Tamworth where they will be joined by the Kiama group to enable the full 2021 squad - including the club’s new signings - to train together for the first time ahead of the preseason trials and the season-opening match against the Titans on March 13.
Brown added "it’s not ideal having the squad split with one group in Auckland and another in Kiama but it has been the only option open to us.
"At the same time the focus pre-Christmas is always on physical conditioning and some skill work. It’s not until the New Year that we really concentrate on structure, game style and our combinations leading into the trials.
"It’s critical getting together as a group which the camp in Tamworth is all about."
Apart from the new signings, Tamworth should provide familiarity for players and staff after the Vodafone Warriors quarantined there in May before the 2020 season resumed.
Wellington Phoenix FC have advised that they will ber based in Wollongong for the 2020/21 A-League season.
Image: The Vodafone Warriors training in Kiama earlier this month. Credit: Vodafone Warriors/Facebook.
27th November 2020 - Wellington Phoenix Football Club moves to Wollongong for 2020/21 A-League season
19th October 2020 - Work commences on Centre of Excellence for NRL’s Sea Eagles
6th October 2020 - Roy Morgan study shows growth of NRL’s supporter base
30th September 2020 - NRL Grand Final will see 40,000 fans at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium
23rd September 2020 - Grandstand completion supports Redcliffe Dolphins plan for place in the NRL
22nd September 2020 - NRL announces ‘brutal’ job cuts as it looks to slash $50 million in costs
19th August 2020 - Warriors ‘relieved’ after Telstra reverses plan to force out club sponsor
18th August 2020 - Melbourne Storm and Sunshine Coast Council agree ongoing NRL game hosting deal
17th August 2020 - NRL backs Premiership sponsor Telstra by moving to end Warriors sponsorship with Vodafone
17th August 2020 - NRL warns of ‘strongest possible’ penalties for racial abuse by fans at Central Coast Stadium
2nd August 2020 - Concerns over crowds’ failure to social distance during NRL clash at Sunshine Coast Stadium
26th July 2020 - NRL broadcasts lose more than a million viewers since competition restart
23rd July 2020 - AFL and NRL show year-on-year value gains
26th June 2020 - Tamworth Regional Council votes to delay $67 million Aquatic Centre project
25th June 2020 - Victorian fans to be prevented from attending NRL and AFL games in NSW
5th June 2020 - NSW Government to allow corporate boxes to operate at NRL fixtures from next week
29th May 2020 - NRL secures new broadcast partnerships with Nine and Foxtel
25th May 2020 - Stadiums prepare for NRL return
20th May 2020 - NRL announces six venues that will host restarted season fixtures
5th May 2020 - NRL agrees new pay deal with players to enable 28th May competition restart
2nd May 2020 - New Zealand Warriors granted permission for Australian arrival during COVID-19
30th April 2020 - Federal Sports Minister warns that NRL’s return could be threatened by players’ breach of social distancing requirements
28th April 2020 - NRL announces 20-round season schedule with 25th October grand final
18th April 2020 - NRL moves forward with competition resumption in late May
9th April 2020 - Broadcaster accuses NRL of ‘mismanagement’ as league announces plans to recommence on 28th May
5th April 2020 - NRL players to lose five months’ pay as part of new shutdown deal
30th March 2020 - NRL slashes costs and backs clubs through Coronavirus crisis
16th March 2020 - Vodafone Warriors to play NRL season matches in Australia
2nd November 2019 - Tamworth’s new $17.2 sports facility now fully operational
2nd May 2018 - Auckland Rugby League takes on New Zealand Warriors ownership
19th February 2016 - Warriors to stay at Mount Smart until end of 2028
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