tiger_scott
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Phil Gould calls on NRL to grant Warriors a full season of home games in 2022 - 'It's only fair'
WRITTEN BY
ED CHISHOLM
@ChisholmEd
Phil Gould believes the NRL owes it to the Warriors to grant them the opportunity to host each of their home games in 2022 over in New Zealand.
It comes after Warriors CEO Cameron George revealed a bold $2.5 million plan to buy home games off rival teams next year in a bid to re-launch the game across the Tasman.
The Warriors confirmed over the weekend they will be forced to push back their potential return home to June 21st amid simmering COVID-19 concerns over in New Zealand and the delays to the Trans-Tasman bubble.
Initially the club had outlined their round five clash with Manly in April to be their first home game at Mt. Smart Stadium since August 2019, after the club was forced to relocate to Australia in April last year to enable the NRL to restart during the pandemic.
Gould, who assumed his role as a consultant at the Warriors over the summer, said the players and staff were preparing to spend another year away from home.
As a reward for their sacrifices, Gould firmly believes it's "only fair" for the NRL and the other 15 clubs to allow the Warriors and New Zealand to host each of their homes games next season.
"I think the game owes it to them ... it would be a nice gesture to the Warriors from the rest of the competition," Gould said on Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles With Gus podcast.
"Twenty-two or 24 games of rugby league in New Zealand in 2022 would be a great advertisement for the game."
"It's not just playing at home but it's the connection with members, corporate partners and sponsors and everyone else around that has business association with the Warriors... it's big business."
Gould revealed the Warriors had already received proposals from around New Zealand to host games in various destinations around the country, not just Auckland.
According to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald, the Warriors are forgoing close to $300,000 for every game they don't play at Mt. Smart Stadium this year.
But with the interest the idea of playing each of the club's home games in New Zealand in 2022 has generated, Gould believes it would be a great business opportunity not just for the club but the league as a whole.
"They don't have to take it to Mt Smart stadium. There have been a number of offers from all over New Zealand at very good money to host games in 2022," the veteran administrator said.
"They could play all their game at New Zealand half of them at their home ground at Mt. Smart, but certainly Wellington and Christchurch, there are all sorts of areas with great stadium that have offered money (to host games).
"24 games of rugby league in 2022 would be a great advertisement for the game, it would be a great selling point in New Zealand.
"I think it's something the ARL Comision should look at and certainly the other clubs... they owe it to them."
After taking on his role as a consultant at the Warriors focusing on pathways and development, Gould said he'd gained greater insight and appreciation for what the club had given up in 2020 to keep the NRL alive.
While disappointment remains over the fact they will not be able to return to Auckland in April as planned, Gould added morale within the group is high.
"I think being close to it this time, you get a greater appreciation for what they went through last year," Gould said.
"Obviously they're better prepared this season. Last year it was thrown on them virtually overnight ... it was very difficult for them and their families.
"The general feeling is that they've conceded that they will probably be here for the whole season so there'll be no disappointments."
WRITTEN BY
ED CHISHOLM
@ChisholmEd
Phil Gould believes the NRL owes it to the Warriors to grant them the opportunity to host each of their home games in 2022 over in New Zealand.
It comes after Warriors CEO Cameron George revealed a bold $2.5 million plan to buy home games off rival teams next year in a bid to re-launch the game across the Tasman.
The Warriors confirmed over the weekend they will be forced to push back their potential return home to June 21st amid simmering COVID-19 concerns over in New Zealand and the delays to the Trans-Tasman bubble.
Initially the club had outlined their round five clash with Manly in April to be their first home game at Mt. Smart Stadium since August 2019, after the club was forced to relocate to Australia in April last year to enable the NRL to restart during the pandemic.
Gould, who assumed his role as a consultant at the Warriors over the summer, said the players and staff were preparing to spend another year away from home.
As a reward for their sacrifices, Gould firmly believes it's "only fair" for the NRL and the other 15 clubs to allow the Warriors and New Zealand to host each of their homes games next season.
"I think the game owes it to them ... it would be a nice gesture to the Warriors from the rest of the competition," Gould said on Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles With Gus podcast.
"Twenty-two or 24 games of rugby league in New Zealand in 2022 would be a great advertisement for the game."
"It's not just playing at home but it's the connection with members, corporate partners and sponsors and everyone else around that has business association with the Warriors... it's big business."
Gould revealed the Warriors had already received proposals from around New Zealand to host games in various destinations around the country, not just Auckland.
According to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald, the Warriors are forgoing close to $300,000 for every game they don't play at Mt. Smart Stadium this year.
But with the interest the idea of playing each of the club's home games in New Zealand in 2022 has generated, Gould believes it would be a great business opportunity not just for the club but the league as a whole.
"They don't have to take it to Mt Smart stadium. There have been a number of offers from all over New Zealand at very good money to host games in 2022," the veteran administrator said.
"They could play all their game at New Zealand half of them at their home ground at Mt. Smart, but certainly Wellington and Christchurch, there are all sorts of areas with great stadium that have offered money (to host games).
"24 games of rugby league in 2022 would be a great advertisement for the game, it would be a great selling point in New Zealand.
"I think it's something the ARL Comision should look at and certainly the other clubs... they owe it to them."
After taking on his role as a consultant at the Warriors focusing on pathways and development, Gould said he'd gained greater insight and appreciation for what the club had given up in 2020 to keep the NRL alive.
While disappointment remains over the fact they will not be able to return to Auckland in April as planned, Gould added morale within the group is high.
"I think being close to it this time, you get a greater appreciation for what they went through last year," Gould said.
"Obviously they're better prepared this season. Last year it was thrown on them virtually overnight ... it was very difficult for them and their families.
"The general feeling is that they've conceded that they will probably be here for the whole season so there'll be no disappointments."
