‘Straight up, it was time to come home’

It has been two-and-a-half long years since the Warriors last played in Aotearoa. On Sunday, they will run out in front of a home crowd that has been eagerly awaiting their return to our shores.

Warriors forward Jazz Tevaga (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Whakaue) told Te Ao Toa’s Adam Blair the team is excited to finally be home and eager to turn around their run of poor form.

“It’s been hard, we’ve been in a rut. We haven’t been playing our best footie. It’s time for us to come home, cuz,” says Tevaga.

The Warriors have lost nine of their last 10 games, last recording a win in April against the Raiders. And three weeks ago, they parted ways with coach Nathan Brown who decided to remain in Australia with his whānau.

“Being straight up, it’s time for us to come home, especially with what we’ve been through recently.

“It’s good to get home and reset, refresh as a group and hopefully get the ‘W’ this week,” he says.

The second-to-last placed Warriors meet West Tigers, a place above of them on the ladder, on Sunday afternoon. Kick-off is at 4pm.