George goes into battle for Anzac Day game

Warriors CEO Cameron George hasn’t given up on eventually relocating the now traditional Anzac Day game against the Melbourne Storm to New Zealand.

The Anzac Day game has become one of the cornerstone fixtures of the NRL season. The Storm usually get their biggest crowd of the season for it and it’s part of a made-for-TV doubleheader, along with the Dragons taking on the Roosters, who play for the Anzac Day Cup.

Both games will take place on Thursday, with the Roosters v Dragons at the SCG at 6.05pm, followed by the Storm v Warriors at AAMI Park at 9.50pm (both New Zealand times).

Australians and Kiwis unite on Anzac Day more than any other and there’s no denying that the NRL does a great job at recognising the day’s significance.

But George would like the Warriors to have a chance of hosting an Anzac Day game and made a pitch to the NRL for it to be held on this side of the Tasman this year. While he didn’t get anywhere with his request, he says he’ll be asking again.

‘‘I have asked and I put it down as an opportunity for us with the draw. But Melbourne obviously secured it again,’’ George said. ‘‘I will go into bat again for next year. But I do know it’s a highlyrated fixture over there for TV and attendance.

‘‘While we’ll continue to put our hand up, I think it could be hard to pull this fixture out of Victoria.’’

The Storm have hosted the Warriors each Anzac Day since 2011. The only year there was a break from that tradition was in 2015, when Anzac Day fell on a Saturday. That year, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, five games were played during the day, with the Warriors kicking off proceedings with a home game against the Titans.

As in 2015, the Warriors have a special jersey to wear for the Anzac Day game, which is also on sale to the general public, and George says he’d like there to be an opportunity for the Warriors to again wear their Anzac jersey on New Zealand soil. ‘‘One day we deserve the right to do it,’’ he said. ‘‘It may well be dependent on what day Anzac Day falls on. At the moment for broadcasting it’s a better fit for Australia, because there are the two games midweek and this year it’s a Thursday.

‘‘But when Anzac Day is on a Saturday, they’d be looking for a third fixture, so that could be our opportunity given the time zones.

‘‘If we were to have it here during the week, we’d have to be the first fixture, which wouldn’t suit St George and the Roosters, who have always kicked off at 4pm.

‘‘But with the Super Saturdays when there are three games, that might provide us with the opportunity.’’