Support for NZ Anzac Day game

Warriors wing Ken Maumalo says it would be nice to have the traditional Anzac Day game against the Storm in New Zealand one year.

The Storm-Warriors fixture on Anzac Day has become a tradition on the calendar each April 25, similar to the Anzac Day Cup game between the Roosters and Dragons.

That game can be played in Sydney each year and both sets of fans can commemorate the significant day together.

But with the Storm v Warriors Anzac Day game always taking place in Melbourne, New Zealand fans miss out each season.

In 2015 the NRL put on five games on Anzac Day to recognise the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings and that year the Warriors hosted the Titans, losing 32-28.

But that’s the only occasion in recent times when the Warriors got to be in New Zealand on Anzac Day and Maumalo said he’d like to have a home Anzac Day game again sometime soon.

‘‘We had one against the Gold Coast Titans and that was good,’’ Maumalo said.

‘‘I didn’t play in that game, but I remember watching it, it was a

great game, a great crowd and it would be awesome to take one home and play in front of our fans.’’

The Warriors have an abysmal record on Anzac Day. Since the tradition began in 2009, they’ve only ever defeated the Storm twice on that day, in 2011 and 2014.

So for all the added meaning and significance that’s been placed on the game, it’s been a very one-sided fixture, but it still means a lot to the Warriors players.

‘‘It has been special,’’ Maumalo said. ‘‘For all of the players it’s a special moment and it’s a big occasion.

‘‘There’s a big build up to the game and unfortunately I’ve lost in all of them, so it would be good to turn that around this weekend.’’

In all games, the Warriors have lost nine in a row against the Storm and unsurprisingly, they’re outsiders again tomorrow.

However, that was also the case against the Dragons last weekend when the Warriors went on to win 20-14.

Second rower Bayley Sironen said the team had taken a lot of confidence from that victory.

‘‘Our completion rates were spoken about quite a bit in the media, but we were really pleased with our completions,’’ Sironen said of the team completing 40 of 41 sets.

‘‘So that’s something we’ll try to take into this game. But in saying that, we don’t want to just tuck the ball under the wing. Against a side like Melbourne you probably need to try to use the ball a bit more.

‘‘They’re so well structured, so that ad-lib football is probably going to be beneficial for us.

‘‘We’re going to try to complete well, kick to corners and try to get into a grind with them.’’