Warriors pre-season trial an intriguing coach clash
Whangarei showdown is also set to feature as many as 18 current or past Kiwis
Kiwis coaches past and present will go head to head when the Warriors host Wests Tigers in Whangarei for their second NRL pre-season trial match next year.
Warriors and former New Zealand World Cup winning coach Stephen Kearney’s side will face off against current Kiwis and newly appointed Tigers coach Michael Maguire’s outfit at the Northland Events Centre on March 2.
The coaching match-up comes as Maguire, who has just completed work on the Kiwis end of year tour of England, prepares to return to the NRL arena after a year’s break following a six-season stint in charge of South Sydney from 2012-17.
As well as their Kiwi coaching connection, Kearney and Maguire both served their apprenticeships at Melbourne under Storm coach Craig Bellamy before going on to coach against each other when Kearney was with the Parramatta Eels and Maguire with the Rabbitohs in 2012.
The match is also set to feature a host of international players with as many as 18 current or past Kiwis being on show while the doubleheader event will also feature a curtain raiser clash between the Warriors’ and Tigers’ Intrust Super Premiership teams.
“As a club, we really enjoy playing in areas around the country and giving locals the chance to see our players up close,” said Kearney.
“This trial will be really important for us being our last hit-out before starting our season against the Bulldogs at Mount Smart Stadium on March 16. It’s the same for our ISP team.”
The Warriors have eight players who have been on tour with the Kiwis in England — Ken Maumalo, Peta Hiku, Gerard Beale, Shaun Johnson, Northland-born and bred Adam Blair, Agnatius Paasi and Isaiah Papali’i plus new signing Leeson Ah Mau, while they also boast Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Issac Luke and Tohu Harris along with Tonga internationals David Fusitu’a and Solomone Kata, who have also played for the Kiwis.
Wests Tigers have centre Esan Marsters from the Kiwi party in England as well as former Kiwis captain Benji Marshall, and forwards Ben Matulino, Russell Packer and Elijah Taylor (who was brought up in Herekino in the Far North). Other New Zealand-born players in their squad include Michael Chee-Kam, Josh Aloiai and Thomas Mikaele.
It will be the fourth time the Warriors have held a trial in Whangarei. They staged New South Wales Cup hit-outs there in 2011 and 2012 and an NRL trial against the Gold Coast Titans in 2016.
The club will be out and about in the area making a number of community appearances during the lead up to game day.The Warriors will face the Storm in their first trial match at Geelong’s Kardinia Park on February 22.