Warriors wait for the ‘right answer’

Warriors interim coach Todd Payten says there hasn’t been any movement as far as he knows in getting the players’ families to Australia.

David Fusitu’a, Ken Maumalo and Agnatius Paasi have given the NRL a July 19 deadline to confirm whether their families can go to Australia, otherwise they’re heading home.

Payten revealed two of those players are softening from that stance, but it was concerning that there didn’t seem to be any progress made with the Australian Border Security, which is responsible for giving exemptions to allow non-Australians into the country.

‘‘If they have got the answer we want they [players] stay and if they don’t get it, they know they can go home,’’ Payten said of the NRL.

‘‘I don’t know if there’s any anxiety around that. It makes me nervous as a coach, but I don’t think the players would have any anxiety around what may happen.

‘‘They’ve been up front with me, we’ve put it to the NRL and we just need the right answer.’’

The Warriors will be allowed to bring in another loan player for whoever goes home, but it will be someone who’s struggled for game time at a rival club.

As for the footy, the Warriors will be looking to win their first game away from Central Coast Stadium this season when they play the Titans tomorrow night.

The Warriors face a long day tomorrow, as they’ll have to travel to Cbus Stadium on the day of the game.

‘‘We’ve got an hour and a half bus to Newcastle and a hour and a half flight to the Gold Coast,’’ Payten said.

‘‘We get there at 2pm and we’ve still got two hours at the ground before we start getting ready.

‘‘I’ve seen a lot of teams take it on and it won’t be an excuse. We have some experience with getting on flights, but it’s a new one for us this year.’’

The Warriors welcome back their inspirational captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck for this game, following his suspension for the Broncos fixture. Payten says that will give the team a lift.

‘‘It gives everyone confidence, makes everyone calmer,’’ he said.

‘‘He will provide a good voice from the back, he’s a very good leader and he organises our defensive line very well.

‘‘So he’ll be a big inclusion. Who are they going to kick to? Do they kick to Ken [Maumalo], Fus [David Fusitu’a] or Roger?

‘‘Between the three of them, this is the first time we’ve had them all on the park at the same time this season, so I’m excited for that.’’

Also playing is Jazz Tevaga, making his first appearance this season, due to a couple of injuries and an ankle operation.

With there being no reserve grade footy this season, it makes it harder to introduce a player who’s been out for a while, but Payten is confident Tevaga will be up for it.

‘‘It’s far from ideal, but every club is in the same boat,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the Warriors will pull on the ‘bushshirt’ – infamously labelled by one league fan as ‘‘the worst jersey in the history of sports’’ – tomorrow against the Titans.

The yellow and black chequered number went viral, mostly for the wrong reasons, when it was first released by the Warriors in November last year, as one of their five (yes, they really do have five) jerseys for 2020.

Hunting for their first backto-back wins since the 2018 season, the Warriors will be dressed for the occasion as they look to back up from last Saturday’s 26-16 victory over the Broncos. The infamous jersey was touted as being more like hunting apparel than a rugby league jersey when it was released.