Plans in place for a fresh beginning
The guys were stoked to get home. I’ve seen most of them, but it was very important for me that we allowed them to go and have their break, get away from it and not come back to work until they had to. Cameron George
The Warriors are at the dawn of a new era, and they have put plans in motion to ensure the next chapter in the club’s history has a positive beginning.
A new coach has taken the helm in experienced campaigner Nathan Brown, and the Warriors have been active in the player market, securing the services of several established NRL stars while maintaining some bright young talents.
The players who recently returned to New Zealand from an arduous 2020 season based in Australia have been largely left alone.
As Warriors chief executive Cameron George explains, every small detail is part of a bigger picture.
“The guys were stoked to get home. I’ve seen most of them, but it was very important for me that we allowed them to go and have their break, get away from it and not come back to work until they had to.
“By that, I mean even me and the club, or any personnel at the club, are not annoying them; just letting them have the break because they put so much on the table this year and we need them to freshen up, come back to us with a really great attitude and to work hard and get ready for 2021, because it could be a hell of a year for us if we get it right,” George says.
While there are aspects of the upcoming campaign the Warriors are unable to plan — such as exactly where they’ll be playing — they have built a squad that looks competitive on paper, and have established bases in both New Zealand and Australia at which the players on both sides of the Tasman can get in their preseason work before the team come together.
Among the new signings, Euan Aitken and Marcelo Montoya bring some competition to an otherwise established backline, while forwards such as Addin Fonua-Blake, Kane Evans and Ben Murdoch-Masila will provide strength and aggression through the middle.
With the new signings, the Warriors will have a squad depth they have not known for some time.
“First and foremost, they’re terrific people,” George says of the new recruits. “That’s a big thing for us, making sure we get the right style of people in our club. It takes you a long way when times are tough if you have the right quality.
“That aside, the footballing ability of the guys we’ve recruited is very exciting. It balances the team out in different roles and what they bring to the table. From a salary cap perspective, it works extremely well for us. Our fans should well be happy with what we’ve done so far, and you never know what could be in the pipeline for some other changes.
“From where I’m sitting, I think it’s one of the most exciting seasons we’re going into — purely on the recruitment and coaching staff we’ve had in my time.”