26 Nov 2020

Warriors get home games pandemic permitting

2:05 pm on 26 November 2020

The Warriors will play their first two games of next year's National Rugby League season at home in Auckland, subject to the COVID-19 trans-Tasman travel restrictions being lifted.

Eleven of the Warriors home games will be at Mt Smart Stadium in 2021, again dependent on travel restrictions.

The club will kick off the season with back-to-back home games against the Gold Coast Titans on March the 13th, and Newcastle Knights the following week.

The Warriors 12th designated home match against Parramatta will be played at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane in the NRL's Magic Round (round 10).

Warriors CEO Cameron George said the club remained optimistic it would be back home in 2021.

The Warriors are scheduled to return home to Mt Smart Stadium for 2021 - Covid19 permitting.

The Warriors are scheduled to return home to Mt Smart Stadium for 2021 - Covid19 permitting. Photo: Photosport

"We have always said our priority is to be playing at home in front of our families, members and fans in 2021," he said.

"While the Covid-19 situation has meant planning for all possibilities, being back at Mount Smart is our top wish. We couldn't think of anything better after being forced to play away from home for the whole of this season.

"We have no control of any decisions around trans-Tasman border policy, but as of today we're delighted that the NRL has officially allocated all our home games to Mount Smart."

In a quirk of the draw, the season starts and finishes against the Titans.

The nine clubs the Warriors face home and away are the Titans, Knights, Raiders, Sea Eagles, Dragons, Storm, Cowboys, Wests Tigers and Sharks.

The clubs they take on once are the Roosters, Rabbitohs, Panthers, Bulldogs, Eels and Broncose.

The three clubs not travelling to play the Warriors at home are South Sydney, the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane.