NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / League / Warriors

Watch: Warriors CEO Cameron George on team's return to New Zealand before Covid-19 lockdown

NZ Herald
23 Mar, 2020 08:50 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The competition became one of the last professional contact sports to shut down in response to the outbreak, suspending its 16-team competition last night.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Warriors boss Cameron George has confirmed that his club will seek government assistance as a crisis meeting with all NRL clubs looms.

George addressed the media for the first time after the NRL suspended its competition last night, becoming one of the last professional contact sports to shut down in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Warriors CEO, who will be attending a crisis meeting with all 16 NRL clubs today, admitted that it was a challenging time for the league and that his club will "absolutely" seek assistance from the New Zealand government.

"This club certainly adds significant value into the economy," George said. "We promote the country as a whole in the sporting sector."

George also applauded the government's efforts into helping struggling businesses and its early response to the pandemic.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

READ MORE:
• NRL 2020 season coronavirus: NRL shuts down amid crisis
• Coronavirus: World reacts as NRL suspend season indefinitely after two rounds
• Coronavirus: IOC sets deadline to postpone Tokyo Olympics
• Olympics facing two-year postponement because of coronavirus threat, says Tokyo 2020 chief

Earlier today George expressed relief over the NRL's decision to suspend the 2020 premiership.

The Warriors, who have been based in Australia and committed to continuing in the competition as long as it was running, are set to arrive back in New Zealand later today following Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's announcement to move the country into lockdown for four weeks.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The boys are flying back today, we've organised a plane to leave the Gold Coast," George confirmed on the Radio Sport Breakfast. "They'll be home late this afternoon. Really happy about that process. It's crucial we get them home back to their families and loved ones."

The Warriors are returning home amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo / Photosport
The Warriors are returning home amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo / Photosport

Although backing the NRL's initial plan to keep the competition running, George admitted the decision to call it off yesterday was comforting.

"I felt like we in part, we were still playing and putting smiles on peoples faces and giving people something to look at and talk about, have a bit of fun with their mates," George said. "[But] I felt it was a sense of relief given our unique situation and what we've endured over the last two weeks and for the families.

"Late yesterday afternoon, post the Prime Minister's announcement, I had a number of partners and wives contact me and started to really question what are they going to do and why are we doing it which I completely understand. So in that regard, there was a little bit of relief.

Discover more

Sport

NZOC backs 'inevitable' Tokyo Games postponement

23 Mar 09:30 PM
World

UK virus shock: Boris Johnson, health secretary test positive for coronavirus

27 Mar 04:54 PM
Warriors

Warriors want to be part of revised NRL competition

23 Mar 11:55 PM
Sport

Watch: Olympics set to be postponed

24 Mar 05:15 AM

With the season ceased, the NRL now faces a possible $500 million hit to its finances.
The NRL has closed its headquarters, forcing staff to take leave.

George said there was plenty to consider for both the overall game and the Warriors.

"I feel the pain and am devastated about the game, the sport standing still now there's 16 clubs that are going to take a massive hit," he said.

"It's tough for the game, it's tough for society at the moment, it's a really difficult time for everyone, we're very aware of the challenges which exist New Zealand wide and we're just a part of that now.

"We've just got to be smart about what we do between now and the foreseeable future. We've got to work through a number of things, we've got a massive meeting with the NRL being the 16 clubs and that will direct us in certain ways.

"There's a lot of balls in the air but we've got a lot of things in our favour as well."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Watch above as Warriors CEO Cameron George addressed the media before the team arrives back in New Zealand.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Warriors

Sport|league

Juggling jobs and family: Warriors Women tackle challenges of top sport

01 Jul 03:33 AM
Warriors

Boyd makes case to fill Warriors halfback void following Metcalf injury

30 Jun 11:00 PM
Warriors

Warriors struck another major blow as Metcalf set to miss season

30 Jun 05:38 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Warriors

Juggling jobs and family: Warriors Women tackle challenges of top sport

Juggling jobs and family: Warriors Women tackle challenges of top sport

01 Jul 03:33 AM

Apii Nicholls talks balancing league and police work on The Big League Podcast.

Boyd makes case to fill Warriors halfback void following Metcalf injury

Boyd makes case to fill Warriors halfback void following Metcalf injury

30 Jun 11:00 PM
Warriors struck another major blow as Metcalf set to miss season

Warriors struck another major blow as Metcalf set to miss season

30 Jun 05:38 PM
Premium
Opinion: Why the Warriors women's comeback is perfectly timed

Opinion: Why the Warriors women's comeback is perfectly timed

28 Jun 09:01 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP