NRL: Nines experience boost for player recruitment

The Auckland Nines give visiting players a chance to explore the city. Photo / Getty Images

The Auckland Nines, regarded as a huge success, may also have an important benefit for the Warriors - it should help with the signing Australian players to the club.

The Warriors have always been a hard sell; it's difficult to attract Australian players and imports that did come often had to be paid over the odds. It didn't help that the club has struggled on the field, but even during relatively successful periods (2001-03, 2007-08, 2010-11) it wasn't easy to persuade Australian players to cross the ditch.

Todd Carney turned down a huge Warriors offer to stay at the Sharks for significantly less money and the club was unsuccessful with several other big-name pursuits last year.

"This is a unique experience for me and it's a unique club," said coach Matt Elliott last year on the struggle to get his compatriots to the club. Elliott talked about a "blockage" when it came to players considering Auckland as a destination. The club has attracted some big names in recent years (Steve Price, Ruben Wiki and Brent Tate) but most of their successful imports were lower profile.

Much of it came down to lifestyle. Swapping the delights of Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne for Auckland didn't stack up for most Australians. Auckland is regularly voted one of the most liveable cities in the world - but the average Australian league player never saw it at its best.

"Even when I made the decision, I wasn't too sure what I had done," admits new Warriors recruit Chad Townsend. "My memories of Auckland weren't great. We would go straight to the hotel from the airport, then the next day play our game at Mt Smart in the middle of an industrial area."

"It was hard to enjoy coming here," remembers Warriors hooker Nathan Friend. "It was winter, usually cold and raining and it was always such a physical contest. Most players couldn't wait to get out of here."

Once players are here for a few months and experience the lifestyle, they are generally sold. "It's a great place," says Townsend. "There is a lot to do, the coastline is amazing and once guys are here they love it most of the time."

The Nines, which should continue until at least 2018, should speed up that process. With 256 players here for almost a week it is an invaluable selling point for the city and the Warriors.

The teams saw Auckland at its best last week. Those memories will be front of mind next time they are weighing up a move. It doesn't mean there will be a flood of talent from across the Tasman but it will help make it a level playing field.