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Warriors chief executive Cameron George says the team’s NRL elimination final against the Penrith Panthers clashing with the All Blacks’ Rugby Championship test against the Springboks is “not ideal”, but he understands the scheduling decision.
Despite pushing hard for an alternative date and kickoff time, the Warriors will kick offat Mt Smart at 6.05pm on Saturday, with the All Blacks kicking off an hour later in Wellington.
A Friday night game was out of the picture as it would have involved at 10pm kick-off to suit the Australian broadcasters, while it couldn’t be played earlier on Saturday for the same reason as it would clash with the Wallabies v Argentina Rugby Championship test and later that night (9.35pm) was also not an option.
Sunday was an option as elimination finals have always been played on that day since the current format was implemented in 2012, but the Canberra Raiders, the minor premiers, pushed hard for that slot to allow them a full week to prepare for their qualifying final against the Brisbane Broncos.
As a result, sports fans will either have to watch one game on a replay, or operate two screens, while there will no doubt be battles for screen time at pubs around the country.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine, George said he feels it was a missed opportunity but didn’t want the decision to distract from Saturday’s clash against the four-time reigning premiers.
Warriors CEO Cameron George. Photo / Photosport
“I felt there was a great opportunity for us to get the time slot that led into the All Blacks game, so all New Zealanders could enjoy a great afternoon of sport, cheering on both the Warriors and the All Blacks,” George said.
“Once I found out about it, our focus had to shift to just getting on with it. We wish the All Blacks all the best and we’ll tune in after we’ve had a good game ourselves.”
“To be fair to the broadcasters, they’ve got a lot of competing demands, balancing requests and restrictions. It’s no easy job, but I’ll never stop pushing for what’s best for our club and our fan base in New Zealand. That’s my focus, while the NRL has a much broader scope.”
Regardless of the scheduling clash, Mt Smart is expected to sell out, with tickets going on sale to the general public on Tuesday.
The Warriors are massive underdogs against the Panthers, who have won nine of their past 10 meetings.
The Warriors have never beaten the Panthers in the finals, falling to defeats in 2003, 2018 and 2023.
If the Warriors were to win, it would be regarded as one of the biggest upsets in NRL finals history, ending the most dominant reign in the sports’ professional era.
George said the entire team is excited for the occasion.
“I think it’s great that we’re playing Penrith,” George said. “Facing the reigning premiers is a good challenge for us.
“We’re not afraid of it, we’re excited as a club, not just the players but the staff too. It’s going to be a great event. We have a lot of respect for Penrith, but at the end of the day, they’re a footy team and so are we.
“I was up at training this morning and the boys are fresh and excited about the opportunity to play finals footy for our fans. We’re not worried about who’s in front of us, we’re focused on ourselves.”
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.
