The Warriors' third Tamworth act will occur next month when they use Scully Park as a preseason training base, providing the city with a much-needed boost after the cancellation of the Country Music Festival.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
As reported in the Leader last week, the New Zealand club - who were quarantined in Tamworth in May and then returned to the city for a clash against the Knights in August - will be based at Scully Park for a month from January 3 due to COVID-19.
Read also:
Wests Entertainment Group chief executive Rod Laing floated the idea of the Warriors using Tamworth as a preseason training base after the Country Music Festival was cancelled due to COVID-19.
A 62-strong Warriors contingent would travel to Tamworth, he said.
"For our business it's fantastic news," he said. "But overall to the Tamworth economy, and also to the Tamworth community and also the rugby league community, it's great news.
"Because unlike the visit last May when they were in quarantine, they will schedule various times for community engagement.
"Tamworth residents will see the Warriors in and around town, obviously, during that period."
Laing said there would also be a farewell dinner for the Warriors that would involve "some heavyweights of the NRL".
The relationship between WEG and the Warriors was "a strong one", he said.
Warriors CEO Cameron George, who once lived and worked in Tamworth, "has some fantastic ideas that will further promote and boost rugby league in Tamworth and the North West", he added.
On Friday George confirmed the club will relocate to Australia for at least the first four rounds of the 2021 NRL season.
George said the Warriors "tried to arrange a quarantine facility like other sporting bodies have done, to bring our players from Australia to train here [New Zealand] as a squad. But our request was declined, so we've had to adapt".
"We'll keep abreast of the border situation," he continued, "and in early March will decide with the NRL what the best course of action is after the first four rounds - hopefully returning to New Zealand to play at Mount Smart for the first time since 2019 in round five."
The Warriors have been split into two preseason groups since mid-November, with 14 of the NRL squad training in Kiama while the rest have been working with new head coach Nathan Brown in Auckland.
On January 3, the New Zealand-based players and staff will fly to Tamworth - where they will be joined by the Kiama pod. That will enable the full squad to train together for the first time ahead of preseason trials and the season-opening match against the Titans on March 13.
Brown said: "It's not ideal having the squad split, with one group in Auckland and another in Kiama, but it has been the only option open to us."
He added: "It's critical getting together as a group, which the camp in Tamworth is all about."
The Warriors said Tamworth would provide "familiarity for players and staff".
Following their month-long stint in Tamworth, the Warriors will relocate to Terrigal - where they were based from late May until the final round of the Covid 19-affected 2020 season.
