Warriors June homecoming match cancelled

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The Warriors won't return to Mt Smart Stadium in June to face Penrith as scheduled, the club confirmed today.

Club CEO Cameron George said New Zealand's latest border announcement had forced the club to cancel their homecoming event, fixtured for Saturday 18 June.

The phased opening proposed the NZ government has the club concerned there will be too much guesswork to ensure a safe and timely return home by that date.

The Warriors haven't played a home game in New Zealand since before the pandemic - August 2019 - their last home game of that season against South Sydney.

As it stands, any NRL team arriving in NZ at that time would have to isolate for seven days - an unrealistic prospect in the middle of an NRL season.

The Warriors still have four games scheduled in Auckland from July onward, any of which could serve as homecoming games depending on border arrangements:

• Wests Tigers (3 July)
• Melbourne (29 July)
• Canterbury (12 August)
• Gold Coast (3 September)

The Panthers match on June 18 will now likely be played at Redcliffe's Moreton Daily Stadium.