The Warriors made an emotional return to Mt Smart Stadium this week ahead of Sunday’s NRL clash with the Wests Tigers, the Auckland club’s first home game in more than 1000 days.

The team has spent the last two and a half years based in Australia due to the Covid pandemic and they were welcomed back to Mt Smart with a pōwhiri earlier this week.

Halfback Shaun Johnson says there’s no place like home.

“I’m not sure I can put it into words to be honest. It’s been a long time away for a lot of the boys and this year has been probably a little bit indifferent. So, to actually be home and to feel you’re back where you belong, it’s a feeling I can’t actually describe.”

The Warriors have had a tumultuous season.

They lost a frontline player following a confrontation in a bar with the club owner, before losing their coach Nathan Brown, who bailed with a year left on his contract, claiming he couldn’t live in New Zealand.

The club has taken plenty of hits off the field and their on field results haven’t been great, they sit 15th in the NRL standings with four wins from 15 games.

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SPORT1 Jul 2022
No place like home for returning Warriors
2:17 pm on 1 July 2022
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Joe Porter Joe Porter, Sports Reporter
@RNZSport joe.porter@rnz.co.nz
The Warriors made an emotional return to Mt Smart Stadium this week ahead of Sunday’s NRL clash with the Wests Tigers, the Auckland club’s first home game in more than 1000 days.

Shaun Johnson and Mark ‘Mahi Man’ Dekker.
Vodafone Warriors powhiri welcome at Mt Smart Stadium Auckland, New Zealand on Tuesday 28 June 2022 ahead of the first Warriors home match on Sunday against the Tigers © Copyright photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nzThe Warriors are back at Mt Smart. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
The team has spent the last two and a half years based in Australia due to the Covid pandemic and they were welcomed back to Mt Smart with a pōwhiri earlier this week.

Halfback Shaun Johnson says there’s no place like home.

“I’m not sure I can put it into words to be honest. It’s been a long time away for a lot of the boys and this year has been probably a little bit indifferent. So, to actually be home and to feel you’re back where you belong, it’s a feeling I can’t actually describe.”

The Warriors have had a tumultuous season.

They lost a frontline player following a confrontation in a bar with the club owner, before losing their coach Nathan Brown, who bailed with a year left on his contract, claiming he couldn’t live in New Zealand.

The club has taken plenty of hits off the field and their on field results haven’t been great, they sit 15th in the NRL standings with four wins from 15 games.

Shaun Johnson and Mark ‘Mahi Man’ Dekker.
Vodafone Warriors powhiri welcome at Mt Smart Stadium Auckland, New Zealand on Tuesday 28 June 2022 ahead of the first Warriors home match on Sunday against the Tigers © Copyright photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nzShaun Johnson and Mark ‘Mahi Man’ Dekker. Warriors pōwhiri welcome at Mt Smart. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
Johnson concedes he was nervous about how they would be received upon their return to Auckland, but he says those misgivings were misplaced.

“The feel around town, people in the shopping centres and wherever I’ve been, people have been excited to have us back. I’ve certainly felt the love already and I know the boys are going to get to experience that this weekend heading into the game.”

Corey Lelean is a self described Warriors super fan. He has supported the team since their inception and grew up playing and watching league at Carlaw Park and then Mt Smart.