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SEN is temporarily unavailable‘The fans will make it home’: Warriors embrace Eden Park move
Sport Nation • September 14th, 2026 9:40 am
Cam George & Andrew Webster | Photo: Photosport
The Warriors have embraced their surprise move to Eden Park for Sunday’s NRL elimination final against the Newcastle Knights, with CEO Cameron George declaring the club’s temporary new home can become “ruthless and hard” for the opposition.
The Warriors had initially pushed back against the NRL’s decision to shift the match from Go Media Stadium, but George said he had spoken with NRL CEO Peter V’landys early on Saturday morning before deciding it was time to “rip the band-aid off” and embrace the occasion.
“I just wanted to rip the band-aid off and just get on with it,” George told Sport Nation's Scotty & Izzy.
“The week for us this week is exciting. I think it brings a real sense of big occasion to the team and having an elimination final at Eden Park with 48,500 people is what we want.
“So let’s go. I’m excited about it.”
George believes a bumper crowd at New Zealand’s national stadium can transform the venue into a temporary Warriors fortress, despite the club losing the unique atmosphere of Go Media Stadium.
“Home is where the people are, not necessarily where the brick and tiles are,” he said.
“All of our people come to Eden Park, they’ll make it home. They’ll make that ruthless and hard for the opposing team and we rely on that.
“It’ll be a great experience, no doubt.”
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The Warriors are expecting the match to be one of the biggest sporting occasions of their season, with George urging supporters to get behind the team for what he described as their “grand final in New Zealand”.
“We mark this as a big occasion,” he said.
“It’s our grand final in New Zealand. We don’t get these big occasions too often and we need to embrace it.”
George also sees the match as an opportunity to underline the Warriors’ importance to the wider New Zealand sporting landscape, particularly with the NRL considering the possibility of a second New Zealand team.
“This is us taking on Australia in the NRL,” he said.
“This is our last game in New Zealand this year. So, let’s fill the stands and make us proud.
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“The NRL are considering New Zealand as a second option for another team. Let’s again keep showing them using these opportunities like the Origin next year, like this one.
“These are big ticket games and it’s more than just an NRL game. This is a sporting event for a New Zealand team.”
While Eden Park will provide a different experience from the Warriors’ traditional home, George revealed the club and venue were working together to create a festival atmosphere around the match.
“There’ll be fan events from 1pm on the outer field, the whole Kingsland area, Full-Time sports bar and eatery will be pumping,” he said.
“It’ll be a big occasion, big event.
“I think once everyone takes their seats it’ll become Warrior nation full stop and we can lift the roof off it, so to speak.”
The Warriors’ elimination final comes after last weekend’s disappointing loss to the Dolphins, but George said the focus inside the club had quickly shifted towards Newcastle.
“I’m disappointed, naturally, but it’s also really, really important that we understand what the reasons were, and from that point on, it is, again, just drawing a line,” he said.
“You’ve got to move on quick. You just have to.”
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