The Warriors will return to Mt Smart Stadium during their 2021 NRL campaign after all, taking on the Canterbury Bulldogs at the Auckland stadium in August.

The match will be the first and only game the club will play at their home venue this season, and will double as a send off for departing captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who will join the Blues in Super Rugby next year.

When they run out at Mt Smart Stadium on August 15, it will end a 716-day drought between matches on home soil, with the team having spent the last two seasons playing in Australia due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Warriors chief executive Cameron George said the occasion would reward not only the club’s NRL players, staff and sponsors but especially the legion of long-suffering families, members and fans.

“This is going to be one of the biggest and certainly most emotional days in our great club’s history,” he said.

“We are all so excited knowing we are finally set to see the Vodafone Warriors, sponsors, families, members and fans coming together for a game day like no other on August 15.

“There’s no doubt these will be the hottest tickets in town. What we want now is to see Mount Smart Stadium packed to the rafters to support the team and to farewell Roger.

“The club as a whole has made huge sacrifices to keep the competition going during the Covid-19 pandemic but it’s our families, members and fans back home in New Zealand who have suffered the most through not being able to connect with their team. Their continued support and patience has been incredible.

“Our special thanks go to the NRL for providing ongoing support. We can’t say enough about what they’ve done for us over the last two seasons.”

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