Warriors feel more at home at Mt Smart
The New Zealand Warriors have shelved the option of making Eden Park their regular home ground and have committed to anchoring at Mount Smart Stadium.
Chief executive Wayne Scurrah on Tuesday said nearly all regular season NRL games will be played at Mount Smart Stadium in 2015, unlike this year.
The round 12 game against Newcastle on Sunday was the Warriors' first of the season at their long-time home venue.
Three of their first four home games were at rugby union stronghold Eden Park and attracted modest crowds. The other was taken to Wellington.
Scurrah, who also announced on Tuesday he is leavi ng his post at the end of the season, says playing extra games at Eden Park this year supported an Auckland Council strategy to trial the ground as an NRL venue.
Subsequent feedback from the club's stakeholders recommended cutting back on games there.
"There are insufficient compelling reasons at this point for us to contemplate a permanent move to Eden Park," Scurrah said.
"It offers great facilitates and is well set up for large scale rugby league events like the three one-off NRL games in 2011, 2012 and 2013 as well as the NRL Nines and Tests.
"However we have a range of concerns about the suitability of permanently playing all of our Auckland games there."
Warriors owner Eric Watson said he has constantly stated a preference to remain at Mount Smart Stadium.
He says members and fans have told the club they agree with that sentiment.
The Warriors have four years to run on their contract at Mount Smart Stadium.
Scurrah said they will ask the council to improve facilities at the venue.
