Panthers and Warriors lead the way in 2026 NRL finals series
The NRL is poised to force the Warriors to play a preliminary final at Eden Park if they win through, with Mt Smart Stadium likely to fall victim to the club’s groundswell of support.
The Warriors were given a week-one reprieve by the NRL, cleared to face the Dolphins at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday evening.
The decision came after head office gave serious consideration to play the match at Eden Park, in the same way Cronulla will host North Queensland at Allianz Stadium.
But ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys has confirmed that 50,000-seat Eden Park would likely be used in week three, given it holds double the crowd of Mt Smart.
“We had a long discussion about moving the game in Auckland to Eden Park. But we decided to go with their existing home ground,” V’landys, who is acting as NRL executive chairman, said.
“I’d say you’d be 90 per cent sure that we’ll be going to Eden Park (for week three). And we’ve discussed it with the club.
“They’d like to stay at Mount Smart, but they realise that if all goes to plan, they’re going to have a massive audience, and they’ll be accommodated at Eden Park.”
V’landys’ comments come with the Warriors having sold out 41 of 46 home games since since returning from their exile from New Zealand during COVID-19.
The Warriors were allowed to play a week-two final at their normal home of Mt Smart Stadium in 2023, and have never hosted a preliminary final.
They have not played a game at Eden Park since 2014, with games now taken elsewhere in New Zealand when away from Mt Smart.
Andrew Webster’s men have won seven of nine games at Mt Smart Stadium this year, having also played home games at Magic Round, Christchurch and Wellington.
“Mt Smart is home, especially for our members,” injured Warriors veteran Roger Tuivasa-Sheck said.
“They have had seats there since day dot. To give them that would be awesome.
If we can do it at Mt Smart which is a special home for us, we would love to do it there.
“But if we can get more at Eden Park, we’ll take that too. We can’t control everything, as long as it’s in Auckland.” The need to accommodate more Warriors fans comes at a time of debate around whether a second New Zealand team should enter the NRL in 2029.
Tuivasa-Sheck himself grew up in Auckland, and is the first to admit he could never have imagined a situation where the Warriors were the biggest ticket in town.
“I think because rugby was so dominant in New Zealand, you couldn’t see that happening,” Tuivasa-Sheck said.
“So just to see rugby league and all the schools and community behind it, it’s been awesome.
“You come to New Zealand at the moment and you see all the ‘Up the Wahs’. It’s awesome.”
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