Kiwi Ferns star Maitua Feterika has hit out at the cancellation of the NRL women's competition, which has left eight New Zealand players stranded in Australia and unlikely to be able to return home soon.
The NRL has suspended the 2021 season before it began, due to COVID-19, with two women's competitions now scheduled for next year, the first in February.
With the Warriors not entering a team this season, some players crossed the Tasman to sign on with other clubs, with five Kiwi Ferns understood to be with Newcastle Knights, coached by former Warriors star Blake Green.
NZ Rugby League is working with players and the NRL to get them home, searching for flights home and spaces in managed isolation.
The NRL says it has "exhausted all options" to play in 2021, but has been criticised for cancelling the women's season, while the men's competition has gone ahead in the middle of the pandemic.
Karli Hansen, Ngatokotoru Arakua, Annetta Nu'uausala, Autumn-Rain Stephens-Daly, Charlotte Scanlan, Katelyn Vaha'akolo, Maitua Feterika, and Kararaina Wira-Kohu all departed for Australia, hoping to play this season, but are now in the dark over their futures.
"Personally, I'm disappointed by the way it was handled, through a Zoom call, in lockdown after seven weeks of no comms," says Feterika on Facebook.
"I cried for hours after the news was broken to us, because people don't understand the sacrifice it took for us all to get here. My job is on the line, my family have been left behind, all for an empty opportunity - we're not OK!
"Personally, I'm disappointed by the way it was handled, through a Zoom call, in lockdown after seven weeks of no comms," says Feterika on Facebook.
"I cried for hours after the news was broken to us, because people don't understand the sacrifice it took for us all to get here. My job is on the line, my family have been left behind, all for an empty opportunity - we're not OK!
"Yes, we understand there is a lot happening around the world, but that doesn't mean you can invalidate how we feel. You didn't do this for the men's competition?
"Get off your high horses and do better for our women's game."
Feterika has represented New Zealand since 2014 and played her 10th test match against Samoa last year, but had already decided this would be her last year of international league. She has also represented Queensland in State of Origin and won the 2018 NRLW title with Brisbane Broncos.
The Rugby League Players Association says its "immediate priority is to support the New Zealand players who have temporarily relocated to Newcastle".
The players are not full-time and have jobs outside rugby league to return to, as well as families.
Earlier this week, COVID-19 Minister Chris Hipkins announced an extended pause on MIQ vouchers for Kiwis overseas trying to return home, due to the high demand on isolation facilities.
