NZ Warriors can restore Mt Smart Stadium to being their home fortress in 2023, says acting coach Stacey Jones, after an impressive 42-18 victory over Canterbury Bulldogs.
Returning home for their third home match of the season - and third home match since 2019 - the Warriors impressed, running in seven tries to overwhelm the Bulldogs in front of a spirited Mt Smart crowd.
The win was the Warriors' sixth of the season, ending a run of four straight defeats, to go with 15 defeats to sit 13th on the ladder in 2022.
But, of the three home matches the Warriors have so far played this year, two have resulted in wins, with their only defeat coming against title contenders Melbourne Storm.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, the Warriors have spent most of the last three years based in Australia, forced to play their home games at Gosford and Redcliffe, and unable to return to New Zealand.
But an easing of travel restrictions between New Zealand and Australia will allow the Warriors to have a season with the backing of their Mt Smart faithful, and Jones is adamant home fans will benefit the club, when they begin 2023 under new coach Andrew Webster.
"Definitely," Jones said. "Once the team gets back into some routine.
"This guy here [captain Tohu Harris], his family's here. I know he plays better, he's in a better mood, when he's in his family.
"Today's performance was off the back of players bringing energy, but it's also off the back of playing in front of your crowd and what they bring too."
For Harris, Friday's victory was an impressive show of fortitude from the Warriors, who scored four unanswered tries to claim the win.
At 18-all in the second half, the Warriors were in a position that they've squandered many times already this season, but pushed through the other side to emerge victorious.
"I felt like that was probably our most complete performance in a while," Harris said.
"There's obviously things we still need to improve on, but I feel like, for the majority of the game, we had a good attitude and we worked hard for each other."
The Warriors have away matches against North Queensland Cowboys and Penrith Panthers - second and first on the NRL table respectively - to come, before finishing their campaign against Gold Coast Titans at Mt Smart in September.
Join us for live updates of the Warriors v North Queensland Cowboys NRL clash from 8pm Friday
