Reinforcements are on their way for an undermanned Warriors team.
Jazz Tevaga is back from injury and headed to Australia to join his team-mates in two weeks' time. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Four players - Agnatius Paasi, Jazz Tevaga, Josh Curran and Gerard Beale - left Auckland for Australia on Wednesday night with plans to link up with their team-mates after spending 14 days in self-isolation in New South Wales.
The foursome missed the opening-round of the NRL due to injury and have been sent to Australia to strengthen a squad that was down to 19 of their 30 first-grade contracted players.
The Warriors have been based in New South Wales since their opening round loss to Newcastle with travel restrictions due to the coronavirus restricting player movement across the Tasman.
Injuries and the return home of backs Peta Hiku and Patrick Herbert for personal reasons left the club scrambling to field a side ahead of Saturday's match against the Canberra Raiders on the Gold Coast.
The earliest the four lastest arrivals could take the field would be in round four against the Wests Tigers if the competition is still operating.
Warriors chief executive Cameron George said the team is committed to the competition and needed to bolster the squad as soon as possible.
"We've got to get them over there because if we don't get them into that 14-day cycle, obviously every day that goes by puts them back," George said.
"The sooner we get them there, the better we are in terms of some depth."
The Warriors may also be able to call on their reserve grade players following the suspension of the NRL feeder competition, the Canterbury Cup.
NSW Rugby League has excluded the Warriors from the Canterbury Cup for the rest of the season due to the complexity of travel restrictions after the competition was put on hold until 31 May.