New Zealand Warriors

Loaned Rooster extends Warriors stay

New Zealand get a major boost following a forgetful week.

Published by
Mitch Keating

The Warriors have been granted an extension for young forward Poasa Faamausili to remain with New Zealand past the initial expiry of his loan deal with the club.

Faamausili was loaned to the Warriors from Sydney after the NRL's restart following a number of injuries to their froward stocks.

The league gave NZ permission to seek players on loan deals to combat their injury-riddled squad while they were in Australia to aid the NRL's restart.

Faamausili signed for the Warriors on a four-game deal that would end after New Zealand's clash with Melbourne this weekend, but has since had his loan contract extended.

“Trent and the Roosters have been fantastic with their attitude towards us, they’ve agreed to keep Po in our system until they need him back, so he’ll be here as long as they are injury free,” Warriors interim coach Todd Payten said on Wednesday.

“Po’s been really good, he’s an Auckland kid, he’s fitted in really well and he’s pretty vocal around the group which has been great."

While Payten excitement over the deal was clear, the length of Faamausili's stay wasn't.

“I can’t 100 per cent confirm it’s until the end of the season… they can call him back whenever, that’s as much as I understand it,” he said.

The Warriors were given another helping hand by the league, with their clash with the Storm moving from Melbourne to Sydney following growing coronavirus concerns in Victoria.

After a rough week following their disastrous turnout against the Rabbitohs and Stephen Kearney's firing, Payten was happy the club were under clearer skies.

"It's the first little win we've had in a long time go our club's way," Payten said.

"It will have a small benefit to us, it's an advantage not having to get on the flight, so we'll take that one."

Published by
Mitch Keating