Next Sunday at 6:05 PM (4:05 PM AEST), the Warriors will host their first-ever NRL final at Eden Park, a significant milestone for the club.
The NRL confirmed this matchup against Newcastle, marking the first time the Warriors will play a final at Eden Park, which has a capacity of 50,000.
The Warriors have expressed a preference for Mt Smart Stadium, where their loyal fans created a vibrant atmosphere during their recent 26-16 loss to the Dolphins.
While they have hosted five finals in Auckland, all previous matches were held at Mt Smart.
However, the team faces injury challenges ahead of the critical game. They recently lost Leka Halasima, who suffered a hamstring injury during the warm-up for the Dolphins match.
"It was a hamstring in the warm-up, nothing related to what he's been having which was an ankle injury," coach Andrew Webster commented on the issue.
Concerns are also present regarding prop Jackson Ford, who returned from a 12-week absence due to a pectoral tear but limped off during the Dolphins game.
"Not good," Webster said about Ford's latest injury. "We don't know much more."
In the match against the Dolphins, the Warriors struggled to find their attacking rhythm, relying heavily on five penalty goals to build a 16-8 lead.
Webster noted, "We didn't get the opportunity to get a flow in to the attack," acknowledging the tactical choice to take penalty goals.
Despite leading at halftime, he acknowledged that the team needed to improve defensively, particularly in containing Dolphins centre Herbie Farnworth.
"We have to be more efficient next week," he urged, as the Warriors prepare for the high-stakes elimination final.