As if the on-field dramas weren’t bad enough, it looks as though the Warriors are heading into the off season with another cloud hanging over the ownership of the club.
It’s emerged that Autex Industries, who own one third of the club, are making a play to buy out majority owner the Carlaw Park Heritage Trust. The Trust took ownership of the Warriors only 18 months ago, buying it off the previous owner Eric Watson.
Autex boss Mark Robinson told Newshub that the sale is in the "best interests" of the club's future.
Former Manly, Queensland, Kiwis coach and former part owner of the Warriors Sir Graham Lowe was quoted as saying:
"Autex have got great passion, but in saying all that, unless they're prepared to make the changes that are going to fix performances on the field, nothing will change. The performance on the field is just pathetic.
"I don't think the place needs to be bombed or anything like that, but certainly Autex... this isn't a time for people's feelings, this is time to fix it.”
A shareholders meeting is understood to be happening on Thursday.
"The shareholders are discussing an ownership proposal and it's confidential between them," club CEO Cameron George told Newshub.
"My focus is ensuring the day-to-day operations run well, and we do the best we can for our fans and sponsors.”
The Warriors have had a long and colourful ownership history. Lowe’s ownership was a partnership between a private consortium and the Tainui iwi. It was then sold to Watson, who eventually entered into a joint partnership with Sir Owen Glenn. This venture ended in acrimony when the pair fell out, with Glenn eventually taking legal action against the high-profile Watson. This in turn led to rumours that the club would be sold to an American group of investors headed by Hawaii-based Richard Fale. This was widely reported as a done deal, however this was proven to be false when the Carlaw Park Heritage Trust came in with a last minute offer to buy out Watson.