Last weekend’s sell-out Warriors game proved the South Island is ready for a team in the world’s premier rugby league competition. There were two special guests at One New Zealand Stadium for the Warriors’ first game at Christchurch’s new multimillion-dollar sports and entertainment venue – outgoing NRL CEO Andrew Abdo and Australian Rugby League chair Peter V’landys. “I might have to find Willie [Mason] and get him to put V’landys in a headlock and tell him we’re not letting him go until he’s signed off on a new team from Christchurch,” former Warrior Shaun Johnson commented during the pre-match coverage.