The Warriors have made it crystal clear to higher-ups where they'd prefer to play a potential home playoff game this year - and it isn't the one the NRL reportedly wants.
The Warriors could seal a top-four finish this weekend with a win over the lowly Dragons at Mt Smart Stadium - a spot that would then allow them a match at home in the second playoff if the were to lose their qualifying playoff against the high-flying Broncos or Panthers first up.
With their impressive form this season and third place on the NRL ladder, reports have surfaced over a potential shift from their usual home venue at Mt Smart to rugby's spiritual home across town at Eden Park where capacity is doubled.
In fact, capacity is a key factor, with the NRL preferring venues to have a minimum capacity of 25,000 once the playoffs reach the second round. Coincidentally perhaps, it's the NRL who takes all revenue from finals games instead of the home club.
While the Warriors have been the hottest ticket in Auckland recently with consistent sellout games, the largest crowd they've managed to squeeze into Mt Smart has been 24,012.
It also happens that there's no NPC action at Eden Park the weekend the Warriors would potentially need it, with Auckland taking their September 15 game against Waikato to Pakuranga United Rugby Club.
Despite the stars aligning for Eden Park, Warriors star Shaun Johnson said he would "100 percent" be disappointed if the potential playoff was taken away from Mt Smart.
"I get that sometimes business gets in the way with ticket sales and money made but from a player's perspective, we didn't work this hard to warrant a home playoff game to be played at Eden Park," Johnson said.
"There's no place like this place and I've said that a million times over."
Statistics back Johnson's feelings. The Warriors are 6-2 this season at Mt Smart having taken home games to other parts of the country but in their six previous ventures to Eden Park, they've only ever won there once.
Coach Andrew Webster echoed his star playmaker's thoughts, saying Mt Smart was just an "awesome place" to play.
"I'm not a politics guy - I'll play where they tell me to play - but I've got a preference and you've just got to look at Mt Smart, it's unbelievable," Webster added.
"If we went to Eden Park, the only good thing I'd say about that is that more Kiwi fans would get to watch us live.
"There's always a positive."
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