A baffling decision in the eyes of many, the New Zealand Warriors have sacked coach Stephen Kearney.
With two years still running on his contract, the club made the decision to sack Kearney.
It comes on the back of a loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs last night.
In the end, the club felt despite the circumstances the Warriors have gone through in 2020, that it was the call to be made.
“Stephen was informed this morning that we needed to make an immediate change,” said Vodafone Warriors CEO Cameron George.
“It’s a tough day for all of us particularly after last night’s performance.
“Stephen is extremely professional and has put in a huge amount of effort in the role.
Along with the owners, we feel we need to make a change now in the best interests of the club.“
With the decision made, the club did thank Kearney for his contributions during his tenure.
“We’re so grateful to Stephen for the dedication he has shown to us in what have been difficult circumstances, “ George continued.
“His commitment, work ethic and concern for the wellbeing of the club, players and their families through this challenging year is testament to his character.
“We wish him and his family all the best for the future.”
Assistant coach Todd Payten will take over as head coach in an interim capacity.