NRL: Warriors ticket sales boom for home opener against Gold Coast Titans

The New Zealand Warriors have made sure Mt Smart Stadium will be packed to the brim for their first home game this Saturday against the Gold Coast Titans.

Tickets for any seat in the stadium are just $15, with $5 from each ticket being donated to the New Zealand Red Cross Disaster Fund as Cyclone Gita has left parts of Tonga in ruins.

And people have jumped on board to the strategy - especially off the back of a successful season opener against South Sydney last weekend.

Fan Engagement Manager Aaron Lawton says up to 15,000 tickets have been purchased including members, with just a few hundred 'Gold' and 'Gold Uncovered' seats left.

"We've certainly already sold more tickets for a single game than we had for any of our 12 home games last year," he said.

The demand has staff members working around the clock to get the strategy over the line.

"They've been working 'till about 9:30 at night."

The boost in sales even caught Warriors great Reuben Wiki by surprise when he arrived to work at the start of the week.

"On Monday it was pretty busy in the office, and the memberships went up - so hopefully it's going to be a packed crowd on Saturday," he told Newshub.

Simon Mannering.
Simon Mannering. Photo credit: Photosport

The Warriors' last home match of the 2017 season came in a loss to the Manly Sea Eagles, and Warriors backrower Simon Mannering knows his team will have to deliver to the loyal community and newcomers.

"It's nice, but it won't mean anything if we then don't perform in front of all our fans coming to support us," Mannering said.

"That's the challenge for this group, each week whether it's a good performance the week before, we've got to be better."

Mannering will have to watch the home opener from the sidelines, however. He believes his shoulder injury will keep him out of action until Round 6.

Lawton coincides with Mannering on the importance of delivering for the fans who had little to cheer about last season.

"We know we've won one game and we're going to have to deliver better than that for the whole season," Lawton said.

"We're certainly as a club on the field and off the field doing everything we can to make sure Saturday's game day experience is excellent and this is a season to remember."

With just two days left to purchase tickets, Aaron Lawton expects to see the game selling out, a trend he hopes will continue as the season goes on.

"You can feel the energy at the club, game day is just around the corner."

Newshub.