Warriors TV series to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the NRL club

Have you always wanted to know what makes Roger Tuivasa-Sheck tick?

How leading players cope with being cut from the squad?

Or why Blake Ayshford is wearing nothing but an ill-fitting wrestling singlet at training?

Well, starting Thursday you can find the answers to these and many other questions when the first episode of Warriors TV hits Sky Sport and nzherald.co.nz.

Filming of the series, courtesy of Sky Sport and the Warriors, started before the global Covid-19 pandemic led to the postponement of the NRL but promises to a "no-holds-barred look" at what goes on behind closed doors at Mt Smart.

In a statement, Sky Sport called the series "a first for a high-profile New Zealand sports team" and said former players with close ties to the club - Ayshford and Francis Leger - would unlock never-before-told stories.

"From unique lockdown features, rare glimpses at post-match in the sheds and how injured players and their whanau deal with stress, to team politics, motivational beats and what's happening with former players – every aspect of what it's like to be part of the Warriors will be covered."

"Sky Sport is a huge supporter of the Warriors," said Sky CEO Martin Stewart.

"That support helps grow the game at every level ensuring the code is sustainable and part and parcel of that growth is ensuring there's ongoing excitement and engagement with and for fans.

"Warriors TV is our first endeavour embedding a crew into a team for a first-hand, up-close look at what it's like inside. It's a privilege to have the full commitment to the project by the Warriors players and management. They're showing us their vulnerability and we really respect that. Blake and Francis have really stepped up to the task – and we're stoked with the calibre of the first episodes in the can.

"If this works, and we know it will, we'll be looking at other projects like this."

Warriors TV kicks off on Thursday at 7pm on Sky Sport 4, Sky Sport Now and nzherald.co.nz and will be available on The Sky Sport Highlights App.