Saturday 11 August 2012 4:00 PM
Vodafone Warriors loose forward Elijah Taylor has returned home following his father’s sudden death in Auckland yesterday.
He didn’t travel to Australia with the Vodafone Warriors on Thursday, staying behind to be with his father Ron who had been admitted to Middlemore Hospital.
Taylor linked up with the Vodafone Junior Warriors on their flight to Brisbane yesterday to join the NRL squad but on arrival learned his father had passed away.
Experienced Vodafone Warrior Jerome Ropati accompanied Taylor on the next flight home.
"Our deepest sympathies go out to Elijah and his family at this difficult time," said Vodafone Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah.
Taylor’s Vodafone Warriors club-mates will wear black armbands as a mark of respect in tonight’s NYC and NRL games against North Queensland in Townsville tonight, the NYC match starting at 7.15 NZ time, the NRL game at 9.30.