New ABC comedy-drama The Warriors begins in early April.

The series, set around young AFL players, stars newcomer Gordon Churchill (pictured, left) as Maki, who leaves his remote Aboriginal community for a (fictitious) Melbourne club.

The cast also includes John Howard (Mad Max: Fury Road, Packed to the Rafters), Lisa McCune (It’s A Date, Blue Heelers), and Vince Colosimo (Janet King, Underbelly).

Immediately following the show’s premiere, viewers can binge the entire series on ABC iview.

The Warriors is a landmark Australian television drama series set in the world of elite sport.

Produced by Tony Briggs (The Sapphires) and Robert Connolly (The Slap, Barracuda), the series follows the once-great Warriors Football Club, which pins its hopes and dwindling reputation on three untested rookies and a jaded star.

Overnight the talented young athletes are thrown head first into the high-stakes world of professional sport.

For Maki, Zane and Scottie, sporting success means leaving home and finding a place in an unfamiliar world. But as the boys encounter temptation and pressure on a level they have never experienced, they must battle to maintain their integrity and a connection to their past. The change is particularly pronounced for the season’s number one draft pick, Maki, who swaps the remote Aboriginal community where he grew up for the bright lights of Melbourne.

Under the guidance of bad boy Team Captain, Doc, Maki and his fellow recruits have to navigate new relationships and challenging situations both on and off the field. But will they even make it on to the ground for the first game of the season?

The Warriors is an authentic, fresh, funny and poignant take on the often public drama and big business of professional sport – touching on universal themes of identity, belonging, success, failure and the lure of fame.

9:30pm Wednesday 12 April on ABC.

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