Player Addin Fonua-Blake

[wizard of Tauranga]

Gutted if he leaves but in the bigger picture we have failed as a club to develop or recruit props for the last 10 years since our 2011 fantastic 4.

AFB has been the only quality prop and for at least the last 6 seasons, this forum has been calling out for big meter eating props.

Why has NZ, which has a tonne of big men, struggled to get any at the Warriors bar AFB? Him leaving is compounded by the lack of prop depth.

 

[Canonball]

OOOh, late to this news - awful. My bright side is that the only way the release will be granted is if there's a substantial, beneficial trade coming back. The other thing to remember is that to a large degree the players around him this last season gave him opportunities for impact - specifically egan, harris and SJ - I doubt that will be repeated elsewhere

 

[El Chuckie]

Pretty pissed off with him to be honest, second club he has done this to now.

The whole story would be nice, wouldn't it? Right now, it looks like a guy has waited until November 2 - contract clusterfuckabout season - when he's 12,000 miles away, to imply someone in his family needs him. Did they not need him on October 12th or 17th or late September? Is this a recent and sudden thing? Is he flying home from the UK as we speak to be with them? This guy is my favourite Warrior - and he's had a rough upbringing - so I really hope this compassionate call is legit.

 

[3rdstriker]

He's definitely a big loss,
But Webster turned our average team around this year everyone stood up more or less, so if we find a young keen prop somewhere I'm sure it won't all be that bad.
Example look at how charnze stepped into fullback dwz stood out at wing I'm sure whoever we get will do the same next season.

 

[Boats n Hoes]

Ouch this one hurts.

Not just the sheer numbers he churns out we'll miss but the fast ruck speed he generates. Ask any halfback, above anything else its ruckspeed they appreciate the most.

The only replacements that could make this loss less gutting for me are all taken - Payne Haas, Tino, Asofa Solomona, Fisher Harris.......otherwise i hope we're getting a 2 for 1 bargain.......but yeah as it stands right now that "premiership window" we may have had feels like it just got slammed shut.

 

[Possum11]

Warriors need a fisher Harris fast

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

The only other alpha left is Mark Robinson. I think bunty is adding a bit to his game though. Oh what a sad day!

 

[hornbybrown]

So wants to be closer to parents but is in England for a month. I call BS, he wants to be in Sydney and is putting out the compassionate grounds as an excuse.

So effing over it

 

[run_it_str8_again]

The only team I'd release him to is the "compassionate grounders". Surely there is a first second third and fifteenth grade's worth of compassionate grounders.

Yes I know we have our share but it's just a groundless moan about him going. Maybe he wants to hang out with Lodgey at Manly?

 

[mtsmart]

Gutted by the news, vary rare that when a player asks for a release and they end up happily staying.
Wonder if it’s a workload issue? We were far to reliant on him last couple of years and it’s Not looking likely he was going to get any decent help anytime soon

As I understand it, the first time he was released on compassionate grounds from Manly, it was to get away from Sydney. He looked at signing up with non-Sydney clubs and ended up at the Warriors. Looks like he's going to come around full circle. And you right about the not-happily-staying part. If the Warriors management make him stick around longer or for the full duration of his contract we could end up with a Ben Hunt-like situation.

 

[JaggedJ]

i have no idea how contract negotiations work obviously, but since AFB is contracted for a further 3 seasons, would it be that the warriors are able to dictate the terms of his release?

so like in theory; warriors want alpha prop from a certain sydney club so offer AFB in exchange for that player or no release?

Yes and no.

Can't trade players without the player agreeing which is why you rarely see trades in the NRL.

But Warriors are within their right to say "We'll only release you once we secure an adequate replacement and we're not paying a cent of your contract so another club can get you cheaper".

 

[tajhay]

It doesn't look good when players want to leave the Warriors to be closer to "home" after living in NZ. Especially those who have atleast a connection to NZ. Not sure how that can be beneficial when trying to recruit.

The timing of this is really off. Can understand if he was back in Sydney and was rethinking about his priorities, but to be on a tour in England and couldn't wait till being back home to request the release after conveying his feelings in person to the club?

If the club recruits a currently contracted player who is also "homesick" and wants to return to NZ it makes a full circle mockery of what is an NRL contract.

Immediate release would indicate that he wants out of his contract altogether rather than a potential club to take up his contract. Either he's willing to sacrifice some cash when most clubs would be near their cap or he's found some cellar dweller suitor who have cap and are ready to pay top dollar. Can't see us getting anything worthy in a trade.

 

[pbrown011235]

It doesn't look good when players want to leave the Warriors to be closer to "home" after living in NZ. Especially those who have atleast a connection to NZ. Not sure how that can be beneficial when trying to recruit.

The timing of this is really off. Can understand if he was back in Sydney and was rethinking about his priorities, but to be on a tour in England and couldn't wait till being back home to request the release after conveying his feelings in person to the club?

If the club recruits a currently contracted player who is also "homesick" and wants to return to NZ it makes a full circle mockery of what is an NRL contract.

Immediate release would indicate that he wants out of his contract altogether rather than a potential club to take up his contract. Either he's willing to sacrifice some cash when most clubs would be near their cap or he's found some cellar dweller suitor who have cap and are ready to pay top dollar. Can't see us getting anything worthy in a trade.

Sam Goldwyn said 'a verbal contract is not worth the paper it's written on' ......things have moved on since then

 

[Stalefish540]

It doesn't look good when players want to leave the Warriors to be closer to "home" after living in NZ. Especially those who have atleast a connection to NZ. Not sure how that can be beneficial when trying to recruit.

The timing of this is really off. Can understand if he was back in Sydney and was rethinking about his priorities, but to be on a tour in England and couldn't wait till being back home to request the release after conveying his feelings in person to the club?

If the club recruits a currently contracted player who is also "homesick" and wants to return to NZ it makes a full circle mockery of what is an NRL contract.

Immediate release would indicate that he wants out of his contract altogether rather than a potential club to take up his contract. Either he's willing to sacrifice some cash when most clubs would be near their cap or he's found some cellar dweller suitor who have cap and are ready to pay top dollar. Can't see us getting anything worthy in a trade.

I saw someone said in the recruitment thread said his mother is really sick back in Sydney, unsure how true.

Can only see Dragons or Dogs having the cash to splash, imagine if he ends up back at the Dragons who sacked him for his assault issues.

 

[Aman 2.0]

AFB = absolute fucking bum

Ruined my holiday.

 

[Matiunz]

It doesn't look good when players want to leave the Warriors to be closer to "home" after living in NZ. Especially those who have atleast a connection to NZ. Not sure how that can be beneficial when trying to recruit.

The timing of this is really off. Can understand if he was back in Sydney and was rethinking about his priorities, but to be on a tour in England and couldn't wait till being back home to request the release after conveying his feelings in person to the club?

If the club recruits a currently contracted player who is also "homesick" and wants to return to NZ it makes a full circle mockery of what is an NRL contract.

Immediate release would indicate that he wants out of his contract altogether rather than a potential club to take up his contract. Either he's willing to sacrifice some cash when most clubs would be near their cap or he's found some cellar dweller suitor who have cap and are ready to pay top dollar. Can't see us getting anything worthy in a trade.

The more I think about it the more fishy it’s sounding,
1 The news pretty blatantly leaking. Seemingly blind siding the Warriors
2 AFB being away from this part of the world and avoiding the bulk of the media reaction.
3 The timing after Nov 1
4 Waiting until after Josh Curran is squeezed out allegedly due to cap pressure
5 The ‘compassionate grounds’ for a second time and I’d be surprised if the gang influences have mysteriously disappeared

For all I know it could be legit reasons but the timing and way he’s gone about it seem a bit spiteful and he’s certainly lined up the timing to be the most beneficial to himself

 

[Noitall]

The more I think about it the more fishy it’s sounding,
1 The news pretty blatantly leaking. Seemingly blind siding the Warriors
2 AFB being away from this part of the world and avoiding the bulk of the media reaction.
3 The timing after Nov 1
4 Waiting until after Josh Curran is squeezed out allegedly due to cap pressure
5 The ‘compassionate grounds’ for a second time and I’d be surprised if the gang influences have mysteriously disappeared

For all I know it could be legit reasons but the timing and way he’s gone about it seem a bit spiteful and he’s certainly lined up the timing to be the most beneficial to himself

I hadn’t seen the carrying your team message his mrs put up but I definitely thought something was off in his body language at the tail end of the season. He’s had a great season but there’s a definite vibe of arrogance about him. If true regarding his family and wanting to return for such reasons, I can totally understand but with what commenced at the tail end of the season I’m a bit in two minds. Would hope it’s something as important as his family when an incoming coach has pulled career best form out of him and the team he’s apart of is one win away from a grand final and in a premiership window. Who knows, perhaps some of those gang affiliates he left Sydney for have been 501ed back to NZ. It’s all a bit odd unless the original story of returning to be near family is true.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Trying to put a positive spin on this, we could be quite fortunate with the old 'buy low, sell high' scenario.

AFB had a career best year in 2023, so I think realistically any Sydney team with some wiggle room would be open to signing him.
Imo, I can't see many maintaining that kind of form over a long period of time, so if we're able to get some really good value in return for him, then it could be a silver lining. Top players who have fallen down the pecking order after a poor year or so - Pappali, JT, Gus Crichton, Saifiti - could all explode and get back to their best under Webby. While there's still hope for signing some up and comers who are a few years ahead of our juniors - Leo Thompson, Terrel May, Naufau Whyte - could all be viable options.

And while I don't think wed be THAT lucky, we have 1.58 mil just from AFB and Curran's money, imagine getting JT (700k), Papalli (650k) and Terrel May (350k) for 1.7 mil.

Buy low, sell high! It's the way to go lol

 

[JaggedJ]

AFB = absolute fucking bum

Ruined my holiday.

Just think of the other AFB instead.

A Fantastic Berry

 

[Noitall]

Trying to put a positive spin on this, we could be quite fortunate with the old 'buy low, sell high' scenario.

AFB had a career best year in 2023, so I think realistically any Sydney team with some wiggle room would be open to signing him.
Imo, I can't see many maintaining that kind of form over a long period of time, so if we're able to get some really good value in return for him, then it could be a silver lining. Top players who have fallen down the pecking order after a poor year or so - Pappali, JT, Gus Crichton, Saifiti - could all explode and get back to their best under Webby. While there's still hope for signing some up and comers who are a few years ahead of our juniors - Leo Thompson, Terrel May, Naufau Whyte - could all be viable options.

And while I don't think wed be THAT lucky, we have 1.58 mil just from AFB and Curran's money, imagine getting JT (700k), Papalli (650k) and Terrel May (350k) for 1.7 mil.

Buy low, sell high! It's the way to go lol

I was always a bit unsure if a million a season was good business for us, but as his form never diminished I got onboard. Haas seems to be the only one worth as such with the multiple years he’s picked up best prop in the game but if AFB can backup this season, he is. Has shown glimpses of being the best prop in the game at manly but struggled for consistency from season to season. I’m personally feeling a glass half full rather than half empty about it. AFB offered plenty for the sizeable contract this season but I’m not sure he could deliver for the remaining years as consistently? The other contract I have concerns about is Niukore for $850k a season and think he needs to add more output.