Recruitment Warriors 2024/2025 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2024/2025 Recruitment & Retention Discussion
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-​	Player​	2024​	2025​	2026​	2027​	2028​
1	Bunty Afoa	✔	✔
2	Tom Ale	✔	✔
3	Mitchell Barnett	✔	✔
4	The Greatest of All-Time	✔	✔	✔
5	Kurt Capewell	✔	✔	✔
6	Wayde Egan	✔	✔
7	Addin Fonua-Blake	✔
8	Jackson Ford	✔	✔
9	Tohu Harris	✔	✔
10	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔	M
11	Shaun Johnson	✔
12	Edward Kosi	✔	✔
13	Jacob Laban	✔	✔	✔
14	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔
15	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔	✔
16	Zyon Maiu’u	✔	✔	✔
17	Te Maire Martin	✔	✔
18	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔	✔
19	Marcelo Montoya	✔	✔
20	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔
21	Marata Niukore	✔	✔	✔
22	Adam Pompey	✔	✔
23	Demitric Sifakula	✔	✔	T
24	Jazz Tevaga	✔
25	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
26	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔	✔
27	Dylan Walker	✔	✔
28	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔
D1	Ben Farr	D
D2	Etuane Fukofuka	D
D3	Leka Halasima	D	D	✔
D4	Patrick Moimoi	D
D5	Tanner Stowers-Smith	D
-	James Fisher-Harris	-	✔	✔	✔	✔

key: T = Team option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, D = Development contract

Confirmed Top 30 2024: 28/30
Confirmed Development 2024: 5/6

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 26/30
Confirmed Development 2025: 1/6

2025 Gains: James Fisher-Harris (Panthers), Jett Cleary (Panthers)
2025 Losses: Addin Fonua-Blake (Sharks)
2025 Off Contract: Shaun Johnson, Jazz Tevaga

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Sharks have supposedly freed up 750k in the last 2 weeks releasing Moylan and Tracey, so there's talk of them going after AFB.

Hamlin-Uele off contract at the end of 2024, I wonder if we make contact now to see if he's keen. If so we sign Hamlin-Uele for 2025 for around 500k, and then can put pressure on the Sharks (or another team) to release another forward like Kaufusi/Hunt, or go for a slightly bigger fish like Utoikamanu for 6-700k

 

[Blain]

BHU was pretty poor last year, I don't think he will be a part of any type of swap deal for AFB considering he is off contract anyway. He's shown he isn't a pack leader, which is what we would be after as a AFB replacement.

In saying the above, he would be a decent guy to add to our squad for 2025, with him being an impact prop from Auckland.

 

[WahsUltras]

Contract extensions for Laban and Maiu'u

Highly-promising forwards Jacob Laban and Zyon Maiu’u Maiu’'u re-signed until end of 2026 season.

www.warriors.kiwi

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Contract extensions for Laban and Maiu'u

Highly-promising forwards Jacob Laban and Zyon Maiu’u Maiu’'u re-signed until end of 2026 season.

www.warriors.kiwi

From what I've heard about him, Laban until 2026 seems a bit bold

Some houses must have been trained down the past couple weeks lol

 

[juju]

Contract extensions for Laban and Maiu'u

Highly-promising forwards Jacob Laban and Zyon Maiu’u Maiu’'u re-signed until end of 2026 season.

www.warriors.kiwi

At the Tigers trial - I said to my mate I think Zyon Maiu’u has a bright future. Genius

 

[Damo]

From what I've heard about him, Laban until 2026 seems a bit bold

Care to elaborate mate?

 

[j_p]

Nice idea! We definitely need prenups with the amount of gold diggers that have cheated on us!!
However…..the RLPA would never allow such a thing.

I think I mentioned something similar around the time Walsh left.
The player leaving should have to give a small fee (say 7 - 10%) of their new contract to the club they are leaving if it's on compassionate grounds. If their reasons are genuine I'm sure they wouldn't mind and maybe even let the new club increase the salary if they want to. Win win for all parties i.e he's currently on 1 mil, Tigers offer him 1.2 mil, warriors get 120k and AFB gets a small bump to 1.08m.

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Care to elaborate mate?

In hindsight, I have probably worded that like I had an inside scoop or something

I just feel like when his name comes up it seems like there is a bit to be desired with his defense, and hasn't exactly lit it up in Reserve Grade, so I would have thought you'd want to see more than 3 weeks of preseason as a top 30 player before offering two more years

I don't watch cup so can't speak to it myself, he made NZA for a reason and he's been in the system for a few years now, so he's obviously not a bum

What I will say from me, is that I hope he winds down the car detailing side-hustle now, on the big bucks now haha

 

[shuffle]

Laban had an amazing year! The potential for him is massive. Still young and still some to learn. Potential a future back row of 11. Halasima 12. Laban 13. Sifakula. That’s bruising!

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Here's some of us thinking the Roosters couldn't keep all four of Whyte, Wong, Butcher, and Tupouniua.. The sombrero said fuck all that

 

[Up the guttz]

From what I've heard about him, Laban until 2026 seems a bit bold

Some houses must have been trained down the past couple weeks lol

He reminds me of Ben Henry….

 

[Up the guttz]

Sharks have supposedly freed up 750k in the last 2 weeks releasing Moylan and Tracey, so there's talk of them going after AFB.

Hamlin-Uele off contract at the end of 2024, I wonder if we make contact now to see if he's keen. If so we sign Hamlin-Uele for 2025 for around 500k, and then can put pressure on the Sharks (or another team) to release another forward like Kaufusi/Hunt, or go for a slightly bigger fish like Utoikamanu for 6-700k

Utoikamanu would be my dream AFB replacement. He almost out played AFB in the Hamilton game and is a lot younger. I think by the time he is AFB’s age he will be better.

 

[Wah's Up]

Shame the old board got taken down but I remember the recruitment thread last year and we are virtually having a repeat.
We need a big forward, we need this we need that.
Webby comes in and says "I will work with what I have".
The board erupted with negativity.

What did Webby do?
Took us to the finals by working with what he had.
Have a look at where he came from "Penrith", there were no big stars there.
Uncle Ivan worked with what he had and made many of them big stars but mainly (like Webby) he got them to play as a team.

In Webby we trust.

 

[CWC]

We're still looking for a prop a year later, after been cleaned up by the finalists pack a couple of months ago

Cappy said they're looking at getting experienced forward(s) too, hope it's not just Capewell

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Shame the old board got taken down but I remember the recruitment thread last year and we are virtually having a repeat.
We need a big forward, we need this we need that.
Webby comes in and says "I will work with what I have".
The board erupted with negativity.

What did Webby do?
Took us to the finals by working with what he had.
Have a look at where he came from "Penrith", there were no big stars there.
Uncle Ivan worked with what he had and made many of them big stars but mainly (like Webby) he got them to play as a team.

In Webby we trust.

To be fair every season since 2011 we’ve been saying we need more props and apart from AFB, a pack leader.

 

[Fizurg]

I think I mentioned something similar around the time Walsh left.
The player leaving should have to give a small fee (say 7 - 10%) of their new contract to the club they are leaving if it's on compassionate grounds. If their reasons are genuine I'm sure they wouldn't mind and maybe even let the new club increase the salary if they want to. Win win for all parties i.e he's currently on 1 mil, Tigers offer him 1.2 mil, warriors get 120k and AFB gets a small bump to 1.08m.

I totally agree. I’ve always thought the team taking the player pays the full amount and the full amount is taken off the salary cap but the 10% is paid to some type of players welfare fund, for current and past players in need.

 

[sup42]

Utoikamanu would be my dream AFB replacement. He almost out played AFB in the Hamilton game and is a lot younger. I think by the time he is AFB’s age he will be better.

The problem with all this swap talk is that it is fanciful with no basis in reality.

What kid in Sydney who knows they are on a trajectory to be the next 'it' in the NRL would entertain having to go live in NZ because the Warriors have a problem retaining one of their own.

This ridiculous thought experiment is like say....Benji Marshall decided he wanted to leave the Tigers because he missed NZ....ergo Tigers fans start meaningless day dreams about getting a rising star Shaun Johnson for Benji as a swap.

Using that analogy (a good one if you ask me) why would the Warriors damage their attempts at being a development club by sending away their best prospect? A player who has been loyal to the club? A player that is more likely to stay than an incoming sell sword?

And why would a Young Shaun Johnson (proxy for Utoikamanu bear with me) agree to go where his disloyal employers are going to dump him at a club with a checkered history?

Why are people not seeing the fault in this swap argument i.e. Utoikamanu asks for a release not a swap if they want AFB and gets a pay rise after shopping himself to a half dozen NRL clubs in his home city?

I know running up sand hills in Huia is fun....but ahhh strolling onto white sand beaches after training with a Latte in Sydney is maybe as good as trainning in industrial Penrose.

 

[tyrael]

Tigers? Panthers? Both big cats


Current dual Wooden spooners? Current triple champions? Both current trophy winners. Tough, tough call.

No team in the modern era has ever won 4 in a row, so it must be impossible. Tigers all da way.

 

[tyrael]

He reminds me of Ben Henry….

The play style or the knees...

I'll see myself out

 

[Tookey 2.0]

The problem with all this swap talk is that it is fanciful with no basis in reality.

What kid in Sydney who knows they are on a trajectory to be the next 'it' in the NRL would entertain having to go live in NZ because the Warriors have a problem retaining one of their own.

This ridiculous thought experiment is like say....Benji Marshall decided he wanted to leave the Tigers because he missed NZ....ergo Tigers fans start meaningless day dreams about getting a rising star Shaun Johnson for Benji as a swap.

Using that analogy (a good one if you ask me) why would the Warriors damage their attempts at being a development club by sending away their best prospect? A player who has been loyal to the club? A player that is more likely to stay than an incoming sell sword?

And why would a Young Shaun Johnson (proxy for Utoikamanu bear with me) agree to go where his disloyal employers are going to dump him at a club with a checkered history?

Why are people not seeing the fault in this swap argument i.e. Utoikamanu asks for a release not a swap if they want AFB and gets a pay rise after shopping himself to a half dozen NRL clubs in his home city?

I know running up sand hills in Huia is fun....but ahhh strolling onto white sand beaches after training with a Latte in Sydney is maybe as good as trainning in industrial Penrose.

Yes, fans will speculate. That's hardly a shocker.

Also, in the last few years we've signed Reece Walsh and Addin Fonua Blake - 2 of the best players in their positions. Yes, it didn't end well and both had specific situations attached (RW getting butt hurt Broncos wouldn't play him and AFBs 'get outta Sydney ultimatum) but I think there's your answer....because we have had some success in the most recent years bringing top players in.

The reality is we have no idea what's going on with players. Last week none of us would have had an inclination State of Origin superstar Luke 'Cage' Capewell would ever entertain a move here. But guess what, when you start winning you look like an attractive club and your options increase.