Recruitment Warriors 2024/2025 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2024/2025 Recruitment & Retention Discussion
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: 25/30
Confirmed Development 2025: 1/6

2025 Gains: Nil
2025 Losses: Addin Fonua-Blake (Sharks)
 
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Anyone know much about this young fullback Nehemaih Gordon? Can’t find any highlights on him



Here are some high school rugby highlights from a couple years ago. Looks like he played first five for school.

Looks to be fast, strong in the tackle, with ball playing and kicking skills. Nice prospect.
 
This is what I've found. Kicks goals but didn't crack the starting 13 for Akarana in the Ruben Wiki Cup semi last year
Why do I have trouble believing the assessment of talent in our local grass roots junior leagues.....(probably very unfair given I know nothing about the incumbent and am going off a mini clip of a kid playing "Yawnion)


Here are some high school rugby highlights from a couple years ago. Looks like he played first five for school.

Looks to be fast, strong in the tackle, with ball playing and kicking skills. Nice prospect.
Plays a lot like Chanel Harris Tavita at the same age, quite direct, little shimmy, quick, cheeky and confident, hopefully he doesn't get beefed up and miss used.
 
Why do I have trouble believing the assessment of talent in our local grass roots junior leagues.....(probably very unfair given I know nothing about the incumbent and am going off a mini clip of a kid playing "Yawnion)
Take what The Mole says with a bit of trepidation. He made a huge fuss when the Warriors lost a young Hooker, Stanley Iongi, to the Storm in 2021 then made a big deal about him set to become the Raiders long term #9 when he went there in 2022. Just x2 Jersey Flegg matches in his career to date
 
Take what The Mole says with a bit of trepidation. He made a huge fuss when the Warriors lost a young Hooker, Stanley Iongi, to the Storm in 2021 then made a big deal about him set to become the Raiders long term #9 when he went there in 2022. Just x2 Jersey Flegg matches in his career to date

The Mole makes a big deal about any young prospect that allows him to say "club x let one slip through to club z" and that goes extra for us because it's simply impossible for us not to let some slip through.
 
Props like Klemmer have certainly gone out of fashion. The one dimensional hit up prop started to lose value as soon as the rules changed and the game sped up.
When you look at the good forward packs their players can all be involved in the opposition red zone as they can both pass and run.
Klemmer lost his SOO spot for that reason

Klemmer can pass and offload, he gets used as a battering ram though.

I would like to see what Webster could do with his attacking game. If Klemmer is medically sound and running freely then he could be an animal inside the red zone playing off Tohu, Shaun, or Walker.

Apart from that, the thing the Warriors are short on is a big Pig to bush crash and draw defenders while bending the line - yes the rules have changed the game, but we almost have too many mobile middles to an extent that a dinosaur mold forward would find a niche in our way of playing that balances our pack vs what other clubs needs are.

Klemmer is very good at getting the defenders out of sorts on contact with his hit and spin and leg drive.

While not the modern latest craze type forward, guys like him still have a role as impact.

When our forwards play sides with Klemmer in them, I always get a bit nervous when the big man takes the field.

He is a worry for the opposition. Knee injuries are the issue, and I get that they probably make him a borderline option at best.

Still, he would be better than a number of our current options imo.
 
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Sport Confidential: Jason Taumalolo knocks back poaching raid by Dragons | Daily Telegraph​

The Dragons have made a secret bid for Jason Taumalolo as the Cowboys superstar comes to terms with his axing as North Queensland co-captain.
Sport Confidential can reveal St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has made inquiries with Taumalolo’s management in a bold bid to deliver the former Dally M winner to the Dragons’ den this season.

But the Taumalolo camp made it clear the Cowboys champion is happy in Townsville and has no intention of walking out on his $10 million contract.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten dropped a bombshell a fortnight when he removed Taumalolo and Chad Townsend as co-captains, handing the leadership reins to Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter.

It is understood Taumalolo was shocked by the decision, especially given his status at the club after inking a record 10-year, $1 million deal with the Cowboys in 2017.

(L-R) Dragons coaching brains trust Dean Young (assistant coach) and Shane Flanagan (head coach). Credit: Supplied.

(L-R) Dragons coaching brains trust Dean Young (assistant coach) and Shane Flanagan (head coach). Credit: Supplied.
New Dragons coach Flanagan is desperate to add firepower to his pack and believed the 30-year-old Taumalolo would have been the perfect leader and midfield X-factor for the embattled club.

The Payten decision will only fuel suggestions the Cowboys coach and Taumalolo have a strained relationship, but the pair both insist there is no bad blood in the tropics.

Once the most feared running forward in the game, the Tongan Test star has battled injury in recent seasons, but remains a destructive force when fully fit.

Taumalolo was relegated to the bench for six games last season, raising fears he was on the outer in Townsville.

But the 252-game Cowboys legend remains contracted until the end of 2027 and North Queensland chiefs have every intention of honouring the deal, as does Taumalolo, who wants to finish his career at the club.

Jason Taumalolo would be a huge get for the Dragons - but he’s staying put at North Queensland. Picture: Getty Images

Jason Taumalolo would be a huge get for the Dragons - but he’s staying put at North Queensland. Picture: Getty Images
The Cowboys are under siege from southern rivals the Dragons, who are also targeting Taumalolo’s younger teammates, boom back-rowers Heilum Luki and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki.

The powerful Finefeuiaki is off-contract this season, while Queensland Origin hopeful Luki is contracted until the end of 2025, but has an option in his favour - making him a free agent this year.

Cowboys football boss Micheal Luck is aware of interest in Taumalolo, Luki and Finefeuiaki but remains confident of retaining the trio.

“We have a high opinion of our young back-rowers Heilum Luki and Kulikefu. Those two have commanded a bit of interest,” Luck said.

“We think our offers to both of them are very competitive and this club was set up to keep our local juniors in this North Queensland region.

“We’re confident of keeping both guys.

“We would love to keep our young group together. Heilum and Kulikefu have had another good off-season and those guys will grow as players and young men and it would be good to see them do something special at our club.”
 
Not a fan of Klemmer. Just something about him that doesn't quite gel for me. Maybe it's influenced by playing in a shit tigers team. Not sure. Also not sure he would even consider coming here to be honest.

No footwork or distribution skills. Just tucks it under his arm and runs head on at defence. Use to be effective but now he doesn’t even bend the line with his slimmed down frame and old legs.
 

Sport Confidential: Jason Taumalolo knocks back poaching raid by Dragons | Daily Telegraph​

The Dragons have made a secret bid for Jason Taumalolo as the Cowboys superstar comes to terms with his axing as North Queensland co-captain.
Sport Confidential can reveal St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has made inquiries with Taumalolo’s management in a bold bid to deliver the former Dally M winner to the Dragons’ den this season.

But the Taumalolo camp made it clear the Cowboys champion is happy in Townsville and has no intention of walking out on his $10 million contract.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten dropped a bombshell a fortnight when he removed Taumalolo and Chad Townsend as co-captains, handing the leadership reins to Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter.

It is understood Taumalolo was shocked by the decision, especially given his status at the club after inking a record 10-year, $1 million deal with the Cowboys in 2017.

(L-R) Dragons coaching brains trust Dean Young (assistant coach) and Shane Flanagan (head coach). Credit: Supplied.

(L-R) Dragons coaching brains trust Dean Young (assistant coach) and Shane Flanagan (head coach). Credit: Supplied.
New Dragons coach Flanagan is desperate to add firepower to his pack and believed the 30-year-old Taumalolo would have been the perfect leader and midfield X-factor for the embattled club.

The Payten decision will only fuel suggestions the Cowboys coach and Taumalolo have a strained relationship, but the pair both insist there is no bad blood in the tropics.

Once the most feared running forward in the game, the Tongan Test star has battled injury in recent seasons, but remains a destructive force when fully fit.

Taumalolo was relegated to the bench for six games last season, raising fears he was on the outer in Townsville.

But the 252-game Cowboys legend remains contracted until the end of 2027 and North Queensland chiefs have every intention of honouring the deal, as does Taumalolo, who wants to finish his career at the club.

Jason Taumalolo would be a huge get for the Dragons - but he’s staying put at North Queensland. Picture: Getty Images

Jason Taumalolo would be a huge get for the Dragons - but he’s staying put at North Queensland. Picture: Getty Images
The Cowboys are under siege from southern rivals the Dragons, who are also targeting Taumalolo’s younger teammates, boom back-rowers Heilum Luki and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki.

The powerful Finefeuiaki is off-contract this season, while Queensland Origin hopeful Luki is contracted until the end of 2025, but has an option in his favour - making him a free agent this year.

Cowboys football boss Micheal Luck is aware of interest in Taumalolo, Luki and Finefeuiaki but remains confident of retaining the trio.

“We have a high opinion of our young back-rowers Heilum Luki and Kulikefu. Those two have commanded a bit of interest,” Luck said.

“We think our offers to both of them are very competitive and this club was set up to keep our local juniors in this North Queensland region.

“We’re confident of keeping both guys.

“We would love to keep our young group together. Heilum and Kulikefu have had another good off-season and those guys will grow as players and young men and it would be good to see them do something special at our club.”
Why were the Dragons allowed to approach Taumalolos management team?
What are the rules around poaching players still under contract?
 
Why were the Dragons allowed to approach Taumalolos management team?
What are the rules around poaching players still under contract?
And let me add a third question that if you read it twice and read in between the lines I think might answer your first two questions

"Why aren't the Cowboys screaming blue murder to the NRL front office over the Dragons approaching their guy when the Dragons or anybody else is not allowed to?"
 
For those who think Klemmer cannot pass or offload:

To me he needs the right coach, a coach that looks at player strengths and places them in roles with people who can use them.

Klemmers biggest limitation is being used like Manu Vatuvie, a human battering ram when his skills clearly lie elsewhere. as second phase attacking forward. Vatuvei should have spent his career running at holes or one on ones, and Klemmer should end his running to set up second phase to chasing supports in a Warriors jumper.

You can see in this clip how often he is arms free after contact and therefore he really needs a coach that treats him as a ball playing creator.


View: https://youtu.be/dHS4DNwYjD4?si=G3zSB9tF_HTrW2Zc
 
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Hey watched some of the pacific cup games. The Maori team looked to contain a bit of talent. Their hooker (Mark), and centre (Capper), one of the wingers and a big second rower had some talent. That second rower was pretty lazy but nice big frame and had a mean offload that set up a try.
The Maori team looked composed and well coached. Tongans looked pretty good, Samoans a level down.
Good all heart rugby league with the young lads atleast looking fairly fit. Good watch.
 
Could pretty much guarentee you if he was picked up by the club and was rolling out those sort of stats there would be a mass call around here for hall of famer/dally m/statue erected in club foyer......would be wrapped if we got him once Addin goes.
Agree with you and Sup. He was good at the dogs. But had inferior coaching thereafter. He's a ball playing colossus. I reckon he'd go well here.
 
Klem has to be the slowest prop in the game. Even Jarrod "Turtle" Wallace would smoke him lol.

I remember him taking a hit up from a restart & hooning it from the back fence. Only to be stopped 5 metres out from his tryline. It took him 5 hours and 20 minutes to make 10 metres it seemed like.

A big poo oww for me.
 
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