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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I hope this has nothing to do with the rumour earlier this year that AFB was salty at not winning anything at the club awards night. That would speak to him being unhappy at the club.
 
Surprised the Warriors rejected the release.
Better to flick him and keep a happy squad, win or lose, all I want is a Warriors team that loves playing.
Otherwise a disgruntled employee can spoil the mix eh.

Perhaps the rejection of a release is about keeping up appearances, trying to not look like push overs to players whims.

Interestingly last year, forumers kept posting that AFB did not look happy out there on field, reading into his body language that he was separate from the rest.
 
Haven't had time to take a look but would love someone to post a comprehensive list of what marquee is available for 2025.

What intrigues me is lets say some of these esteemed junior middles step up big time, we have a cool milly per year to look at other positions.

We could presumably hunt a marquee half to replace SJ post retirement as an example. What if Brian To'o was the next one squezzed out of Penrith - come on over etc etc
You mean that could play for us from 2025? So off contract end of next season? I wouldn’t say many of the below are marquee players but this would be my picks of the bunch:

Ezra Mam
Adam Reynolds
Hamlin Uele
Jesse Bromwich
Bradman Best
Tom Dearden
Jerome Luai
Jack De Bellin
Angus Chrichton
Joey Manu
JWH

The year after is much better pickings (I believe these ones could play for us from 2026 assuming no early releases:

Selwyn Cobbo
Reece Walsh - lol
Kotoni Staggs
Josh Papalii
Josh Addo-Carr
Briton Nikora
Dale Finucane
Haumole Olaka’atu
Ryan Papenhauzen
Leo Thompson
Reuben Cotter
Valentine Holmes
Reagan Campbell-Gillard
J’Maine Hopgood
Luciano Leiluia
Heilum Luki
Griffin Neame
Damien Cook
Ben Hunt
Brandon Smith
Isaihah Papalii
Stefano Utoikamanu

Not really a list of solely marquee players but that’s a list of decent players coming off. I reckon if we got Utoikamanu and Neame for 2026 that would be pretty good going. Still a while away yet 😅

*we also have a bunch of players coming off contract end of 2025 as well
 
Yeah, I was expecting some movement even with contracted players after Nov1 but 100% didn't expect AFB to start it all.
No one did.

And it sure has fired up the slow forum. We were pretty much all on holiday!

Do we know the actual catalyst for the request?

I been trying to go back but damn you lot type more characters in 9 seconds than Usain bolt runs 100 metres
There’s some great Kiwi players at some Sydney clubs that might be keen on a return home and the mind boggles at the possibilities. Could be ruthless and let CNK go and let AFB go to roosters for Manu and then use the money we were going to use for an experienced forward and CNK for Taumalolo with cowboys picking up some of the cost. Would imagine any club would make room for AFB, so we should see what we can get that semi fills his void as there’s very little that can, and add somewhere else in the squad.
What about Tohu to prop, Taumalolo 13?
 
Yeah, I was expecting some movement even with contracted players after Nov1 but 100% didn't expect AFB to start it all.
10 November will likely be the new date give the new requirement for the current club to have a right of reply. 1 November triggers the ability for clubs and agents to talk, then any provisional deals will have to be taken back to the current club (and less likely anyone will want that in the media in case it screws the deal, as it is likely everyone then loses).
 
Surprised the Warriors rejected the release.
Better to flick him and keep a happy squad, win or lose, all I want is a Warriors team that loves playing.
Otherwise a disgruntled employee can spoil the mix eh.

Perhaps the rejection of a release is about keeping up appearances, trying to not look like push overs to players whims.

Interestingly last year, forumers kept posting that AFB did not look happy out there on field, reading into his body language that he was separate from the rest.
Possible when the Wahs and AFB sat down and had a conversation he said he was not disgruntled and he loves playing for the Wahs. But unfortunately due to personal reasons he has to move the family back to Sydney. He is happy to give the Wahs the 12 months which puts them in a better position to replace him for 25 and not disadvantage the club for the 24 season.
 
Just read this on an article. Wtf! Guessing one player could be Metcalf with him having a baby. Not sure who else..

Screenshot_20231105-063911_Samsung Internet.jpg
 
I'm wondering how Stuff would have heard something, when no one else has reported anything?

Can't really remember Stuff breaking any news, so seems a bit fishy that they've heard something no one else has, but as a media website are choosing NOT to report it lol.

Metcalf is a bit of a connundrum atm tho - I don't think he's done enough to cement his spot with us, but as decent halves go there's never many about, so do we need to bite the bullet and offer him a decent increase (I would guess he was on reasonable money to get him here, maybe 350-400k) before he gets poached? Kinda mad thinking he would be on 500k+ tho
 
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