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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It will be interesting to see if it actually has an impact to be honest. If you are a player, and you are chasing cash, you would be expecting your agent to be doing that on your behalf anyway.

Under the new rules, the player does not need to provide proof of the contract that they are signing with the other team, or to even disclose the contract worth.

So yeah, looking forward to seeing if it actually has an impact. If a player was blindsiding their current club and signing with the rival and this is why the rule has been put in place, that just signifies that there is already a problem with the communications between the playe/agent and their existing club.
Managers will just use it for more leverage.
This is where the players association has too much power- it’s good for the players but sucks for the clubs and fans.
That goes for the whole November deadline- it’s ridiculous having players signing for rival clubs then playing a whole year out with everyone knowing they’re leaving already.
 
Fair report but I see Metcalf in the 'urgent' priority list, depending on the outlook for those hammies. He's dangerous and learning quickly, I'd love to see him locked in.
Locking in Metcalf would mean zero chance of SJ signing on beyond 2024. I think they will wait and see throughout the year.
There would be teams interested in Metcalf but I don’t think the demand is quite as great as people blindsided by a couple of highlight real plays would think. At the end of the day he’s a running 6, not a game managing 7. It’s a lot easier to replace a 6 then a 7
 
Locking in Metcalf would mean zero chance of SJ signing on beyond 2024. I think they will wait and see throughout the year.
There would be teams interested in Metcalf but I don’t think the demand is quite as great as people blindsided by a couple of highlight real plays would think. At the end of the day he’s a running 6, not a game managing 7. It’s a lot easier to replace a 6 then a 7
Shaun Johnson is retiring don’t even think about him for 2025. His Instagram post literally said “see Yas next year for one more”
 
Locking in Metcalf would mean zero chance of SJ signing on beyond 2024. I think they will wait and see throughout the year.
There would be teams interested in Metcalf but I don’t think the demand is quite as great as people blindsided by a couple of highlight real plays would think. At the end of the day he’s a running 6, not a game managing 7. It’s a lot easier to replace a 6 then a 7
yep... one's a 6, ones a 7 so how does extending him affect SJ?

Although realistically I wouldn't be planning for SJ25 anyway
 
Shaun Johnson is retiring don’t even think about him for 2025. His Instagram post literally said “see Yas next year for one more”
Surely any sensible club works on the basis some of your senior players (especially those who're only signed for 1 season) are retiring at the end of next season rather than being back for another one...

They might not actually finalise any contracts yet, but they're certainly looking at a few options - especially some who could be mid-season signings/upgrades if things don't pan out as intended ie immediate retirements.
 
He's already a Sky Sport commentator, doesn't mean he isn't playing next season.

I bet this time last year he wouldn't have expected to carry on into 2024, things change. I don't think it can be said with certainty exactly what is going to happen
Yeah he didn’t expect to but did he say this is my last year?
 
I'm not a hundy on Metcalf. Sure, he's young, he's good and he's blisteringly fast. The latter being a standout feature in our side, which lacks pace.

Surely an optimal outcome would be for us to offer him a decent (market-level) deal, and develop / recruit players with pace? We shouldn't be paying overs to anyone, just because we lack speed
 

Dragons’ $5m mega deal to lure Roosters superstar with positional switch — Transfer Whispers​

November 1st, 2023 8:43 am
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The St George Illawarra Dragons are set to make a bold $5 million mega deal play for Sydney Roosters and New Zealand superstar centre Joey Manu.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported new Dragons coach Shane Flanagan is interested in luring Manu to the club as a fullback.

“I think he would be enormous for our club,” Flanagan told The Herald.

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Collins stars in Kangaroos win over NZ | 02:18
Manu is one of nearly 200 players who come off-contract in 2024 and are free to negotiate with rival clubs for 2025 and beyond as the November 1 deadline arrives.

Jarome Luai, Ezra Mam, Tom Dearden, Tohu Harris, Brandon Smith, Adam Reynolds, Angus Crichton, Bradman Best and Luke Keary are some of the big names available, but there is arguably no bigger star hitting the market than Manu.

The Dragons are prepared to pay a seven-figure sum and offer Manu the chance to play fullback if he is serious about a switch.

The deal would be worth a whopping $1.2 million a season over four years, which would make Manu one of the game’s highest paid stars annually.

“From what I see when he plays fullback, his involvement is enormous. I think he could make a real fist of it,” Flanagan said.

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Joseph Manu is being eyed as a potential fullback for the Dragons.
Joseph Manu is being eyed as a potential fullback for the Dragons.Source: Supplied
“I’d love to have him, but I just don’t know if he’s going to move. In the end, it’s not us, it’s not the Roosters, it’s just what Joey wants to do.

“I know he loves the Roosters, I know Nick [Roosters chairman Nick Politis] loves him. Does he want to leave and have a crack at fullback? He obviously won’t get to play too much there.”

Shane Flanagan sees Joey Manu as a potential fullback at the Dragons.
Shane Flanagan sees Joey Manu as a potential fullback at the Dragons.Source: News Corp Australia
The Dragons have Tyrell Sloan and potentially Zac Lomax as fullback options, while Cody Ramsey is bidding to return from an illness that ruled him out of the 2023 season.

The Roosters are well stocked with fullback options with skipper James Tedesco signed until the end of 2025, while Manu and Joseph Suaalii are other options in 2024 should injuries strike.

Manu is seen as a potential replacement for Tedesco at fullback when he hangs up the boots as Suaalii is off to rugby union on a $5 million three-year mega dela of his own in 2025.



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Sensational Sivo tears apart PNG | 00:37
Manu can also play five-eighth and has filled in at No.1 and No.6 in the past for the Tri-colours and new Zealand with great success.

The 27-year-old was chased hard by the Warriors the last time he came off-contract with the carrot of a million a season deal to replace fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who switched to rugby union.

Joseph Manu in action for the Kiwis against Australia.Source: Getty Images
However, Manu chose to stay loyal to the Roosters and the club and player have seen him as a one-club man who will finish his career at the Tri-colours in the past.

However, the Roosters may not have the money in their salary cap to compete with the deal from the Dragons and Manu may have to take another financial sacrifice to stay at the Bondi club.

Manu has scored 59 tries in 158 NRL games for the Roosters since his debut in 2016 and won two premierships with the club in 2018 and 2019, while he has also scored six tries in 16 Tests for the Kiwis.

Manu will play centre for New Zealand against Australia in the Pacific Championship final on Saturday.
 
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