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	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔	✔
10	Tohu Harris	✔	✔
11	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔	M
12	Shaun Johnson	✔
13	Edward Kosi	✔	✔
14	Jacob Laban	✔	✔	✔
15	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔
16	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔	✔
17	Zyon Maiu’u	✔	✔	✔
18	Te Maire Martin	✔	✔
19	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔	✔
20	Marcelo Montoya	✔	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔	✔
23	Adam Pompey	✔	✔
24	Demitric Sifakula	✔	✔	C
25	Jazz Tevaga	✔
26	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
27	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔	✔
28	Dylan Walker	✔	✔
29	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔
D1	Ben Farr	D
D2	Etuane Fukofuka	D
D3	Patrick Moimoi	D
D4	Tanner Stowers-Smith	D	D
-	Jett Cleary	-	D	D	D
-	James Fisher-Harris	-	✔	✔	✔	✔
-	Kalani Going	-	D
-	Motu Pasikala	-	✔	✔	✔

key: C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, D = Development contract

Confirmed Top 30 2024: 29/30
Confirmed Development 2024: 4/6

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 28/30
Confirmed Development 2025: 4/6

2025 Gains: James Fisher-Harris (Panthers), Jett Cleary (Panthers Pathways), Kahu Capper (Roosters Pathways)
2025 Losses: Addin Fonua-Blake (Sharks), Jazz Tevaga (Contract Expired), Shaun Johnson (Retirement)
2025 Off Contract: Nil

 

[Wellington Warrior]

The line about the warriors mgmt taking some convincing to let them go would indicate to me it’s not a Lussick type player… more a Metcalf and Volkman…

 

[Dippa]

The way I see it, these desperate Australian clubs are trying to do everything they can to get players out of contracts to join them. In the Warriors case, it’s been done with Reece Walsh. Because of the way the club had arranged Reece’s exit with stipulations, I personally feel that player managers are onto it. They can easily build situations for their Aussie based players currently playing for the Warriors by using the “home sick”, “family” reasons.

It’s pretty straight forward. The Warriors went through it during COVID which I have to say is a far different and challenging situation because there simply was no travel whatsoever. These players who are supposedly home sick can easily fly back home and or approach the club to express their concerns. Why not come to some form of compromise and see if player and club can work something out. Why just request for a release. If the club means anything to you then you do what you can to make it work.

I’m saying, we need to question possible impact the Player Managers are having on their clients relating to breaking contacts. What are other clubs saying and doing to try and land their ideal player knowing that they maybe locked into a multi-year agreements.

The NRL has to draw a line in the sand.

 

[JaggedJ]

The line about the warriors mgmt taking some convincing to let them go would indicate to me it’s not a Lussick type player… more a Metcalf and Volkman…

The Warriors should be very reluctant to let Lussick go given our juniors aren't ready and Egan has an injury history.

 

[Makasene]

The kiwis game shows there's more than enough league talent from NZ (not to mention the ones playing for Tonga/Samoa) for us to win a prem. All the focus needs to be on that pathway.

Which it sounds like is where we are headed with all the age group teams entered for next year and hopefully beyond.

Penrith won their first of the three-peat 9 years after Goulds pathways was setup.

It's the long game but the only game when you don't have a salary sombrero

 

[Billyspleen75]

Our Fijian flyer was a bust. But yeah that's the weird kind of recruitment process I'm talking about. Like the Jamaican bobsled team

You might be referring to the second fijian flyer - Junior Ratuva
The first one, I didnt really follow how it happened, but Selestino Ravutaumada turned into a good winger. He was man of the match when Fiji beat England before the world cup. I think he was just a victim of covid and we cut him loose after he got injured.
Going for a Fijian winger is still a good option i think

 

[Sir Arrow]

This might explain why I was sad to see Curran leave, he always gave the vibe that he wanted to be here..

 

[Defence]

Having CHT as the only viable (at a stretch) back up hooker option would be asking for disaster.

They also debuted paulie roache at the end of last year which seemed an interesting choice at the time but maybe they knew something we didnt...

 

[SouthernWorrier]

They also debuted paulie roache at the end of last year which seemed an interesting choice at the time but maybe they knew something we didnt...

Anyone seen much of Roache? I thought Kalani Going looked the goods on debut but Roache was underwhelming... but I know he's had injury issues. A go-forward hooker tends to be critical to us doing well and Egan will need good backup, so I'm hoping his debut was a bad day at the office...

 

[JaggedJ]

Anyone seen much of Roache? I thought Kalani Going looked the goods on debut but Roache was underwhelming... but I know he's had injury issues. A go-forward hooker tends to be critical to us doing well and Egan will need good backup, so I'm hoping his debut was a bad day at the office...

He got to play 16 minutes at the end in a badly beaten side. Hardly something to worry about.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

You might be referring to the second fijian flyer - Junior Ratuva
The first one, I didnt really follow how it happened, but Selestino Ravutaumada turned into a good winger. He was man of the match when Fiji beat England before the world cup. I think he was just a victim of covid and we cut him loose after he got injured.
Going for a Fijian winger is still a good option i think

Yes I agree. I just want the right one.

 

[Playdaball]

Maybe someone like Ben Farr wants out?

 

[Riz]

Anyone seen much of Roache? I thought Kalani Going looked the goods on debut but Roache was underwhelming... but I know he's had injury issues. A go-forward hooker tends to be critical to us doing well and Egan will need good backup, so I'm hoping his debut was a bad day at the office...

There's nothing I have seen of Roache in reserve grade that indicates he's going to be a regular first grader in my opinion. He seems to lack any kind of x factor and doesn't have an amazing pass on him. I look forward to being proven wrong though.

 

[Inruin]

There's nothing I have seen of Roache in reserve grade that indicates he's going to be a regular first grader in my opinion. He seems to lack any kind of x factor and doesn't have an amazing pass on him. I look forward to being proven wrong though.

Exactly this. Egan is amazing, Lussick is a very handy back up, Roache is a long way off Lussick quality so not even in the same conversation as Egan. Honestly surprised he debuted this season.

 

[Fufu]

I just hope that we don't have to go backwards to go forwards in our aim to be a development club built off juniors. If we let too many of the hardened vets go on compassionate grounds, it will end up damaging our kids if they aren't coming into a winning system.

Line in the sand moment is surely coming soon where the word compassionate becomes banned at the club.

 

[Fufu]

You might be referring to the second fijian flyer - Junior Ratuva
The first one, I didnt really follow how it happened, but Selestino Ravutaumada turned into a good winger. He was man of the match when Fiji beat England before the world cup. I think he was just a victim of covid and we cut him loose after he got injured.
Going for a Fijian winger is still a good option i think

I remember the fanfare around Ratuva. Did he ever even show a glimpse of anything special in the lower grades for us? Might have been O'Sullivan that said he was the best athlete he'd seen or something (memory is fuzzy)

 

[run_it_str8_again]

I remember the fanfare around Ratuva. Did he ever even show a glimpse of anything special in the lower grades for us? Might have been O'Sullivan that said he was the best athlete he'd seen or something (memory is fuzzy)

Think our other flyer was the best pre season time setter and just never developed in our team.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Pita Gus Sowakula would have been nice. Could have seen him in a Warriors jersey but who else is available?

 

[Billyspleen75]

I remember the fanfare around Ratuva. Did he ever even show a glimpse of anything special in the lower grades for us? Might have been O'Sullivan that said he was the best athlete he'd seen or something (memory is fuzzy)

I remember him scoring in a pre season game Vs Storm and the fanfare started then.

But his reserve grade stats for the Dolphins were always terrible like 4 runs for 38metres every week

 

[Jeetz]

On a warriors Facebook group someone said it was Barnett and Metcalf wanting releases. Does any one on here know anything more?

 

[Defence]

I’d be gutted if it was Barnett.
Can we just have a bit of stability for once ffs.