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

 

[Tookey 2.0]

No doubt AFB is one of the best props going around but think it also should be remembered we gave him a great platform for his great season, SJ had a play in many of his tries. His footwork is unbelievable and definitely going to leave a hole but I’ve landed at feeling like he’s doing us a favour. He wasn’t able to get us past where we finished this season and with a million dollar price tag we may not be able to add much that would move the dial. I’m not sure a prop at a million a season is sustainable, if we weren’t getting such good results from our spine for the money invested we would be in a tough situation salary cap wise. I think if we’re smart, this opportunity could really benefit us.

Yeah I agree. The reality is, we all need to get used to the fact that AFBs replacement is going to be several rungs below what he was offering us.

However, if you look at how our props ran most of this year, we had AFB smashing it out for 55-60min a game, and then we had a 2nd prop (Usually Bunty or Ale) going for 15-25 minutes and having not so great stats.
If were able to have 2 decent forwards making 120+ meters from say 40-45 minutes and sharing the load, it balances our team much more and means we don't have to stress as much if one were to go down.

 

[Noitall]

Yeah I agree. The reality is, we all need to get used to the fact that AFBs replacement is going to be several rungs below what he was offering us.

However, if you look at how our props ran most of this year, we had AFB smashing it out for 55-60min a game, and then we had a 2nd prop (Usually Bunty or Ale) going for 15-25 minutes and having not so great stats.
If were able to have 2 decent forwards making 120+ meters from say 40-45 minutes and sharing the load, it balances our team much more and means we don't have to stress as much if one were to go down.

I’m wondering if Tohu re signing and the potential length of that deal is all based off AFB leaving now. I think there are also props out there about three quarters of what AFB is, so if you get that twice you’re winning. AFB is a bit of an anomaly with his footwork and minutes but when considering the panthers props who are smaller but physical and have footwork also, I’d rather have them if Barnett or Bunty is the other starting prop.

 

[Up the guttz]

 

[Falcon]

Tupouniua staying at roosters for 3 more years, they retaining the players they want- not Manu yet though. Adam Reynolds signed for 2025, not convinced 2024 is necessarily the end for SJ if they still pushing. Interesting with Reynolds though, they must be getting nervous with Mam and Walsh not we signed. If Luai’s being offered the money he is, these two must be fielding big offers too.

Walsh and Mam will get good upgrades at the Broncos and will take less than what other clubs might offer and then jack up their price on the following contract when they will be all of ….. 24 years old!

 

[Noitall]

Walsh and Mam will get good upgrades at the Broncos and will take less than what other clubs might offer and then jack up their price on the following contract when they will be all of ….. 24 years old!

Some of these teams must have fantastic accountants.

 

[Noitall]

Fonua-Blake spotted meeting with NRL battlers

Trio of clubs confirm interest in million-dollar star

wwos.nine.com.au

I like the idea of tigers, still think they offer the best players for any potential swap.

 

[Falcon]

Some of these teams must have fantastic accountants.

‘Creative Accounting’ I believe is the terminology.

 

[juju]

Fonua-Blake spotted meeting with NRL battlers

Trio of clubs confirm interest in million-dollar star

wwos.nine.com.au

I like the idea of tigers, still think they offer the best players for any potential swap.

I guess that confirms he's 100% / 1000% gorne

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Jordan Riki re-signs with Broncos until the end of 2027. We can put a line through him for the nek few years at least now

 

[Aman 2.0]

Don’t we hold all the cards with AFB? Just put our foot down and demand fair value in return.

I’ll probably stop supporting this club if we just let him walk. Can’t stand incompetence

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Toby Rudolph also off the table too, re-signed until end of 2026.

Come on Warriors, all the good players are getting snapped up today

 

[Noitall]

Don’t we hold all the cards with AFB? Just put our foot down and demand fair value in return.

I’ll probably stop supporting this club if we just let him walk. Can’t stand incompetence

Tigers forum reckon it’s a done deal with a swap for klemmer and Asu Kepaoa. Can’t see any way we take Klemmer for the Moses link alone and think if we negotiate with tigers that Papali’i is likely apart of any deal if a trade is involved.

 

[Raygz13]

I think the major hurdle with "most" of these players we're interested in is that they have friends, family and their whole life based In Australia. It's going to take some major persuasion to entice them over. Even someone like Neame has been in Oz for 5 years(that's what i read). Maybe the Warriors organisation realises this, so that's why they have to be picky, or, are being picky. In saying that, I still like being the underdog....

 

[SJ2k]

Don’t we hold all the cards with AFB? Just put our foot down and demand fair value in return.

I’ll probably stop supporting this club if we just let him walk. Can’t stand incompetence

Absolutely. We're not running a charity. The covid situation was unique, yet somehow players are using it as a precedence to get a release from our team when it suits them. We're not in Europe or something it's a short flight to Sydney.

 

[Worried2Death]

Hadn’t seen anything of Dorian Lotaki, looks like he’s got a hard edge to him.

You can tell that from a picture of Dorian Lotaki? Is that an Oscar Wilde joke, they never get old.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Tigers forum reckon it’s a done deal with a swap for klemmer and Asu Kepaoa. Can’t see any way we take Klemmer for the Moses link alone and think if we negotiate with tigers that Papali’i is likely apart of any deal if a trade is involved.

Kepaoa sucks. He’s a centre/wing/edge that can’t lock down any spot, even for a wooden spoon tigers outfit. No bloody thanks.

 

[j_p]

Toby Rudolph also off the table too, re-signed until end of 2026.

Come on Warriors, all the good players are getting snapped up today

Did we really want him after he backflipped on his deal last time.

 

[Worried2Death]

I'd love to see Ice 2.0 come home, exactly the kind of smaller ball playing forward with big motor Webby seems to favour. He looked a different player for the Kiwis than he did hiding out in the backline at the demoralised Tigers. All these other suggestions are Aussies, too hard to get them to uproot their families and stay here.

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

I'd love to see Ice 2.0 come home, exactly the kind of smaller ball playing forward with big motor Webby seems to favour. He looked a different player for the Kiwis than he did hiding out in the backline at the demoralised Tigers. All these other suggestions are Aussies, too hard to get them to uproot their families and stay here.

Hasn't his partner, the netball player, moved to Australia? Obviously, she can move back but still.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[Worried2Death]

Hasn't his partner, the netball player, moved to Australia? Obviously, she can move back but still.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

She'll be homesick soon.
"It's only a contract in theory" -AFB