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

 

[Up the guttz]

I get the feeling AFB is going to get a big pay rise out of all of this. I also still think this is manager driven after winning his Daily M award.
Very cynical I know. If his mother has a terminal illness I don’t know why you wouldn't just say so. Like what’s the big secret.,..

 

[Blain]

King is married to a model. No way she's leaving Sydney, and he's not leaving her to come to the Warriors guys.

 

[Damo]

I get the feeling AFB is going to get a big pay rise out of all of this. I also still think this is manager driven after winning his Daily M award.
Very cynical I know. If his mother has a terminal illness I don’t know why you wouldn't just say so. Like what’s the big secret.,..

The health problems are real but I believe there are a myriad of things contributing to him wanting to move back to Australia especially noting his wifes instagram posts.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

I get the feeling AFB is going to get a big pay rise out of all of this. I also still think this is manager driven after winning his Daily M award.
Very cynical I know. If his mother has a terminal illness I don’t know why you wouldn't just say so. Like what’s the big secret.,..

My understanding was that we hold all the cards in this scenario. Similar to RW last year saying he wants to go home for family reasons, we said okay but we're going to release you on our terms - you don't get a pay rise and you have to go back to where your daughter is.

Seems similar to the AFB situation from the outside looking in. The only extra caveat is that we want someone back for AFB, so it seems to me that teams can't get in to a bidding war, it will basically be us agreeing to release him to XX, who will release XX to us in return

 

[SJ2k]

I think it's also different cause Walsh's missus took his very young kid back to QLD and we got him on kind of a weird situation in the first place. We should be harder on AFB, he's reupped his contract and while family circumstances can be terrible, you can work around it pretty well in sport.

Still think unfortunately we get shit all back if anything.

 

[Fizurg]

I kinda like a AFB-Max King swap. Although it looks like King is on his last year anyway. So that might fall on its head.

Kings stats rd 1-5 (according to league live)
1. Sea Eagles (A) Lose 31-6, 14 runs for 131m, 35 of 36 tackles, 1 tackle break.
2. Storm (A) win 26-12, 17 runs for 194m, 35 of 38 tackles, 2 offloads.
3. Tigers (H) win 26-22, 15 runs for 149m, 37 of 39 tackles, 1 line break, 3 errors
4. Warriors (A) lose 16-14, 13 runs for 124m, 48 of 49 tackles, 1 offload, 1 penalty conceded.
5. Cowboys (H) win 15-14, 16 runs for 166m, 38 of 41 tackles, 1 tackle break.

Then the bulldogs turned to shit. His season stats aren’t as good as these but still decent. What else is out there of the likely AFB destinations.

No I don’t think he’s the answer to all our problems btw. His stats are slightly better than BHU in a worse team. We should be able to afford both lol

When you watch him closely (ie own him in fantasy) he is just a massive workhorse. Regularly makes three tackles in a set and always looking for hit ups. Not the most powerful runner of the ball but still above average for a prop and loves an offload.

 

[tajhay]

My understanding was that we hold all the cards in this scenario. Similar to RW last year saying he wants to go home for family reasons, we said okay but we're going to release you on our terms - you don't get a pay rise and you have to go back to where your daughter is.

Seems similar to the AFB situation from the outside looking in. The only extra caveat is that we want someone back for AFB, so it seems to me that teams can't get in to a bidding war, it will basically be us agreeing to release him to XX, who will release XX to us in return

Ofcourse they can get into a bidding war. He's contracted till 2026. Let's say at 1m a year. Tigers can offer 3 year contract worth 3.2m (25/26/27). Dogs can offer 4 year worth 4.5 etc.

We don't hold as many cards as we think. We can say we want someone in exchange but unless there's a player desperate to come back to NZ, or gets added contract security(and more $) to their existing contract, the options are limited. Clubs can't just force players out.

 

[Billyspleen75]

When you watch him closely (ie own him in fantasy) he just a massive workhorse. Regularly makes three tackles in a set and always looking for hit ups. Not the most powerful runner of the ball but still above average for a prop and loves an offload.

Not a bad cornerstone of a middle rotation, if you are surrounding him with guys like Tohu, Niukore(?), Barnett, Walker and Ale/Zyon Maiu’u.

Though i don't think he and his model girlfriend will be swayed by Penrose and CG's "no stamp duty" pitch.

 

[Up the guttz]

The health problems are real but I believe there are a myriad of things contributing to him wanting to move back to Australia especially noting his wifes instagram posts.

Yeah I do believe the heath problems are real but there is a huge difference between a manageable sickness that doesn’t shorten life expectancy much and a terminal illness. I guess it is a private matter, just thinking if it is a terminal illness and he came out and said so, no one would then begrudge him for leaving.

 

[Damo]

Yeah I do believe the heath problems are real but there is a huge difference between a manageable sickness that doesn’t shorten life expectancy much and a terminal illness. I guess it is a private matter, just thinking if it is a terminal illness and he came out and said so, no one would then begrudge him for leaving.

It really isn't anyone's business and I don't think he has to cater to the fans feelings on the matter.

 

[CWC]

If it's terminal then the agent would have made sure it was all over the headlines across Australasia when they leaked the bombshell, when they should have been negotiating tightly behind close doors like RTS

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Ofcourse they can get into a bidding war. He's contracted till 2026. Let's say at 1m a year. Tigers can offer 3 year contract worth 3.2m (25/26/27). Dogs can offer 4 year worth 4.5 etc.

We don't hold as many cards as we think. We can say we want someone in exchange but unless there's a player desperate to come back to NZ, or gets added contract security(and more $) to their existing contract, the options are limited. Clubs can't just force players out.

Agreed, but we still hold the trump card, the contract.
You would have to imagine the other clubs going through their own rosters figuring that out for a player like AFB. At the end of the day if any team offers us anything we can choose to take it. Force him to go to that club. Otherwise no release without breach of contract.
Allowing AFB to visit potential clubs does a lot for us……
1. Makes us look reasonable, from a personal and legal prospective.
2. Shows the other clubs that there is competitive interest in him, and they have to give us something. Cause we hold the trump card, the final decision.

If the dog offer him 1.2 mil no player and the dragons offer 1 mil, plus player. Off to the Dragons AFB.

If I’ve got this wrong please correct me.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Ofcourse they can get into a bidding war. He's contracted till 2026. Let's say at 1m a year. Tigers can offer 3 year contract worth 3.2m (25/26/27). Dogs can offer 4 year worth 4.5 etc.

We don't hold as many cards as we think. We can say we want someone in exchange but unless there's a player desperate to come back to NZ, or gets added contract security(and more $) to their existing contract, the options are limited. Clubs can't just force players out.

Yeah teams can deffo come in and bid for anything on top of his current contract, but I mean the reality is it's unlikely that were going to have a 3-4 teams all trying to out do each other. He's on 1.1mil already and that can't change for 2024-2026, so it really only gives teams a small window of opportunity. My guess is who ever adds an extra year on top so that it's a 4 or 5 year deal.

But at the same time - there has to be something in it for us right. If Dragons say well pay you 1.15ml for 2025-2028 but there's nothing in it for us, are we just gunna say yip and be done? What if Eels offer 1.1mil and say we can have Paulo? Surely in that scenario were in the box seat to make the decision? (Obvs player and club have to be agreeable)

 

[Up the guttz]

Agreed, but we still hold the trump card, the contract.
You would have to imagine the other clubs going through their own rosters figuring that out for a player like AFB. At the end of the day if any team offers us anything we can choose to take it. Force him to go to that club. Otherwise no release without breach of contract.
Allowing AFB to visit potential clubs does a lot for us……
1. Makes us look reasonable, from a personal and legal prospective.
2. Shows the other clubs that there is competitive interest in him, and they have to give us something. Cause we hold the trump card, the final decision.

If the dog offer him 1.2 mil no player and the dragons offer 800k plus player. Off to the Dragons AFB.

If I’ve got this wrong please correct me.

New contract has to be at least what he is currently on. $1m+

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

New contract has to be at least what he is currently on. $1m+

Yeah I kinda knew that bro lol, I pretty much said 800k to help drive my point across. I’ll edit it

 

[CWC]

Just imagine before the AFB bomb we were looking for another top prop, and NAS or Leo Thompson come to the market suddenly and what would we do to entice him over other teams?

Better housing tax system in Auckland?

We'd probably be looking at the other team's weaknesses and see if it fits our redundant players, Volkman, Curran, Jazz etc and making an offer

 

[Fizurg]

New contract has to be at least what he is currently on. $1m+

i thought it went both ways. His contract cant go up either.

 

[j_p]

i thought it went both ways. His contract cant go up either.

Going off the last few posts I believe it can't go up but teams could offer him extra years at higher rates making his average per year higher then his current deal.

 

[Aman 2.0]

Good grief. Let's hope behind closed doors they have a better pitch than the fucking tax system

Wreaks of desperation. Brisbane has better weather, cheaper houses, better beaches, better looking woman, easier travel, better bars, restaurants, vibes, just introduced 30k home grants and I don’t think the fucking tax is that much different.

Half of Nz has literally moved to Brisbane.

What a fucking loser.

 

[Up the guttz]

i thought it went both ways. His contract cant go up either.

Pretty sure it can go up! There has been talk for years of making it so they can’t go up to stop people using compassionate grounds as a way to get a pay rise. It has all come to nothing….