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

 

[Wrighty]

I think we have the team to win the premiership next year without further recruitment provided the following happens

1) We have a really good run with injuries
2) Webster grows from last year and in his second year as head coach graduates from the up and comers group to the top echelon group with Cleary and Bennet. Big ask but so far Webster has walked on water. I think he has master coach in him. If not 2024 then sooner rather than later.
3) Webster goes genius mode and picks the exact right 1 through 17 and even gets the position right for CHT.
4) The new comers to the team CHT, RTS, and Capewell inject fresh drive into the team so that we don't take winning for granted like the cowboys did in 2023 after having a big previous year.

 

[Noitall]

Think that article is a glass half full take on the situation, which I can appreciate coming off a top 4 finish. Realistically we lost a top 2 prop a couple years early, that really sucks and there's no way around it. Getting someone of value in return would have helped reduce how much it sucks, but was unlikely. I never expected the current management to take some dumb player swap for the sake of it, so not doing that isn't a positive.

We have AFB next year and we're going to have to work him to the bone with this lineup. No different to last year, just need to get lucky with his health like last year.

I think this is where our limited pathways and recruiting due to Covid is really showing. Our prop stocks should never have gotten this low. We should at least have some 2015 Lisone's and Gavet's in the wings. I worry clubs next year will have us figured out and will just throw size at us the way Souths did.

AFB getting seriously hurt next year is just absolutely catastrophic to our team. A bright side to him moving on is if it's real bad, it's not our problem for 2025.

For sure we’ll be expecting our pound of flesh out of him, still counting too on reports from Webster that there’s still genuine buy in from him? My ideal situation is parting ways now to be honest if there’s good signings out of it. For sure he’s irreplaceable with last years form, but potential of erratic behaviour also for whatever reasons. This guy writing the article tends to be on the money often, think he mentioned Volkman potentially being the one to make way because of a logjam a while back? Amongst others. His optimism could be on knowing what the AFB departure will bring in a perfect world? The way he’s written about BHU makes me think there could be some smoke there? He’s not where AFB is currently but him and another experienced, established prop is enticing I reckon?

 

[Tragic]

If you read the article it mentions he retired in 2016 and is leaving the club after a decade of service as a player and as a Player Welfare Manager.

He's also staying in the UK.

Yeah I read the article, if you think that will stop the crazy ideas round here you still drunk from Christmas day. We have PTSD, we grab any thread and pull it till there is no cardigan left.

 

[CWC]

For sure we’ll be expecting our pound of flesh out of him, still counting too on reports from Webster that there’s still genuine buy in from him? My ideal situation is parting ways now to be honest if there’s good signings out of it. For sure he’s irreplaceable with last years form, but potential of erratic behaviour also for whatever reasons. This guy writing the article tends to be on the money often, think he mentioned Volkman potentially being the one to make way because of a logjam a while back? Amongst others. His optimism could be on knowing what the AFB departure will bring in a perfect world? The way he’s written about BHU makes me think there could be some smoke there? He’s not where AFB is currently but him and another experienced, established prop is enticing I reckon?

lol he did pock out BHU on top of another big signing we could look for for 2025

 

[UpTheWahs]

I think we have the team to win the premiership next year without further recruitment provided the following happens

1) We have a really good run with injuries
2) Webster grows from last year and in his second year as head coach graduates from the up and comers group to the top echelon group with Cleary and Bennet. Big ask but so far Webster has walked on water. I think he has master coach in him. If not 2024 then sooner rather than later.
3) Webster goes genius mode and picks the exact right 1 through 17 and even gets the position right for CHT.
4) The new comers to the team CHT, RTS, and Capewell inject fresh drive into the team so that we don't take winning for granted like the cowboys did in 2023 after having a big previous year.

We have a really good run with injuries

CNK's neck, Tohu's knees, Jazz's calves, Egan's concussions, SJ's calves/ankle/hammy, Metcalf's hammys, DWZ/Montoya/CHT throwing their bodies mad hard, there's bound to be injuries. Looking at the number of injuries each team had last season and the increased pace of the game, I don't think any team can count on having an injury low season anymore.

Webster grows from last year and in his second year as head coach graduates from the up and comers group to the top echelon group with Cleary and Bennet

I wouldn't be so quick. Saw this with Peyton only to crash down to earth the next season. In saying that, you are right that he's walked on water thus far and hasn't done much wrong. But I'd hold any thoughts of him breaking into the top echelon of NRL coaches until he delivers us a premiership or takes us to a final more than once over the next few years.

4) The new comers to the team CHT, RTS, and Capewell inject fresh drive into the team so that we don't take winning for granted like the cowboys did in 2023 after having a big previous year.

This is what I'm most excited about. The professionalism, work ethic and experience, specially from RTS and Capewell driving us to even higher standards on and off the field. Hopefully with the addition of a big bopper (before accounting for AFBs departure), we'd be in the running for a top 4 finish in 24.

 

[Makasene]

Think that article is a glass half full take on the situation, which I can appreciate coming off a top 4 finish. Realistically we lost a top 2 prop a couple years early, that really sucks and there's no way around it. Getting someone of value in return would have helped reduce how much it sucks, but was unlikely. I never expected the current management to take some dumb player swap for the sake of it, so not doing that isn't a positive.

We have AFB next year and we're going to have to work him to the bone with this lineup. No different to last year, just need to get lucky with his health like last year.

I think this is where our limited pathways and recruiting due to Covid is really showing. Our prop stocks should never have gotten this low. We should at least have some 2015 Lisone's and Gavet's in the wings. I worry clubs next year will have us figured out and will just throw size at us the way Souths did.

AFB getting seriously hurt next year is just absolutely catastrophic to our team. A bright side to him moving on is if it's real bad, it's not our problem for 2025.

It's quite a pessimistic take to be fair.

Most on here feel we have improved our squad while other top 8 teams have not.

Obviously can't disagree with your take on AFBs value to our team but that's pretty standard across the comp

Most teams have their own version of AFB who would be up poop creek if that player went down.

As for prop stocks I don't see what could have been done? We've moved on so many average props, you simply can't accuse the club of not doing anything lol

 

[SJ2k]

I don't accuse them of not doing anything, it's just our depth at prop, probably the worst in the NRL or close to it, is a symptom of the unique challenges our club has faced. Combined with some shit luck between Lodge and AFB. The club has done amazing work and we have depth across the park at pretty much every other position. We literally have one superstar prop, then Bunty who is reserve grade, and a rookie.

Our 2024 team IS better than our 2023 team. RTS+Capewell are fantastic adds. We're just going to need some luck when it comes to AFB staying healthy, which is a problem given how much work he's going to need to do. He managed it last year though, so fingers crossed.

 

[sup42]

I don't accuse them of not doing anything, it's just our depth at prop, probably the worst in the NRL or close to it, is a symptom of the unique challenges our club has faced. Combined with some shit luck between Lodge and AFB. The club has done amazing work and we have depth across the park at pretty much every other position. We literally have one superstar prop, then Bunty who is reserve grade, and a rookie.

Our 2024 team IS better than our 2023 team. RTS+Capewell are fantastic adds. We're just going to need some luck when it comes to AFB staying healthy, which is a problem given how much work he's going to need to do. He managed it last year though, so fingers crossed.

It feels as though the club are very confident that they have one maybe two potential future Props, but they don't have a crystal ball, so they are hanging onto a big bunch of Junior forwards to ensure they grow the next AFB rather than tie up two million dollars in imported props.

There is this gap, between AFB and whoever out of the Star Juniors in time, and it is hard to estimate when a young forward will start to bloom.

I do like the patient approach, because if our club is truely headed in the right direction, then they should be able to grow a Super Star Prop in house with the pool of talent they have.

 

[Playdaball]

When injuries occur, we now have genuine depth in the squad. Gone are the old days of having to bring up players from the Akld comp or playing guys out of position.

 

[Noitall]

It feels as though the club are very confident that they have one maybe two potential future Props, but they don't have a crystal ball, so they are hanging onto a big bunch of Junior forwards to ensure they grow the next AFB rather than tie up two million dollars in imported props.

There is this gap, between AFB and whoever out of the Star Juniors in time, and it is hard to estimate when a young forward will start to bloom.

I do like the patient approach, because if our club is truely headed in the right direction, then they should be able to grow a Super Star Prop in house with the pool of talent they have.

Aotearoa Warriors Diary: Six Sneaky Juniors To Learn About — The Niche Cache

Like all sports in Aotearoa, rugby league is enjoying an abundance of talent and while this is evident in all our Kiwi-NRL content, Aotearoa Warriors are also building a hearty stable of local juniors.

theniche-cache.com

Good article about some potential middle forward juniors the club is excited about amongst others.

 

[Noitall]

It feels as though the club are very confident that they have one maybe two potential future Props, but they don't have a crystal ball, so they are hanging onto a big bunch of Junior forwards to ensure they grow the next AFB rather than tie up two million dollars in imported props.

There is this gap, between AFB and whoever out of the Star Juniors in time, and it is hard to estimate when a young forward will start to bloom.

I do like the patient approach, because if our club is truely headed in the right direction, then they should be able to grow a Super Star Prop in house with the pool of talent they have.

While I agree with all you said in the post, that gap between our current props and up and comer’s could be a couple of seasons or more away? Sounds as though Zyon Maiu’u will definitely at a minimum get his debut next year hopefully cementing a role, Sifakula’s obvious size surely has him as a potential front row/second row hybrid. Halasima likely a couple of seasons away, but 100kg at 18 suggests he will perhaps play at 110kg once he’s grown and filled out? TSS seems to progressing nicely too. That leaves our current crop, with AFB leaving at season’s end I think we need a couple of established props while letting the young guys come on. Tevaga definitely looks in good condition and I love the attitude he brings, it’s a true prop intimidation attitude but he’s off contract at the end of the year and he’s a small prop. Bunty and Tom Ale are off contract at the end of 2025, hoping too and am optimistic we start seeing best out of Ale, and Bunty is always a solid defender but hopefully can add something to his arsenal, an offload I feel is within him. With AFB definitely leaving and Tevaga coming off contract, those two could open the door for two experienced props? Interested to see what the year brings in Tevaga, as mentioned I love the attitude but solely as a prop, we might need more size than he offers?

 

[Tookey 2.0]

While I agree with all you said in the post, that gap between our current props and up and comer’s could be a couple of seasons or more away? Sounds as though Zyon Maiu’u will definitely at a minimum get his debut next year hopefully cementing a role, Sifakula’s obvious size surely has him as a potential front row/second row hybrid. Halasima likely a couple of seasons away, but 100kg at 18 suggests he will perhaps play at 110kg once he’s grown and filled out? TSS seems to progressing nicely too. That leaves our current crop, with AFB leaving at season’s end I think we need a couple of established props while letting the young guys come on. Tevaga definitely looks in good condition and I love the attitude he brings, it’s a true prop intimidation attitude but he’s off contract at the end of the year and he’s a small prop. Bunty and Tom Ale are off contract at the end of 2025, hoping too and am optimistic we start seeing best out of Ale, and Bunty is always a solid defender but hopefully can add something to his arsenal, an offload I feel is within him. With AFB definitely leaving and Tevaga coming off contract, those two could open the door for two experienced props? Interested to see what the year brings in Tevaga, as mentioned I love the attitude but solely as a prop, we might need more size than he offers?

Yeah I know what you mean about Jazz...I love him as a player and I think there's a role for a more mobile, smaller prop but when we also have Barnett who is smaller and then Ale/Zyon Maiu’u who are not huge men either, it kinda means we run the risk of having a smaller mobile front row which may get ran over the top of when we play Nas, Utoikamanu, Hass and co

 

[Noitall]

Yeah I know what you mean about Jazz...I love him as a player and I think there's a role for a more mobile, smaller prop but when we also have Barnett who is smaller and then Ale/Zyon Maiu’u who are not huge men either, it kinda means we run the risk of having a smaller mobile front row which may get ran over the top of when we play Nas, Utoikamanu, Hass and co

Many teams have that point of difference prop, panthers probably one of the few high performance teams that don’t seem to require one. Will be interesting to see where we look to for our new prop or props? Someone who’s perhaps not quite ready but could fit into that next crop coming through is Ben Te Kura from the broncos. Already bigger than NAS and looks promising. Xavier Willison is another, though not as big.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

This is outrageous but should we target Joey Manu and throw CNK on the wing for Montoya?

Legit Question!

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

This is outrageous but should we target Joey Manu and throw CNK on the wing for Montoya?

Legit Question!

Before we decide if we should target him, can we afford him?

Heart say he would be awesome, head says we need a prop!

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Before we decide if we should target him, can we afford him?

Heart say he would be awesome, head says we need a prop!

He would look awesome in a wahs jersey!

 

[JaggedJ]

I was just thinking we need more ex or aspiring fullbacks.

CNK, RTS, Manu, DWZ

NZ Fullwahs on the loose.

BTW for me it's a no.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

I was just thinking we need more ex or aspiring fullbacks.

CNK, RTS, Manu, DWZ

NZ Fullwahs on the loose.

BTW for me it's a no.

Isn’t Berry the natural successor to CNK?

Such unlimited talent should be used at the back!

 

[sballer7]

Am I the only one who thinks Manu is massively overhyped at fullback? Hes got good work rate, but nowhere near dynamic enough for me at the back. Stymies a lot of sweeping plays out the back and runs for a lot of meters coz he barely ever passes.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Am I the only one who thinks Manu is massively overhyped at fullback? Hes got good work rate, but nowhere near dynamic enough for me at the back. Stymies a lot of sweeping plays out the back and runs for a lot of meters coz he barely ever passes.

Agree fully. Huge workrate and will make 250+ most games from the back, but imo he hasn't got the vision and ball playing to be one of the top full backs.
Don't get me wrong, one of my favourite players to watch and I think he can do things that no other player can, but I think he's an amazing centre who can create something from nothing when one on one with a defender, but making the right decision over and over as a ball player I think hes shown he's not that guy.