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

 

[Fizurg]

It means nothing because no one has any idea lol. So it's all speculation for now. I can speculate, You can speculate, No one has any idea until the club releases more details. If they even do.

By nothing I mean the Warriors have no leverage in the situation if AFB has a valid contract with Sharks for 2025, like has been reported. Of course there is every chance there is more going on behind closed doors (which i think i actually mentioned in the same post)

 

[Ferdie]

I'm hoping the reason that they're not worried about a player trade is that they're seeing how well the players are developing behind the scenes. After just one pre-season with Webster a lot of our guys had career best seasons, so this year I'm expecting the next tier of players (squad players but not starters) and youth players to all level up as well.
I'm think Bunty, Ale and Barnett will be working on having late footwork at the line and a nice draw and pass that hasn't been there before.
Zyon Maiu’u could be wowing them with his overall game and already surpassing some of those in my previous paragraph.
Halasima could be showing signs that he is going to be the next SBW.
Fukofuka could be showing signs that he could be that hooker/lock cover we've been hoping Jazz would be for years.
Sifakula is nursing an injury, but he could be developing into the next Tohu, who could cover all of second row, lock and prop. But eventually finish his career exclusively as a middle.
Our 2025 forwords could simply be:
Prop: Barnett, Niukore, Ale, Afoa, Zyon Maiu’u, Stowers Smith.
Hooker: Egan, Fukofuka, CHT.
Second row: Ford, Capewell, Halasima, Laban.
Lock: Harris, Walker, Sifakula.

 

[Fufu]

Tanner Stowers-Smith gone i heard. Could be false. But could be true due to him not being at training and being in Christchurch currently

Whats the go with this? He still with us?

 

[miket12]

I meant he signed for for sharks for 4 years from 2025.

I don't think any of the betting agency would be willing to offer odds on AFB seeing out his whole contract with the Sharks

 

[Spence]

Whats the go with this? He still with us?

He has been at training since that message was posted. I think he was just late back to preseason as he played Kiwi As.

 

[tyrael]

He has been at training since that message was posted. I think he was just late back to preseason as he played Kiwi As.

How do you know he's at training? I'm not doubting you, just curious how people find out information like this.

 

[Blain]

Social media, check the pre Xmas Instagram/Facebook training photos. Currently any speculation of him leaving is based on a he said/she said on this forum.

 

[Spence]

How do you know he's at training? I'm not doubting you, just curious how people find out information like this.

Instagram/facebook.


View: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=908844100826091&set=a.273850694325438&type=3&mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

 

[miket12]

While this sounds like talking to the fish and chip shop owner who knows a neighbour blah, blah, blah, Tanner is the cousin of the husband of a close friend of my wife. I’ll get hold of him when they’re back from holiday and see what he says about Tanner

 

[Playdaball]

Volkman was on big $$$ - amazing

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Volkman was on big $$$ - amazing

What's the story bro

 

[JaggedJ]

What's the story bro

I'm guessing the story is that Volkman was on big money.

Could just be my interpretation though.

 

[Inruin]

I'm guessing the story is that Volkman was on big money.

Could just be my interpretation though.

Wasn't he considered/rated as the best half in nsw cup at the time we signed him? If so, you would assume he would have signed a reasonable contract, especially with thoughts around SJ prior to last season

 

[Up the guttz]

Long put out an article when CHT signed saying one half would have to go as all of - SJ, TMM, Metcalf and Volkman were all on “starting half money” ……I’d assume Volkman was on around $400 - $500k.

 

[chrisnz]

Long put out an article when CHT signed saying one half would have to go as all of - SJ, TMM, Metcalf and Volkman were all on “starting half money” ……I’d assume Volkman was on around $400 - $500k.

Given the fact he was highly rated at the time and we picked him up from the chooks I'm guessing that figure would be close to correct he also trailed very well the year we got him.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

I'm a bit confused then..

Volkman was contracted to us, and not able to talk to other teams as we have him for 24 and 25 right?

If he's on good money, why would he:
A. Request a release when he almost certainly wouldn't get that money anywhere else
B. Talk to Dragons when he's not able to?

So would we be paying any freight for him? Looks like our part of the deal (the release) was done before Dragons officially started there's, so I'm not sure how all of that would have been figured out.

 

[Fizurg]

I'm a bit confused then..

Volkman was contracted to us, and not able to talk to other teams as we have him for 24 and 25 right?

If he's on good money, why would he:
A. Request a release when he almost certainly wouldn't get that money anywhere else
B. Talk to Dragons when he's not able to?

So would we be paying any freight for him? Looks like our part of the deal (the release) was done before Dragons officially started there's, so I'm not sure how all of that would have been figured out.

if hes asking to leave then the Warriors will be unlikely to be paying freight.
If the Warriors are ok with him leaving then they will be fine with him talking to other teams.
Hes stuck here in NZ without any regular NRL games being likely. Hes better off being in the same situation at another team but getting to live back in Aus.

Also how good would it be if his salary cap for this year could be used on another player for 2024.

 

[Blain]

Yeah this was a straight up release. Technically he doesn't have a contract anywhere for 2025, so no way we are paying anything for him to leave.

He's backed himself to get a gig somewhere else. Likely asked to talk to other clubs prior to requesting the formal release. I think $400-$500k is on the high end of what he would have been on, was signed as a junior no where near first grade. He was happy to get out of his Warriors contract don't forget. I would have thought somewhere around $250-$300k, which is great money and security for a teenage player (when he originally signed with us).

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Yeah just seems kinda strange.

Young player with big wraps comes over here on a big contract for an unproven teen (300-500k) for 3 years.

Not allowed to negotiate with other teams, however asks for a release from his longer, higher wage contract with a good, upcoming team to then sign with a rabble team for probably far less money, and a one year contract?

Unless he's home sick as fuck, or he's been told he has no chance with us but who the heck is advising Volkman? He's now signed as a back up half where he will be lucky to get game time this year, and if he does, the Dragons look pretty poor so he'll be extremely lucky if he gets enough quality game time to earn a contract for 2025 worth as much as he had here....just seems baffling

 

[Fufu]

Yeah just seems kinda strange.

Young player with big wraps comes over here on a big contract for an unproven teen (300-500k) for 3 years.

Not allowed to negotiate with other teams, however asks for a release from his longer, higher wage contract with a good, upcoming team to then sign with a rabble team for probably far less money, and a one year contract?

Unless he's home sick as fuck, or he's been told he has no chance with us but who the heck is advising Volkman? He's now signed as a back up half where he will be lucky to get game time this year, and if he does, the Dragons look pretty poor so he'll be extremely lucky if he gets enough quality game time to earn a contract for 2025 worth as much as he had here....just seems baffling

I think he was a big Brown and POS signing. They saw something in him that Webby probably doesn't. Webster seems to prioritise defence and defensive effort, whereas Brownie kind of didn't. And I'm not 100% but I do recall reading somewhere that Nathan Brown was doing some work with the Dragons too, so he might have had a part in it.

Volkman is in a weird position where he is clearly too good for NSW cup but not quite good enough for NRL, and the only way to get good enough for NRL is to play games. With us he is not assured of any games and is competing with TMM, Chanel, SJ and Metcalf. At the Dragons he is basically assured of playing 3 games at 7 when Ben Hunt is with QLD. Beyond that he is only competing with Kyle Flanagan for the 6 jersey, who, if we're being honest doesn't hold a candle to the halves he's competing with here. And on top of that, Hunt has been vocal about wanting to leave the Dragons at any opportunity he gets. Its a pretty positive move for him in my opinion, especially with a new coach in Flanno who isn't afraid to give young blokes a go eg Jack Bird at 6 in the sharks premiership year.