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]

Turner potentially could have been used in the meantime as he’s played in the halves in the past. With him being injured and now Volkman too, they will need to go to market to find another. That could be the reasoning behind wanting to cut Volkman for the dragons? Hoping they go hard for Ezra Mam and drive the price up for broncos. Apparently Ben Te Kura impressing in pre season after playing for NZa late last year. 205cm and 122kg, he could be that big point of difference prop for us for years ahead at 19.

Te Kura is with the Broncos?

 

[WahsUltras]

 

[Playdaball]

Isaiah Vagana is off to Wakefield Trinity on a 2 year deal.

 

[Mr Drag]

He didn't even have one game!

Ex-Warriors half Volkman to be axed by Dragons after failed medical - report

The 21-year-old was released by the Warriors to sign a one-year contract last month.

www.newshub.co.nz

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

I hope for our sake and ronnies we find an amicable way to sort it out. If we aren't liable to cover it paying for rehab costs and giving a minimum wage wouldn't be a bad shout and an opportunity to get out and say while it was unfortunate for the dragons they needed to do better for the player. Would bode well for future recruitment If everyone sees we look after our own. Put some meaning behind the once a warrior slogan.

Sorry but no way. If he asked for a release, which the Warriors granted, and the Warriors have no remaining contractual obligations, then no way do we provide any compensation. It’s the Dragons and Volkman’s problem. Any goodwill from helping out wouldn’t extend beyond Volkman & any suggestion otherwise is fanciful.

 

[WahsaurusRex]

RLPA needs to send someone to his manager's office or the Dragons HQ to deliver a hiding because that is fucked for RV

I hope for our sake and ronnies we find a amicable way to sort it out. If we aren't liable to cover it paying for rehab costs and giving a minimum wage wouldn't be a bad shout and an opportunity to get out and say while it was unfortunate for the dragons they needed to do better for the player. Would bode well for future recruitment If everyone sees we look after our own. Put some meaning behind the once a warrior slogan.

I wouldn't put him back on a playing contract, but I do hope the club offer him a job working with the Warriors Foundation or something like a coaching intern, and maybe even allow him to work with the club physios to rehab the injury on the side.

The team isn't a charity, but to put something on the table for him is the right thing to do.

He’d probably be better off staying in Sydney with his support network, but I can imagine him being in a pretty dark place right now; being able to stay in a team environment, around guys he has worked/played with for the past 12-18 months could be good for him.

 

[marv.]

In the meantime they need cash for a decent half. They're in crisis, and with Flanno's track record of treating the rules as mere suggestions I wouldn't be surprised if Ronnie picked up a shoulder injury in training and they've found some "pre-existing injury" to get him off their cap. Pure conjecture of course, Flannagan wouldn't do that really...

that was exactly my thought too. flanno has proven himself to be a crook and a cheat. to do what he did at the sharks, you have to have the people around you onboard.

also wouldn’t surprise me if they were chasing other signings and have landed one but need to move RonnieV on to make it happen.

 

[Tragic]

If we take the fact info that he left us for a better deal at face value and we agreed to let him break his contract then it's his problem not ours. It's a tough break but that's the risk he took.

If he got broken or made worse at dragons training then maybe it's their problem too.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

The team isn't a charity

Exactly.

 

[Wrighty]

Exactly.

We were to Matt Lodge effectively and gave him $500K last year for nonsensical reasons.
At least a salary to Volkman would have more justification than the Lodge payout

Not that I am advocating for it. I think both St George and Warriors should go even stevens on like $40K each and give him a living wage for the year.

 

[Fonzie]

We were to Matt Lodge effectively and gave him $500K last year for nonsensical reasons.
At least a salary to Volkman would have more justification than the Lodge payout

Not that I am advocating for it. I think both St George and Warriors should go even stevens on like $40K each and give him a living wage for the year.

If he has been left with no income this year due to bungled timing on the paperwork I would suggest his agents insurer might be the one who will be giving him a living wage

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

We were to Matt Lodge effectively and gave him $500K last year for nonsensical reasons.
At least a salary to Volkman would have more justification than the Lodge payout

Not that I am advocating for it. I think both St George and Warriors should go even stevens on like $40K each and give him a living wage for the year.

The Lodge situation was fucked, however so would paying a bloke who didn’t want to stay at the club & had signed at a competing club. Just no way, life isn’t all beer & skittles

 

[Since95]

Yeah their records not great- the games littered with those types though - Brisbane made the grand final with 17 dickheads
In our favor we have some great leaders at our club- if they were serious about wanting to play their best footy we’d be a good option for them.

This is the call of 2024!

 

[mrblonde]

Sorry but no way. If he asked for a release, which the Warriors granted, and the Warriors have no remaining contractual obligations, then no way do we provide any compensation. It’s the Dragons and Volkman’s problem. Any goodwill from helping out wouldn’t extend beyond Volkman & any suggestion otherwise is fanciful.

"If he asked for a release"

That's it right there. If Ronnie said he wanted to go, he didn't want to be at the Warriors and for the Warriors to take him back at best puts him in the same shitty situation he wanted to leave. With his shoulder injury concerns - however long the recovery/rehab takes to make him NRL-Ready again - he's now in an even shittier position than he was.

And would anyone really go "Oh, those Warriors, bless 'em, doing the 'Once A Warrior' support for Ronnie and taking him back!"? No, they'll be "Stupid Warriors wasting minimum wage on same player they knew couldn't play, that money could have gone on upgrading Player A, adding to the offer we made Player C that he turned down or helping to keep Player K, he's The Next Ali, Mark My Words!"

Bummer for Ronnie, but not the Warriors problem.

If CHT had signed to us from the Broncos after asking to be released and we found the same situation, I really don't think the Broncos would be offering CHT - or the Warriors - anything.

 

[snake77]

After requesting a release and now likely needing surgery and going through his recovery away from any club environment his management better work hard to sort him out a contract for next season. Chances are they will come back with a deal a lot less than either the Warriors or Dragons deal and say this as all we can manage seeing as you missed a season and are a free agent.

To move from a 2 year deal at the Warriors to a 1 year deal at the dragons there would have been a lot of upside to get away from the extra security (additional year). Sure there was likely more chance of first grade time but typically you would forego the extra year if the money was much better. Or potentially a lot better if he got an additional year. The moving back to Sydney would also likely have been a bonus for him.

 

[snake77]

This is a weird situation. I can understand both clubs situation.

He asked for a release so the Warriors granted him one. As it was initiated by Volkman and his management the Warriors likely would have just carried on. The Warriors may have found out he had a season ending injury when they returned from the Christmas break.

The Dragons need depth and were only looking for one year. No point having someone for 1 year if they can't fulfil the contract.

Will this get much attention from the RLPA or the NRL?
If it does we may see some sort of rule put in place or more likely. A lot of talk and nothing happens.

 

[CWC]

He probably did something to it at the Dragons, got a scan then this, won't be our responsibility if he's trained with them already, thus the Dragons medical pinned it on "pre-existing"

ACC uses scans and pick up wears and tears to use "pre-existing condition" as an excuse to decline claims to avoid responsibility all the time

Probably advised to have surgery since he's young and rejected by Dragons now as well

 

[WahsaurusRex]

so would paying a bloke who didn’t want to stay at the club & had signed at a competing club. Just no way, life isn’t all beer & skittles

It's not, but damn.. We're talking about a 21-year-old that, in the span of three weeks, gave up two years making guaranteed 6 figures, to a one-year deal to take a bet on himself, and is now without a job, and his career could potentially be over.

It's not like he kicked up a huge fuss about wanting out, we signed players ahead of him and he was on the bubble. Nor is he a Kepu or Otukolo who apparently had a shit work ethic.

I don't suggest we put him back on 300 grand or so to just sit around on his PlayStation, nor are we going to be liable for any money in any way whatsoever, but just put a hand out so, if he wants, he can come and be back around the building; I don't even think he would accept it, but there is zero downside to going to him and letting him come back to do school visits/clinics with the Foundation and have the run water for the Cup games, something along those lines

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

It's not, but damn.. We're talking about a 21-year-old that, in the span of three weeks, gave up two years making guaranteed 6 figures, to a one-year deal to take a bet on himself, and is now without a job, and his career could potentially be over.

It's not like he kicked up a huge fuss about wanting out, we signed players ahead of him and he was on the bubble. Nor is he a Kepu or Otukolo who apparently had a shit work ethic.

I don't suggest we put him back on 300 grand or so to just sit around on his PlayStation, nor are we going to be liable for any money in any way whatsoever, but just put a hand out so, if he wants, he can come and be back around the building; I don't even think he would accept it, but there is no downside to going to him and letting him come back to do school visits/clinics with the Foundation and have the run water for the Cup games, something down those lines

If you live in Auckland then take a drive out to one of the poorer suburbs and have a look around. Then decide if Ronald Volkman is really doing it tough. Seriously, it’s 1 season. If he’s as good as some of you think then he’ll be back earning good coin once his shoulder has healed. In the meantime, tough break for the kid.

 

[Mr Drag]

If you live in Auckland then take a drive out to one of the poorer suburbs and have a look around. Then decide if Ronald Volkman is really doing it tough. Seriously, it’s 1 season. If he’s as good as some of you think then he’ll be back earning good coin once his shoulder has healed. In the meantime, tough break for the kid.

The old Forum everyone and his dog was saying he was the 2nd coming! Dam 21 and not ready to wait for old man SJ to retire was his doing! We owe him nothing!