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]

‘Red flags’: Blame game erupts injured player wiped from the NRL​

Fox League
Warriors CEO Cameron George has absolved the club of any blame in the Ronald Volkman fiasco, while pointing the finger at the Dragons.
Warriors CEO Cameron George has absolved the club of any blame in the Ronald Volkman fiasco, after the promising playmaker was left without a contract after being released by the St George-Illawarra Dragons.
Volkman requested, and was granted, a release from his Warriors contract two years early to sign a one-year deal with the Dragons - an arrangement that was in the works late last month.

However, Volkman is now left without a club after the Dragons let go the 21-year-old citing a medical that revealed he would need season-ending shoulder surgery from a pre-existing injury.


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As the contract hadn’t been officially registered with the NRL, the Dragons wiped their hands clean of Volkman and gave him his marching orders.

Unfortunately for Volkman, his manager signed a deed of termination with the Warriors on Christmas Eve, meaning he is unable to return to his former club.

Ronald Volkman has been left without a contract. NRL Imagery
Volkman’s career is now in limbo, with no contract and a serious shoulder injury that requires surgery before he can see the field again.

George defended the way the Warriors handled the situation in an interview with the SMH.

“That’s due diligence I would’ve thought a club would take before agreeing to sign someone,” George said.

“We agreed with Ronald’s management that he’d be released immediately. We contributed financially to his release and it was up to his management to negotiate a contract with another club.

“Whatever the conditions were for him to go to another club is irrelevant to us. Since that release, it was noted that he trained with them.”

As George alluded to, the Warriors paid Volkman a considerable part of the final two years of his deal, so the playmaker hasn’t been completely left in the lurch.

5	Foxsports00:25 Wests Tigers and Melbourne Storm confirm Justin Olam and Shawn Blore player swap​

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NRL: The Wests Tigers and Melbourne Storm have confirmed Justin Olam and Shawn Blore player swap.
Now, the focus shifts towards the actions of the Dragons, who announced Volkman’s signing on social media on January 3.

With what has since come to light, that was an unusual move, as Volkman hadn’t undergone his medical with the club yet nor had his contract been registered with the NRL.

As per the SMH, the Warriors did send the Dragons a medical report of Volkman’s shoulder, which read that the 21-year-old had “shoulder irritation” but had completed off-season training “pre-Christmas”.

Volkman appeared in three games for the Warriors’ NRL side in 2023, and 22 for their NSW Cup team but had reportedly suffered a contact injury on December 12 according to the medical report.

Ronald Volkman celebrating a try for the Warriors last season.
In Volkman’s first training session with the Red V, the Dragons medical staff were concerned when he was unable to complete basic drills, even struggling to pass a ball.

A closer look at Volkman’s right shoulder revealed it “felt like chocolate”, a troubling discovery, and that two screws had been displaced.

Dragons CEO Ryan Webb defended the club for how they approached the matter and letting an unregistered Volkman train.

“As part of the medical assessment, he participated in restricted training,” Webb told the SMH.

“He presented on the Thursday, the medical team assessed him, he did some modified training, which was a continuation of that medical assessment, and the red flags got stronger.”

Originally published as ‘Red flags’: Blame game erupts injured player wiped from the NRL

Seen some Aussie sites saying poor form from the Warriors they are acting like the release was provisional on everything going well for the Dragons - so stupid!!
The warriors release has nothing to do with the Dragons deal. Once we released him, we had nothing to do with any further deals.

 

[Noitall]

Seen some Aussie sites saying poor form from the Warriors they are acting like the release was provisional on everything going well for the Dragons - so stupid!!
The warriors release has nothing to do with the Dragons deal. Once we released him, we had nothing to do with any further deals.

Pity parade for the poor dragons. I’ve seen some sympathetic too but mostly saying Volkman’s management fault, or how dumb to have a player training with a deal not finalised.

 

[CWC]

Yes hold the line Cameron

Why did we even pay him salary for the 2 years? lol

Unless we released him because his shoulder was like chocolate thus paying him out, but somehow it ended up as him asking for an immediate release, which doesn't make sense, and his manager hasn't said they were played by the Warriors, or we still got his payment so they can't say anything? lol

Conspiracy mode here

 

[JaggedJ]

We probably made it clear to him there wasn't a path to first grade with us.

We paid him to go but he was happy to leave. His manager then screwed it all up by being careless.

Not our prob.

 

[CWC]

Too bad we don't have NRL360 right now, they'd invite Volkman and his manager to the round table for the whole week, and have a smackdown with Buzz, Ronnie gets his surgery fee that way

Wild Ronnie couldn't move his shoulder and still asked for a release, infected with our "she'll be alright" attitude?

 

[Fonzie]

Look at our try here at 34 seconds. This is what we need from our left sided half this year - punchy short sides when teams stack the other side to defend SJ and our right side.


View: https://youtu.be/8X9iJJJ9oac?si=_OcCsQt92ym-Rkv3

 

[Noitall]

Look at our try here at 34 seconds. This is what we need from our left sided half this year - punchy short sides when teams stack the other side to defend SJ and our right side.


View: https://youtu.be/8X9iJJJ9oac?si=_OcCsQt92ym-Rkv3

Couldn’t you have found another game for this example.

 

[nzwarriorsfaithful]

Look at our try here at 34 seconds. This is what we need from our left sided half this year - punchy short sides when teams stack the other side to defend SJ and our right side.


View: https://youtu.be/8X9iJJJ9oac?si=_OcCsQt92ym-Rkv3

Your telling me I have to watch this games highlights?

 

[Noitall]

‘Red flags’: Blame game erupts as Warriors point finger at Dragons over injured star

‘Red flags’: Blame game erupts as Warriors point finger at Dragons over injured star

www.foxsports.com.au

Little bit extra coming out in varied articles. This one dragons ryan webb mentions Volkman did some extended training with the dragons as apart of his medical, would that be normal practice? Going to make for an interesting game when we meet the dragons this year.

 

[CWC]

Would have thought the process would be

1) ask Warriors to allow talks with other clubs
2) deals sealed, ask Warriors for release, terminate contract, take the $
3) commence at the new club

Now we supposedly have
2) deal not sealed, "extended medical assessment required," contract already terminated at the Wahs and $ taken

How on earth can the Dragons let Volkman go if they haven't picked him up in the first place lol, training at their facility, with their cloths, using their resources, sounds like at the best, a conditional contract where he needs to pass "extended med assessment" or he was actually on a trial period of the actual contract and the club exercised their rights to sack him.

More likely Dragons and Volkman's manager both fudged up and now their media is blaming us lol

The manager still hasn't said a thing lol

 

[BrisbaneWarrior]

‘Red flags’: Blame game erupts as Warriors point finger at Dragons over injured star

‘Red flags’: Blame game erupts as Warriors point finger at Dragons over injured star

www.foxsports.com.au

Little bit extra coming out in varied articles. This one dragons ryan webb mentions Volkman did some extended training with the dragons as apart of his medical, would that be normal practice? Going to make for an interesting game when we meet the dragons this year.

That sounds like training to me. A medical isn’t done on the field with other players around

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Maaaan guys I'm super disappointed! Logged in and saw there were like 3 new pages in this chat and thought for sure we had signed someone lol.

 

[Noitall]

Shady_Flanno​

Juniors​

Messages2

• 9 minutes ago
• 
  
• #173

‘Red flags’: Blame game erupts as Warriors point finger at Dragons over injured star​

‘Red flags’: Blame game erupts as Warriors point finger at Dragons over injured star

www.foxsports.com.au
I can’t believe that the Warriors didn’t pick up on his injury 12th Dec in the training injury at the warriors

This is very very fishy
Click to expand...

Volkman & his management requested a release with 2 years left on his contract. Warriors released him. Not to a club. He was a free agent. Warriors also paid him a significant amount of his remaining contract.
So he had no club at the time of asking for a release. There are rumours circulating that Flanno had been in secret talks with Volkmans management way before he was released.

Warriors literally noted his shoulder in the medical...Volkman's management signed off on everything.
it was up to his management to negotiate a contract with another club after that.

Maybe the fishy smell was from the other night? Otherwise, I see no fault of the warriors in any of this.

Shady_Flanno​

Juniors​

Messages2

• 6 minutes ago
• 
  
• #174

It's a good question. Huge difference between a giant Toblerone kept in the fridge, and a block of Cadburys milk chocolate left in the car. Somewhere in between I expect.

Maybe the procedure they performed was a Rectal Examination? Got it mixed up with the Shoulder? Hence the chocolate feeling....Dragons have been fu*king things up alot lately.






Thought these two most recent posts on the LU dragons forum were good.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]Shady_Flanno​

Juniors​

Messages2

• 9 minutes ago
• 
  
• #173

Volkman & his management requested a release with 2 years left on his contract. Warriors released him. Not to a club. He was a free agent. Warriors also paid him a significant amount of his remaining contract.
So he had no club at the time of asking for a release. There are rumours circulating that Flanno had been in secret talks with Volkmans management way before he was released.

Warriors literally noted his shoulder in the medical...Volkman's management signed off on everything.
it was up to his management to negotiate a contract with another club after that.

Maybe the fishy smell was from the other night? Otherwise, I see no fault of the warriors in any of this.

Shady_Flanno​

Juniors​

Messages2

• 6 minutes ago
• 
  
• #174

Maybe the procedure they performed was a Rectal Examination? Got it mixed up with the Shoulder? Hence the chocolate feeling....Dragons have been fu*king things up alot lately.






Thought these two most recent posts on the LU dragons forum were good.

Thanks bro! That's me lmao!

 

[The Warrior Waka]

[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]Shady_Flanno​

Juniors​

Messages2

• 9 minutes ago
• 
  
• #173

Volkman & his management requested a release with 2 years left on his contract. Warriors released him. Not to a club. He was a free agent. Warriors also paid him a significant amount of his remaining contract.
So he had no club at the time of asking for a release. There are rumours circulating that Flanno had been in secret talks with Volkmans management way before he was released.

Warriors literally noted his shoulder in the medical...Volkman's management signed off on everything.
it was up to his management to negotiate a contract with another club after that.

Maybe the fishy smell was from the other night? Otherwise, I see no fault of the warriors in any of this.

Shady_Flanno​

Juniors​

Messages2

• 6 minutes ago
• 
  
• #174

Maybe the procedure they performed was a Rectal Examination? Got it mixed up with the Shoulder? Hence the chocolate feeling....Dragons have been fu*king things up alot lately.






Thought these two most recent posts on the LU dragons forum were good.

I wanted to upset more people on there with my name "Shady_Flanno" no bites yet lol.

 

[Noitall]

I wanted to upset more people on there with my name "Shady_Flanno" no bites yet lol.

Top effort. That’s gold.

 

[Buzz Killington]

Surely the Dragons and The NRL have to provide some duty of care. Ronnie moved to a new country. The game itself is high risk contact sport. He should go into the Dragons system for medical treatment and rehab. He should still recieve his contract for the season for his health and wellbeing. But for the Dragon he should be exempt from their top 30 cap.
The NRL needs to step up and show that they care about their players.

 

[Tragic]

Dragons fucked up worse by having him training with them before the medical was cleared, surely that's going to bite them in the ass

 

[tajhay]

Personally im ok with the Warriors part in the release...except the fact that we paid out some of his contract. If a player comes for a release from their contract, we should not be contributing a cent.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Look at our try here at 34 seconds. This is what we need from our left sided half this year - punchy short sides when teams stack the other side to defend SJ and our right side.


View: https://youtu.be/8X9iJJJ9oac?si=_OcCsQt92ym-Rkv3

It's too early in the year for analysis fonz good to know you are working hard in the off season though