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]

On the sharks forum there's a couple of guys saying they've offered him 2 years at 550k a season, so if these figures are to be believed we're well and truly blowing them out of the water.

That will ruffle a few feathers when people come online tonight. Makes me wish we had gone at 650

The only reason I can think of is they must know of another team that was thinking of making an offer above the Sharks 550K. EG St george are cashed up. They missed out on AFB so they could have been sniffing around and we had to put our very best offer on the table.
It very much feels like we have given our absolute, this is everything we can possibly offer, rather than holding a bit back for negotiations. There must be another club in the mixer for us to do that or we feared a new offer from Sharks. Maybe if we offered 650K then Sharks might have matched?

 

[Cces]

Anyone know where Solomon Vasuvulagi disappeared to last season? Looked outstanding early in the year, got injured, played NSW Cup rounds 13-18 then vanished.
In that Rd 18 game he played 50 straight minutes from the 30th so didn't appear to get injured but was put on report for a dangerous tackle

 

[Fizurg]

Just seems like so much money for a decent bench prop.

 

[RobRoyMcCoy]

Man we should have put a clause in the AFB release that they can’t offer BHU a new deal. Sounds like we are only competing with them and need to out bid them, which is crazy when we have given them AFB!

How great would it be if we got him, then in 2025 AFB and Sharks form falls off a cliff and BHU goes next level.

The Sharks will probably be paying AFB $1M or more from next year so their salary cap will restrict what they can offer BHU. I think the Warriors brains trust have played this well.

 

[Defence]

That will ruffle a few feathers when people come online tonight. Makes me wish we had gone at 650

I suppose if it makes u feel any better- that's only 80k less than what we have (reportedly) offered- to put that in perspective its only 0.66% of the 12.1m salary cap (hope my maths is right there).
So, if the Andrews have identified him as someone they want here and that's the difference between him coming or not- you'd pull the trigger on it.

 

[SJ2k]

The Sharks will probably be paying AFB $1M or more from next year so their salary cap will restrict what they can offer BHU. I think the Warriors brains trust have played this well.

They fucking better be paying him for than $1M if we're offering BHU $750K.

 

[Wrighty]

I suppose if it makes u feel any better- that's only 80k less than what we have (reportedly) offered- to put that in perspective its only 0.66% of the 12.1m salary cap (hope my maths is right there).
So, if the Andrews have identified him as someone they want here and that's the difference between him coming or not- you'd pull the trigger on it.

Any maybe Defence the $80K premium is so that he really tries his heart out for us,
Thanks CCes for posting about the hip drop injury in round 9 and his form falling away.
If he can be at his best for us and average over 100metres per game then $730K is very fair.

 

[Wrighty]

Next year if he signs
1 CNK
2 DWZ
4 RTS
6 TMM
7 CHT
8 BHU

 

[Defence]

Next year if he signs
1 CNK
2 DWZ
4 RTS
6 TMM
7 CHT
8 BHU

10 ALE

 

[Wrighty]

10 ALE

in 2026 there is also TSS - Tanner Stowers Smith

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Any maybe Defence the $80K premium is so that he really tries his heart out for us,
Thanks CCes for posting about the hip drop injury in round 9 and his form falling away.
If he can be at his best for us and average over 100metres per game then $730K is very fair.

Hasn’t managed above 100m a game last 4 seasons - and that’s in a side struggling to make metres through the middle, so hasn’t been leaving it to someone else.

 

[Wrighty]

Hasn’t managed above 100m a game last 4 seasons - and that’s in a side struggling to make metres through the middle, so hasn’t been leaving it to someone else.

He according to CCes averaged 120 Metres per game in the first nine rounds last year before becoming injured.
Maybe we are gambling on Webster polishing a diamond in the rough?
Maybe he learns to become consistent with the warriors.
Lots of Maybe's and obviously Maybe's don't pay the bills.

 

[BabylonPink]

Getting BHU for 2024 would provide us with a formidable pack up against anyone in the comp. BHU to offset AFB , only from 2025, will likely see RTS return to a battering ram role to take up some of the slack. Not sure that that's what we want an aging RTS (as fit as he is) to be doing.
Ale has shown, albeit in the #13 role in NSW Cup, that he can play extended minutes but Bunty can't & Zyon Maiu’u hasn't shown this yet either

RTS can essentially create a fast ruck/quick PTB on a huge percentage of his runs. From pretty much any field position but mostly between the 30 metre lines I'd imagine. Either with his step or speed. Then you could play a BHU off the back of that or vice versa.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

If HBU averages 95m over 40 minutes then he averages 2.35m per minute

And AFB averages 171m over 65 minutes he averages 2.63m per minute

Very similar output on a per meter basis. AFB and Hass are monsters because they pump out big minutes. But they can be replaced with on a per meter basis with 2 good players. AFB strength is his motor and length of sustained play rather than exceptional per meter output.

Of more concern is HBU makes his tackles at 90% consistently for years whereas most of the Warriors forwards are 95%+

 

[BabylonPink]

If HBU averages 95m over 40 minutes then he averages 2.35m per minute

And AFB averages 171m over 65 minutes he averages 2.63m per minute

Very similar output on a per meter basis. AFB and Hass are monsters because they pump out big minutes. But they can be replaced with on a per meter basis with 2 good players. AFB strength is his motor and length of sustained play rather than exceptional per meter output.

Of more concern is HBU makes his tackles at 90% consistently for years whereas most of the Warriors forwards are 95%+

Divide boy how many runs made , then somehow factor in the defensive work into time spent on the field is probably a better way of working it out.

 

[Wrighty]

If HBU averages 95m over 40 minutes then he averages 2.35m per minute

And AFB averages 171m over 65 minutes he averages 2.63m per minute

Very similar output on a per meter basis. AFB and Hass are monsters because they pump out big minutes. But they can be replaced with on a per meter basis with 2 good players. AFB strength is his motor and length of sustained play rather than exceptional per meter output.

Of more concern is HBU makes his tackles at 90% consistently for years whereas most of the Warriors forwards are 95%+

In the highlights reel there was some jersey grabbing too.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Divide boy how many runs made , then somehow factor in the defensive work into time spent on the field is probably a better way of working it out.

In the minutes stats I was not specifically comparing HBU and AFB. Just using them to show if we get 2 lower minute players that match his output per minute we replace him because AFB biggest strength is his long minutes.

The defence stats comment was a concern specific to HBU in looking at the stats. Bunty for contrast has 98% tackle efficiency vs 90%

 

[Wah's Up]

He according to CCes averaged 120 Metres per game in the first nine rounds last year before becoming injured.
Maybe we are gambling on Webster polishing a diamond in the rough?
Maybe he learns to become consistent with the warriors.
Lots of Maybe's and obviously Maybe's don't pay the bills.

Hope its not the magic milk shakes

 

[Fizurg]

He according to CCes averaged 120 Metres per game in the first nine rounds last year before becoming injured.
Maybe we are gambling on Webster polishing a diamond in the rough?
Maybe he learns to become consistent with the warriors.
Lots of Maybe's and obviously Maybe's don't pay the bills.

I’m not the biggest fan of this signing but to be honest if he can average 120m of impactful running in a 40min stint each game then that would certainly help the teams go forward. He’s no AFB but then no one realistic is. The price seems high but maybe that’s just the new norm.

 

[tajhay]

To be fair Marata is supposedly on 840k a year and has cracked over 100m once in his career which was in 2020. Just for comparisons sake for a second rower, Jackson Ford was over 100m a game last year. Granted he brings more physicality with his game, but his stats are fairly low for what he was brought here on. We seem to be paying overs not just on Aussie recruits, but also for kiwis returning home.

His eventual transition to prop will be interesting. Needs to bring a lot more to the table for what is close to elite player cash.