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

 

[VB89]

I love this quote from Jazz. He was exactly right, our pack was soft for years and Jazz was the only one getting stuck into the other team

"every pack has an alpha" "Back in the day, in our pack we didn’t have that and we used to get bullied. I had to try to play that role"

 

[WahsUltras]

Thoughts?

 

[Noitall]

View attachment 5624
Thoughts?

Shit yeah

 

[RTS’s Calves]

View attachment 5624
Thoughts?

Throw him into the squad and we’ve hands down got the best future prospects in the whole nrl

 

[Defence]

View attachment 5624
Thoughts?

I thought the storm locked him up long term?
Special player.

 

[Warriors4lyfe]

I thought the storm locked him up long term?
Special player.

Signed until the end of 2027 according to storm website.

 

[Noitall]

Signed until the end of 2027 according to storm website.

Are storm shopping Howarth? They also signed Fa’alogo the other day to a long contract. Howarth locked up on $500k until 2027 on promise initially, they could have something going on in their recruitment?

 

[Up the guttz]

I thought the storm locked him up long term?
Special player.

Yeah it’s strange, he’s signed long term but things don’t seem to be working for him there.
He must be homesick, only one way to fix that!

 

[SouthernWorrier]

DT article on Jack Howarth - StormFans.club

don't know about him at all, but this isn't exactly glowing...

 

[SouthernWorrier]

What is happening with Jack Howarth and Brendan Piakura?

Jack Howarth and Brendan Piakura are names that rugby league nuffies will know well, yet neither of these incredibly talented footballers are making an…

www.theroar.com.au

finished the year with 91% tackle efficiency in the QLD cup. Looks like an attitude or technique issue. Storm have him a debut of the bench at the end of the season but clearly he didn't kick on last year like some of his peers. Webby may be able to work his magic, but I'd say proceed with caution...

 

[Noitall]

What is happening with Jack Howarth and Brendan Piakura?

Jack Howarth and Brendan Piakura are names that rugby league nuffies will know well, yet neither of these incredibly talented footballers are making an…

www.theroar.com.au

finished the year with 91% tackle efficiency in the QLD cup. Looks like an attitude or technique issue. Storm have him a debut of the bench at the end of the season but clearly he didn't kick on last year like some of his peers. Webby may be able to work his magic, but I'd say proceed with caution...

Debut wasn’t the worst either, 31 tackles with 1 miss for memory and 80 running metres

 

[SouthernWorrier]

Debut wasn’t the worst either, 31 tackles with 1 miss for memory and 80 running metres

sometimes players need to move to get out of their rut and know they have something to prove. Look at the next level Papalii went to after he left us for the eels. This guy seems to have the physical attributes but like I said, I's proceed with caution

 

[Noitall]

sometimes players need to move to get out of their rut and know they have something to prove. Look at the next level Papalii went to after he left us for the eels. This guy seems to have the physical attributes but like I said, I's proceed with caution

He’s listed as a centre but is fairly big at 193cm and 105 kg, seems to be a decent defender too. Wonder if he could transition to a mobile middle forward?

 

[WahsUltras]

I thought the storm locked him up long term?
Special player.

He has failed to be picked for selection this week and it’s been well reported that he is struggling to fit in under Bellamy’s system. With him on a considerable amount of money for a youngster, I don’t see why the storm won’t let him look at options elsewhere if he dosent crack the first grade team.

 

[WahsUltras]

DT article on Jack Howarth - StormFans.club

don't know about him at all, but this isn't exactly glowing...

I wouldn’t see it as a bad singing at all if the storm could cover even a 1/4 of his salary. You never see teams like the storm sign someone straight out of high school to such a lucrative contract so there’s definitely untouched potential there. Looked tidy for the Māoris and NZA and is a big boy standing at 6”4. I feel like he would be more suited to playing in the middle as a lock or on the edge with his ball playing ability but he’s definitely got the size to turn into a prop.

 

[WahsaurusRex]

"Jack Howarth is reportedly being sounded out by multiple clubs, despite being contracted until the end of 2027. Held in such high regard, the schoolboy prodigy signed a 500k per year contract with the Melbourne Storm before playing a game of first grade - after injuries and reports emerging that he’s struggled to adapt to the ruthless work ethic the club, he’s played 1 game and missed selection for the clubs round 1 match up against Panthers - Michael Carrayannis reports"

Very hard to judge. On one hand, the Storm signing any player to a deal like that, let alone one yet to debut, is huge wraps.

On the other hand, if Bellamy seemingly can't get the best out of him, then who could? Maybe he just needs some TLC, which Webby could provide.

It is nice to imagine us using AFBs money and a bit more to get him and Willison

Ale and Demitric fighting it out for lock
Zyon Maiu’u, Willison, and Tanner for prop
Laban, Leka and Howarth for the back-row spots
(add to that the likes of Ieremia or Durbin coming through)

Howarth transitioning to prop in this make-believe future pack would make for a towering prop combo, with Zyon Maiu’u as the Leniu, minus the racism, off the bench

 

[Noitall]

"Jack Howarth is reportedly being sounded out by multiple clubs, despite being contracted until the end of 2027. Held in such high regard, the schoolboy prodigy signed a 500k per year contract with the Melbourne Storm before playing a game of first grade - after injuries and reports emerging that he’s struggled to adapt to the ruthless work ethic the club, he’s played 1 game and missed selection for the clubs round 1 match up against Panthers - Michael Carrayannis reports"

Very hard to judge. On one hand, the Storm signing any player to a deal like that, let alone one yet to debut, is huge wraps.

On the other hand, if Bellamy seemingly can't get the best out of him, then who could? Maybe he just needs some TLC, which Webby could provide.

It is nice to imagine us using AFBs money and a bit more to get him and Willison

Ale and Demitric fighting it out for lock
Zyon Maiu’u, Willison, and Tanner for prop
Laban, Leka and Howarth for the back-row spots

Howarth transitioning to prop in this make-believe future pack would make for a towering prop combo, with Zyon Maiu’u as the Leniu, minus the racism, off the bench

Could be he’s not a fan of the regimented Bellamy style whereas the Webster environment seems much more laid back but with hard work required too obviously. Looking at recent targets and the nsw cup contract for Tupouniua, Webster seems to be targeting height

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Was it under Webby that Eli Katoa was released by us?

Webby could be playing 5d chess here, releasing a good young lad with a few years left on his contract in order to block Howarths path at the Storm, in the hopes that we can pick him up cheaper in a year or so.

Haha I'm of course kidding, that's some Jedi mind tricks there, but we did pay a bit of freight for Katoa so I wonder if there's potential for the Storm to reciprocate...

I'd back Webby to get something out of the fella

 

[CWC]

Was it under Webby that Eli Katoa was released by us?

Webby could be playing 5d chess here, releasing a good young lad with a few years left on his contract in order to block Howarths path at the Storm, in the hopes that we can pick him up cheaper in a year or so.

Haha I'm of course kidding, that's some Jedi mind tricks there, but we did pay a bit of freight for Katoa so I wonder if there's potential for the Storm to reciprocate...

I'd back Webby to get something out of the fella

I remember Katoa got released in 2022 under Brown, played for them then kicked on in the 2023 season

Bellamy seems to be a tough love guy, don't know how filthy mouthed he is during trainings, some personalities don't fit into that environment, Webby looks more like Kane Williamson vibe, Bellamy more a foul mouthed Wagner

 

[Tookey 2.0]

I remember Katoa got released in 2022 under Brown, played for them then kicked on in the 2023 season

Pfft my version was way better

Haha nah, thanks for clearing that up it sounds slightly more correct than my theory