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

 

[Boston Boy]

Been a big fan of Ngani but that ship has sailed.Dont want us to go down the Roger path again.
Think RTS was a wonderful player but only at FB & now past his best.
Likely to find Laumapi the same situation.

I think you are probably right but Ngani’s pedigree at centre is much better than RTS. Ngani had been an elite world class rugby centre which demands much more than RTS has shown. The doubts come around his age and probably a slowing of that explosiveness which made him so good. I’d want to know how he’s been going in Japan but would probably lean toward Leiataua and Moala Taufa for the future.

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Any chance they’d play him somewhere other that centre?

Between 20-30 minutes off the bench, on the edge, covering the outside backs if necessary (letting Capewell, Walker, and Marata stay in their position if an injury does pop up in the backline)

14. Walker
15. Luamape
16. Halasima/Laban/Ford
17. Zyon Maiu’u/Sifakula/Ale

Personally, I wouldn't want him to take a spot from any of the young centres. Bring him in for a specific role off the bench, and if a centre is out with injury, then the next centre up moves into the spot, not Ngani. Same deal as Walker last year: When Tohu was out, a different forward would take his spot, and Walker would stay on the bench.

If he is signed as a centre only, with the intention of taking a starting spot, or on more than a cheap deal, it is a bad signing imo

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Do we think RTS is going to see out his contract? Just speculating, nothing to substantiate the thought, adding 1 + 1 and getting 437. Just wonder if his return isn't what he was hoping or thinking it would be. Supposed to play center but hasn't worked out and has been moved around through necessity. At times hasn't looked happy, a bit frustrated. Add the fall off in team results. The lure of money and less pressure in Japan must be tempting. With the Ngani post, would it be a stretch to see RTS leave at the end of the year and him to replace his position in the 30?
Would we be happy if that happened?

I've felt like he might head that way for a while, and I believe it would be mutually beneficial for both parties.

I'm not as against Ngani as others. The think I like about him is he is a great cog in the wheel. Strong in all suits, and can improve those around him. He has a good footy head on his shoulders.

Of course he'd need to be cheap (unlikely), and would still need to prove that he has the athleticism. He is not an All Black that went out to pasture in Japan though. He left early, while he was still the goods.

Leiataua, Berry, Pompey and Laumape is a decent enough set of centres that will do their job for 2025. I could see Ngani being really good for Leiataua's development. He'd have a lot of cross over skills to share. A one year deal, gives Kali another year, and makes Berry and Leiataua fight hard.

 

[snake77]

On the Laumape speculation. It reminds me of a quote I heard on the radio where someone said whenever you visit a country tell people you love it here and want to live here and you will get in the headlines. While visiting the club saying you have fond memories and have unfinished business would achieve a similar result.

It is from the Warriors social media so you could see it as a hint. In the past though they have done everything behind door and announced it when the deal is done.

I was a fan of his when he was here. It is a different proposition now. He's older, been out of the game a long time, the game has changed.

We are quite well off for centres.

I will throw this out there though. As a union player is this a chance to get him on the books using the policy for signing players from other codes?
I can't recall if it is not on the cap or if it is subsidized.
The way the NRL go back on fourth with this we'd sign him to under that and get told he doesn't meet some criteria they just made up.

 

[Inruin]

On the Laumape speculation. It reminds me of a quote I heard on the radio where someone said whenever you visit a country tell people you love it here and want to live here and you will get in the headlines. While visiting the club saying you have fond memories and have unfinished business would achieve a similar result.

It is from the Warriors social media so you could see it as a hint. In the past though they have done everything behind door and announced it when the deal is done.

I was a fan of his when he was here. It is a different proposition now. He's older, been out of the game a long time, the game has changed.

We are quite well off for centres.

I will throw this out there though. As a union player is this a chance to get him on the books using the policy for signing players from other codes?
I can't recall if it is not on the cap or if it is subsidized.
The way the NRL go back on fourth with this we'd sign him to under that and get told he doesn't meet some criteria they just made up.

that's a great point about the union subsidy. Has that been confirmed by the NRL?

 

[Aman 2.0]

He won’t sign. Club would have announced it when the deal was done instead of a feel good posts about how well the club is going.

It’s pure PR.

Not sure if we need him or could even fit him in.

Ali
RTS
Berry
Pompey
MGT

Where the fuck are these guys gonna go?

 

[Rick O’Shay]

He won’t sign. Club would have announced it when the deal was done instead of a feel good posts about how well the club is going.

It’s pure PR.

Not sure if we need him or could even fit him in.

Ali
RTS
Berry
Pompey
MGT

Where the fuck are these guys gonna go?

Anyone there that could play 6 a la John Sutton?

 

[Beastmode]

No to Laumape unless it’s a straight swap for RTS

 

[Beastmode]

No to Laumape unless it’s a straight swap for RTS

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Is some talk on Facebook about Walker has broken up with his wife and she’s gone back to Australia.

Laumape 13/14?

 

[Beastmode]

Is some talk on Facebook about Walker has broken up with his wife and she’s gone back to Australia.

Laumape 13/14?

Yeah Jazz spilled the beans in a podcast recently - can’t remember which one

He’s flatting with Rocco if I heard correctly

 

[Aman 2.0]

Yeah Jazz spilled the beans in a podcast recently - can’t remember which one

He’s flatting with Rocco if I heard correctly

That’s fucked. Early release in coming.

Bloke has a history of relationship issues

 

[kos]

That’s fucked. Early release in coming.

Bloke has a history of relationship issues

Walkers been playing fg for 100 years it seems

We need to reduce our average team top 30 age and introduce speed in our back line

Our team has too high an average age

De age and add speed and smarts

 

[Aman 2.0]

Walkers been playing fg for 100 years it seems

We need to reduce our average team top 30 age and introduce speed in our back line

Our team has too high an average age

De age and add speed and smarts

He’s good though. Apart from staying down with a game ending injury every few sets he’s been solid. No issues with his speed.

 

[Beastmode]

That’s fucked. Early release in coming.

Bloke has a history of relationship issues

Jazz might get in trouble for spilling the beans on this personal goss..

I guess Taj can always delete if he thinks it’s inappropriate

 

[Makasene]

He won’t sign. Club would have announced it when the deal was done instead of a feel good posts about how well the club is going.

It’s pure PR.

Not sure if we need him or could even fit him in.

Ali
RTS
Berry
Pompey
MGT

Where the fuck are these guys gonna go?

Yup total PR is the way I see it too.

Look at all the posts from media today about Warriors being the first team to sell out a whole season.

No mention of all the gimmicks, $10 general admission entry for the rest of the year. Some cracker deals during the mid-season slump etc.

 

[Playdaball]

Yeah Jazz spilled the beans in a podcast recently - can’t remember which one

He’s flatting with Rocco if I heard correctly

This Warriors Life …

 

[3rdstriker]

Do we think RTS is going to see out his contract? Just speculating, nothing to substantiate the thought, adding 1 + 1 and getting 437. Just wonder if his return isn't what he was hoping or thinking it would be. Supposed to play center but hasn't worked out and has been moved around through necessity. At times hasn't looked happy, a bit frustrated. Add the fall off in team results. The lure of money and less pressure in Japan must be tempting. With the Ngani post, would it be a stretch to see RTS leave at the end of the year and him to replace his position in the 30?
Would we be happy if that happened?

All it's doing extending tohu, rts, sj etc when it's not clicking is just suffocating our youngsters from coming through.
Not saying our Juniors are gonna be a hundred percent but if everyone could be managed the way Berry came into 1st grade we be sweet

 

[j_p]

that's a great point about the union subsidy. Has that been confirmed by the NRL?

I'm sure I read somewhere, that isn't going to happen. Something about being unfair to other clubs etc.

 

[Defence]

Ngani was one of my favs back in the day but putting sentiments aside it’s a no- just not a good fit for our squad.
Sand dunes on the other hand…. That’s a hell yea- I’ve been wondering if we could jag a gun sevens player now the Olympics are done. He would fill our need for speed and has filled out at 93kg now. Comes with the bonus of having already played the game and is familiar with the set up- still only 24 too.
I’d be quite excited to bring him back.