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

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Really interesting listen here past about 36 minutes. Blair thinks there will be big positional changes and personnel changes. Mentions a thinking of shifting Tohu away from the middle with Ford moving there? Also mentions of whether there’s a thought of recruiting an experienced half to guide the young guys but says can TMM be that? Really seems to think there will be some movement at the end of the season in the club, would be interesting to know how much inside knowledge Blair has? Right at the end they talk about SJ being involved in pathways for upcoming halves in the club, think this will be valuable with a big signing in Cleary, though nothing is certain that he’ll be what his brother is

I think it's wrong to play tohu in the backrow, and over who? Capewell or Barnett?

I personally would start Barnett amd capewell there with Ford, Laban, and halasima backing up.

I would shift Sifakula into the middle, and possibly try hold onto Bunty for a few more years.

Ale needs to fight for his stay next season. But I'm definitely moving Niukore to middle to help J F Harris.

Tohu is fine at lock or move on, We need Walker to stay badly and signing Going for two season in his prime to cover the loss of Tavaga isn't a bad idea?

 

[Noitall]

I would shift Sifakula into the middle, and possibly try hold onto Bunty for a few more years.

Interesting to see another club or clubs have enquired about the availability of Bunty and Ed Kosi

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Interesting to see another club or clubs have enquired about the availability of Bunty and Ed Kosi

I always think bunty needs to move on, but when look real hard at our stocks, he just stacks up. If Zion Zyon Maiu’u or Ale or even Sifakula where banging the door down then maybe, but bunty is leading the way down in cup.

 

[hornbybrown]

Interesting to see another club or clubs have enquired about the availability of Bunty and Ed Kosi

I would let Ed go and I think we should use Bunty more but if we are not going to may as well let him go

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Could Taufa be moved to wing position? When you look at his cup stats he's not really laying on tries but running and scoring well?

Should there be a positional switch?

I would lock him in on the wing to take Kosi out of the 30.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

I would let Ed go and I think we should use Bunty more but if we are not going to may as well let him go

I still think he offers more than you think aye. I actually want to see him back in the top side. Even over Ale

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

IMO, if you could sign Bunty on or near the minimum. You’d be silly not too.

Is he a limited player that’s reached his ceiling? Yeah he is. But he’s a solid player. I feel like we would have been more competitive with him in the team. Just like I think we would have against Penrith and Brisbane in the finals last year. You know what you’re going to get.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

IMO, if you could sign Bunty on or near the minimum. You’d be silly not too.

Is he a limited player that’s reached his ceiling? Yeah he is. But he’s a solid player. I feel like we would have been more competitive with him in the team. Just like I think we would have against Penrith and Brisbane in the finals last year. You know what you’re going to get.

I agree and for me I have to stop looking purely on running stats with him because he does so much boring clean up work. And you do need those types.

I think J F Harris, M Niukore, B Afoa with
Mitch Barnett, Ale, Sifakula and Zyon Maiu’u we would be okay going forward, until we land a bigger fish in Thompson, Neame, or willison?

 

[Noitall]

IMO, if you could sign Bunty on or near the minimum. You’d be silly not too.

Is he a limited player that’s reached his ceiling? Yeah he is. But he’s a solid player. I feel like we would have been more competitive with him in the team. Just like I think we would have against Penrith and Brisbane in the finals last year. You know what you’re going to get.

It doesn’t necessarily come down to salary sometimes either but the spot in the top 30. If he was to be shifted on, it would be a whole new chapter for Webster with all the old chapter of Jazz, Bunty and SJ moving on from the playing roster. Would love for him to continue as apart of the club but if he can make some money or better his career by leaving his comfort zone, he should do it

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

I agree and for me I have to stop looking purely on running stats with him because he does so much boring clean up work. And you do need those types.

I think J F Harris, M Niukore, B Afoa with
Mitch Barnett, Ale, Sifakula and Zyon Maiu’u we would be okay going forward, until we land a bigger fish in Thompson, Neame, or willison?

Aw he can certainly get those running stats up lol.

The thing is, there’s absolutely no guarantee that our juniors are gonna kick on. The talent is certainly there, but what does that actually mean at the end of the day. Nothing….

None of Bunty’s supporters (of which I’m one) is confusing him for a gun or whatever. When was the last time Bunty let us down with stupid mistakes and penalties or whatever. I can’t think of any off the top of my head.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Aw he can certainly get those running stats up lol.

The thing is, there’s absolutely no guarantee that our juniors are gonna kick on. The talent is certainly there, but what does that actually mean at the end of the day. Nothing….

None of Bunty’s supporters (of which I’m one) is confusing him for a gun or whatever. When was the last time Bunty let us down with stupid mistakes and penalties or whatever. I can’t think of any off the top of my head.

I even have been seeing poor errors from maiuu at cup. Yeah he's very no frills and he is what he is.

 

[hornbybrown]

I still think he offers more than you think aye. I actually want to see him back in the top side. Even over Ale

I think Bunty offers heaps, he would be in my 17 every week. No one runs it harder than him

 

[Noitall]

I think Bunty offers heaps, he would be in my 17 every week. No one runs it harder than him

Are you confident he can add anything that he hasn’t been doing to crack the first grade team? He’s being overlooked every week

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

I can't understand the Bunty love. Still remember him against the Panthers this year. Did like 3 runs for under 20 meters and had post contact meters in the single digits. Guy has the physical attributes but doesn't want FG enough. Might be good for him if he leaves as he might get the hunger back.

 

[Noitall]

New Zealand Warriors sign cross-code teen prodigy

He will join from the Sydney Roosters.

www.zerotackle.com

Going to be interesting in regards to our young promising centres with this guy coming in next year, who looks a great prospect himself. Old news in case anyone thinks it’s a new signing

 

[defensivebomb]

Bunty is good at defense. Not so much at attack. We could have used his tackling in the middle last weekend. As well as Ford's. I'd hold onto Bunty as middle depth at a low contract rate.

I thought the juniors were quite a level below FG. As in, couldn't tackle or hold onto the ball. I'd like them to be as good as people get excited about, but clearly they were out of their depth on Friday. I can't see them fixing their deficiencies to overtake RTS, Berry or Pompey next year. Maybe in 2026

I'm worried about #7. Based on This Warriors Life podcast, Metcalf is keen on halfback. I haven't seen anything that suggests he can organise a backline, kick or pass at the level a FG #7 needs to. TMM is fine but realistically, just OK

 

[Noitall]

I'm worried about #7. Based on This Warriors Life podcast, Metcalf is keen on halfback. I haven't seen anything that suggests he can organise a backline, kick or pass at the level a FG #7 needs to. TMM is fine but realistically, just OK

Maybe Mitchell Moses is on our radar?

 

[kos]

Maybe Mitchell Moses is on our radar?

That stuff about Moses is just media bs to create news stories and bs chat on Nrl 360.
The guys on contract for at least 2 years
And the problem with Mitch is his uncle and player agent Isaac Moses

 

[Noitall]

That stuff about Moses is just media bs to create news stories and bs chat on Nrl 360.
The guys on contract for at least 2 years
And the problem with Mitch is his uncle and player agent Isaac Moses

Agree regarding his agent and family member, but there is certainly truth to this apparently. Roosters are widely tipped to be where he heads to, but some past dramas between Politis and Issac Moses in there too. Mitchell Moses has also backflipped on the roosters in the past too. There’s a thought that broncos are going to go in hard for Sam Walker too with broncos needing to prepare for Reynolds retirement. There’s talk of Toby Sexton for them, but they’ll set their sights far higher than him. Could even see Moses going to broncos being in his stage of career and chasing a premiership

 

[Blain]

Bang for buck, why would we need to dump Bunty? There are 30 spots we need to fill, not everyone can play NRL every week. He's an experienced forward who can plug a hole in the middle if required, guys like him help our squad balance.