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

 

[peewee]

I would argue this was always part of the plan. Give our youngsters 2 years in NSW Cup and then clear a path for them to press their claims for first grade.

Lets hope AW sees it that way

 

[Zaggo]

Interesting all the movements in the forwards.
Lets look at the backs. I can see us losing Tuapiki if something isn't done with RTS or CNK.
Who do we (the forum) want to stay or go?
Personally I see Tuapiki as the one we keep

Tuapiki too injury prone for me, and lacks the size to be an elite fullback week in, week out - gets ragdolled too easily.

I doubt it'll happen with how stubborn Webby has been but I'd like to see RTS and CNK swap positions.

 

[WA Warrior]

Tuapiki too injury prone for me, and lacks the size to be an elite fullback week in, week out - gets ragdolled too easily.

I doubt it'll happen with how stubborn Webby has been but I'd like to see RTS and CNK swap positions.

I’m 100% with you, Taine is a good player but a back up imo.
I don’t get the reluctance to put RTS at FB, he is proven to be elite.

 

[BigUCE]

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-_uIbozghH/?igsh=YmV3ajNwM2tsYWo4

 

[Wrighty]

I wonder what Dylan staying/Jazz leaving/Erin Clark coming here all means for Tohu Harris going around again next year,
Tohu is contracted to the end of 2025, turns 33 in January. I guess if he was retiring they would have announced it already??

 

[Tookey 2.0]

I would argue this was always part of the plan. Give our youngsters 2 years in NSW Cup and then clear a path for them to press their claims for first grade.

Im just a little weary as one year we had our next big things Rocco and Vailea starting in the centres Rd 1 and unfortunately, that turned out to be a shit year.
I'm all for making space for our future stars but having them play with no plan B worries me.

Very similar to the Broncos this year, they let go a bunch of older and experienced players and theyve struggled big time.

I hope I'm wrong to worry!

 

[Neo]

I wonder what Dylan staying/Jazz leaving/Erin Clark coming here all means for Tohu Harris going around again next year,
Tohu is contracted to the end of 2025, turns 33 in January. I guess if he was retiring they would have announced it already??

Depends how bad the wrist injury is. If it’s a fresh injury which is far worse than originally thought then they could be going the medical retirement route. That takes a lot of time and has pretty strict guidelines so that it can’t be manipulated.
In saying that though I think he will be back next year and nursing the likes of Sifakula and Leka towards bigger roles

 

[Zaggo]

Very similar to the Broncos this year, they let go a bunch of older and experienced players and theyve struggled big time.

I hope I'm wrong to worry!

Broncos also had Reynolds, Walsh and Haas unavailable for a big chunk of the year, along with a host of other injuries.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Im just a little weary as one year we had our next big things Rocco and Vailea starting in the centres Rd 1 and unfortunately, that turned out to be a shit year.
I'm all for making space for our future stars but having them play with no plan B worries me.

Very similar to the Broncos this year, they let go a bunch of older and experienced players and theyve struggled big time.

I hope I'm wrong to worry!

No you are right! We should be extremely worried walking into 2025 with TMM, L Metcalf and CHT! They can not lead this team to the finals.

 

[JustVisiting82]

No you are right! We should be extremely worried walking into 2025 with TMM, L Metcalf and CHT! They can not lead this team to the finals.

That group of halves seems like it has both a high floor and a low ceiling if you know what I mean. I feel like most teams would be reasonably happy with the worst half in their wider squad being one of those 3 but also disappointed with the best half in their squad being one of those 3.

Hopefully one or more of them can exceed expectations next year.

 

[Wrighty]

Let Erin Clark be the extra middle we were looking for, especially if you were in the camp that Jazz was too small to make an impact as prop this year. And if we do let Erin Clark be our extra middle then take the rest of our moolah whatever we have left 700k? 800K? and get the best number 7 we can talk into coming here. It will need to be a homesick kiwi as that seems to be our best card we can play.
No to Willison. Instead spend all our dollars on a half.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Let Erin Clark be the extra middle we were looking for, especially if you were in the camp that Jazz was too small to make an impact as prop this year. And if we do let Erin Clark be our extra middle then take the rest of our moolah whatever we have left 700k? 800K? and get the best number 7 we can talk into coming here. It will need to be a homesick kiwi as that seems to be our best card we can play.
No to Willison. Instead spend all our dollars on a half.

My hot take Wrighty is that there is fook all available at half, and even less that are willing to make the trek and set up shop in NZ so unless a miracle falls in our lap like JFH, I don't think it will happen.

I feel that at this point in time we are better suited to bulking our forwards out as much as we can so that were able to rumble down field with ease (much like this year) and then build a better game plan that suits our halves and what we have right now. If TMM and Metcalf provided 2.5 tries a game on average between them and we had enough fire power in the forwards and x factor in the backs to find another try each game we'd be up to that 20 point mark which is enough to win you games.

It's our defence, grit and determination that needs to improve. We do that and we're top 6 nek year imo.

Will this bring us a premiership? I'm not so sure but at minimum for now we need to be making consistent finals appearances.

 

[Wrighty]

My hot take Wrighty is that there is fook all available at half, and even less that are willing to make the trek and set up shop in NZ so unless a miracle falls in our lap like JFH, I don't think it will happen.

I feel that at this point in time we are better suited to bulking our forwards out as much as we can so that were able to rumble down field with ease (much like this year) and then build a better game plan that suits our halves and what we have right now. If TMM and Metcalf provided 2.5 tries a game on average between them and we had enough fire power in the forwards and x factor in the backs to find another try each game we'd be up to that 20 point mark which is enough to win you games.

It's our defence, grit and determination that needs to improve. We do that and we're top 6 nek year imo.

Will this bring us a premiership? I'm not so sure but at minimum for now we need to be making consistent finals appearances.

According to zero tackle there a few come November 1 we can talk to about coming here for 2026 and maybe we can negotiate for them to come early for 2025

Five-eighth​

Adam Doueihi, Kieran Foran, Te Maire Martin, Jaeman Salmon, Cody Walker
5 players off contract

Halfback​

Jake Arthur, Daniel Atkinson, Tanah Boyd, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jake Clifford, Tom Duffy, Kyle Flanagan, Jackson Hastings, Bailey Hayward, Ben Hunt, Drew Hutchison, Lachlan Ilias, Sean O'Sullivan, Jonah Pezet, Adam Reynolds, Brad Schneider, Toby Sexton, Aidan Sezer, Blake Taaffe, Chad Townsend, Braydon Trindall, Sam Walker

 

[Zarjaz]

According to zero tackle there a few come November 1 we can talk to about coming here for 2026 and maybe we can negotiate for them to come early for 2025

Five-eighth​

Adam Doueihi, Kieran Foran, Te Maire Martin, Jaeman Salmon, Cody Walker
5 players off contract

Halfback​

Jake Arthur, Daniel Atkinson, Tanah Boyd, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jake Clifford, Tom Duffy, Kyle Flanagan, Jackson Hastings, Bailey Hayward, Ben Hunt, Drew Hutchison, Lachlan Ilias, Sean O'Sullivan, Jonah Pezet, Adam Reynolds, Brad Schneider, Toby Sexton, Aidan Sezer, Blake Taaffe, Chad Townsend, Braydon Trindall, Sam Walker

Quite interesting that HB list, seems like a whole lot of elder statesmen type halves that have to be nearing the end and not a lot of younger halves standing out. Next year or so could be a major shortage of quality halves competition wide. No wonder they are saying Sam Walker can write his own contract.

 

[Bluecat]

According to zero tackle there a few come November 1 we can talk to about coming here for 2026 and maybe we can negotiate for them to come early for 2025

Five-eighth​

Adam Doueihi, Kieran Foran, Te Maire Martin, Jaeman Salmon, Cody Walker
5 players off contract

Halfback​

Jake Arthur, Daniel Atkinson, Tanah Boyd, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jake Clifford, Tom Duffy, Kyle Flanagan, Jackson Hastings, Bailey Hayward, Ben Hunt, Drew Hutchison, Lachlan Ilias, Sean O'Sullivan, Jonah Pezet, Adam Reynolds, Brad Schneider, Toby Sexton, Aidan Sezer, Blake Taaffe, Chad Townsend, Braydon Trindall, Sam

There's some talent in that list. Imagine Walker and one of the young halves here for 3 years.

Could we sell some players or terminate some contracts to free up a couple of million a year?

 

[Tookey 2.0]

According to zero tackle there a few come November 1 we can talk to about coming here for 2026 and maybe we can negotiate for them to come early for 2025

Five-eighth​

Adam Doueihi, Kieran Foran, Te Maire Martin, Jaeman Salmon, Cody Walker
5 players off contract

Halfback​

Jake Arthur, Daniel Atkinson, Tanah Boyd, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jake Clifford, Tom Duffy, Kyle Flanagan, Jackson Hastings, Bailey Hayward, Ben Hunt, Drew Hutchison, Lachlan Ilias, Sean O'Sullivan, Jonah Pezet, Adam Reynolds, Brad Schneider, Toby Sexton, Aidan Sezer, Blake Taaffe, Chad Townsend, Braydon Trindall, Sam Walker

Yeah out of that list I'm sure there are a few potential Moneyball signings, but outside of the older fellas and Sam Walker I don't think there's anyone there that you would swap TMM or Metcalf for to get them next year.

Maybe Jonah Pezet?

But yeah, slim pickings so for me I'd rather stay with the crop that we have currently

 

[CWC]

I would keep Taine as back up for Charnz and Luke, if Luke is injured (highly likely looking at his history), Charnz moves to 6 and Taine to 1, get Charnz to work on his defensive reads over the pre-season. Train Taine and Luke into a field goal kicking machine.

TMM as the 7 and CHT backs up bench hooker and starting halves

Our pack looks like JFH/Barney/Marata/Capewell/Tohu or Walker. Bench Clark/Ale/Sifakula/Halasima

Depth Ford covering 4 props, Zyon Maiu’u, Laban. TSS probably making his debut

Hooker Egan, Lussick, Roache

That’s like a top 4 pack if not top 8 pack easily

Honestly we just need a good defense coach….and spend the million wisely…

 

[Warriorsfan92]

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-_uIbozghH/?igsh=YmV3ajNwM2tsYWo4

Bullshiiiit, they let the cat out of the bag & now they’re covering their tracks

 

[Wah's Up]

Any idea where to find it? Or what was mentioned?

If you are on Facebook search Sir Peter Leitch

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

According to zero tackle there a few come November 1 we can talk to about coming here for 2026 and maybe we can negotiate for them to come early for 2025

Five-eighth​

Adam Doueihi, Kieran Foran, Te Maire Martin, Jaeman Salmon, Cody Walker
5 players off contract

Halfback​

Jake Arthur, Daniel Atkinson, Tanah Boyd, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jake Clifford, Tom Duffy, Kyle Flanagan, Jackson Hastings, Bailey Hayward, Ben Hunt, Drew Hutchison, Lachlan Ilias, Sean O'Sullivan, Jonah Pezet, Adam Reynolds, Brad Schneider, Toby Sexton, Aidan Sezer, Blake Taaffe, Chad Townsend, Braydon Trindall, Sam Walker

I'm all in for Jackson Hastings. We need a game manager.