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

 

[Viking]

If they got the top 3 speedsters from each club and had a sprint comp who would the Warriors send as our fastest? Jazz, Bunty, and Tahu? well we have no real speed do we

Metcalf

 

[Uster101]

I was laying down last night and thinking about the JFH signing. Probably the main reason he decided to sign was he has won a premiership. That is every players dream. And with the Warriors having no chance of winning a premiership because the NRL refs and bunker will never let that happen, do we look at signing players that have already won a premiership. I mean they have won it so have ticked that off the bucket list. Its like powerball in Lotto. If you win it, you will still try and win it again but are not so worried about winning it again because you have already won it. Just a thought because a player wanting to win the Premiership will never sign with the Warriors unless we were to pay them $50,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 a season

 

[MM51]

Baffles my mind
He’s got the right build for #9
Is there someone better underneath they are looking at or is AW in love with Lussick??

Pretty sure Webster just has a hard on for lussick

 

[Beastmode]

I was laying down last night and thinking about the JFH signing. Probably the main reason he decided to sign was he has won a premiership. That is every players dream. And with the Warriors having no chance of winning a premiership because the NRL refs and bunker will never let that happen, do we look at signing players that have already won a premiership. I mean they have won it so have ticked that off the bucket list. Its like powerball in Lotto. If you win it, you will still try and win it again but are not so worried about winning it again because you have already won it. Just a thought because a player wanting to win the Premiership will never sign with the Warriors unless we were to pay them $50,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 a season

So not because he’s a proud Māori and wants to come home to his roots then?

There’s a few here who think he’s our messiah and will bring the leadership and mana lacking in this team. How he intends to do that when it’s our backs failing us i have no idea Unless he plays on the wing

 

[Noitall]

Seems like Leo Thompson is going to test the market on November 1. https://www.zerotackle.com/knights-forward-weighing-up-bombshell-contract-call-213716/

This is huge. I could see him coming to the Warriors reading his concerns of senior players shifted on and his learning from them. What better leader than JFH. This would be handy too with the rugby players who haven’t played league getting a salary cap exemption with his brother apparently keen on a switch

 

[The Warrior Waka]

This would be handy too with the rugby players who haven’t played league getting a salary cap exemption with his brother apparently keen on a switch

Pretty sure the clubs voted against the salary cap exemption for rugby converts.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Leo Thompson would be handy at the right price, see him more as a potential replacement for Tohu in 2026.

Personally I’d like us to move away from the “ball playing 13”. Move more towards a tackle bot/prop 13, like Melbourne. And inject that “ball player” at 14. Like a Walker or Clarke.

Yeo, Carrigan and Tohu (2023) are the exceptions as they can pretty much do it all. Which really shows how good and rare players like Tohu Harris are at his peak, which unfortunately has passed. Hopefully a good rest can do him right.

 

[Zaggo]

Yeo, Carrigan and Tohu (2023) are the exceptions as they can pretty much do it all. Which really shows how good and rare players like Tohu Harris are at his peak, which unfortunately has passed. Hopefully a good rest can do him right.

The smaller, more dynamic ballplaying lock is far from dead. Guys like Cam Murray, Hopgood, McInnes, Connor Watson, Max Plath.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Leo Thompson would be handy at the right price, see him more as a potential replacement for Tohu in 2026.

Personally I’d like us to move away from the “ball playing 13”. Move more towards a tackle bot/prop 13, like Melbourne. And inject that “ball player” at 14. Like a Walker or Clarke.

Yeo, Carrigan and Tohu (2023) are the exceptions as they can pretty much do it all. Which really shows how good and rare players like Tohu Harris are at his peak, which unfortunately has passed. Hopefully a good rest can do him right.

Luck and Campion ring a bell!

I'm of the same thinking. Unless you have a ball playing lock.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Using Roosters sombrero/salary cap -
Rebuild - Future proofing - Hurting feelings

T Tuaupiki - Half cover
K Weekes - FB - Halves cover
R Berry
A Pompey - Ali Leiataua
X Savage
D Brown
L Metcalf
JFH
Roache
X Willison
M Barnett C
L Halasima
L Thompson

N Whyte
M Nuikore - Sifakula
D Sifakula - Laban
E Ieremia-Toeava (Backrow, Prop, Centre cover. Teach how to play hooker and wallah! Gun utility)

18th Clark or swap with - E Ieremia-Toeava

Egan, Rts , Cnk, Montoya, Dwz to Otara Scorpions.

Our halves will organise nothing but will be fast as fuck

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

The smaller, more dynamic ballplaying lock is far from dead. Guys like Cam Murray, Hopgood, McInnes, Connor Watson, Max Plath.

I’ll give you Cam Murray, he’s starting to pick up more and more injuries have you noticed?
But the others are hardly anything to bark about.
Hopgood is 26 and had one good season. And now has a fucked back…….
Watson was 28 before he really kicked on this season, fair enough. But let’s see next year………
McInnes 30, is one of the overrated players in the league. Only just made his origin debut and was then promptly dropped.
Tbf, I see Plath having a pretty successful career……as a hooker.

To be clear, if we can get a Tohu, Yeo or Carrigan then absolutely. Or Murray lol.
But that’s the issue, elite players like that who aren’t 1 season wonders don’t come around everyday.

A horses for courses approach is also a go. A prop at 13 in some games and a ball playing 13 against others.

8. Barnett
10. Thompson
13. JFH

How good would that be.

 

[JaggedJ]

This is huge. I could see him coming to the Warriors reading his concerns of senior players shifted on and his learning from them. What better leader than JFH. This would be handy too with the rugby players who haven’t played league getting a salary cap exemption with his brother apparently keen on a switch

Joey has said multiple times that he came back a changed player after playing for the Maori All Stars, especially because of JFH and Tapine.

If he's interested in returning home we'd be in with a shot.

 

[Noitall]

Using Roosters sombrero/salary cap -
Rebuild - Future proofing - Hurting feelings

T Tuaupiki - Half cover
K Weekes - FB - Halves cover
R Berry
A Pompey - Ali Leiataua
X Savage
D Brown
L Metcalf
JFH
Roache
X Willison
M Barnett C
L Halasima
L Thompson

N Whyte
M Nuikore - Sifakula
D Sifakula - Laban
E Ieremia-Toeava (Backrow, Prop, Centre cover. Teach how to play hooker and wallah! Gun utility)

18th Clark or swap with - E Ieremia-Toeava

Egan, Rts , Cnk, Montoya, Dwz to Otara Scorpions.

Our halves will organise nothing but will be fast as fuck

Speaking of roosters sombrero, Reece Walsh’s manager spotted out with Politis. Had a feeling he’d end up there, nothing close to official though. Would fit into their club well with many wankers. Something like that could trigger heaps of movement? Would be funny if Walker goes to broncos and Walsh to roosters

 

[Noitall]

Joey has said multiple times that he came back a changed player after playing for the Maori All Stars, especially because of JFH and Tapine.

If he's interested in returning home we'd be in with a shot.

I’ve made a few comments on here that he has had an offer on the table for some time from the knights and wondered what the holdup was? I’ve wondered for a while if we’ve identified him as a front rower we’d like to recruit?

 

[Wrighty]

Trindall? Will probably be the one making way for Hynes. Give him an upgrade and the 7 jersey maybe.

I actually like the halves pairing of Martin and Metcalf but both are way too injury prone, and there’s talks of Harris-Tavita being turned into a lock for next year. So we definitely need to go to market.

I think we should teach CHT to play centre over pre-season and become a specialist number 17 who sits on the bench in case an injury strikes anywhere in our back line.
He can play full back
I don't see why he couldn't pitch in centre or wing
And obviously he can understudy half.
He will be happy to sit on the bench all year and play one out of four games where there is an injury,

As for Trindall absolutely yes. I would play him ahead of TMM. Surely we can recruit a player of the calibre we are talking. We don't need Sam Walker. The Trindall's, Sexton's is who we want.
That said my first door I am knocking on November 1 is Dylan Walker he has a player option for 2026. Let's just ask. It doesn't hurt to talk to his agent. We don't even have to bother Dylan Himself.

Dear Dylan's agent (who I sincerely hope is not Isaac Moses)
As you are aware the Warriors are a high performance team that finished 4th in 2023. In 2024 we did not perform to expectations however in 2025 we fully expect to make the playoffs with JFH being our key addition. Our coach Andrew Webster won coach of the year in 2023 and the players rave about him. We are speaking to NZ halves who might be interested in coming home to NZ. Would Dylan in your view be open to an initial conversation with us or is he set on taking up his option with the Eels.

Yours in Trust

Andrew McFadden

How hard can it be? An email takes ten seconds to write.
We have to absolutely have to ask about Dylan and then have already started conversations with the Trindalls of this world as those guys are going to be hot in demand with 17 teams.

 

[tajhay]

Pretty sure the clubs voted against the salary cap exemption for rugby converts.

*cough* Joey Manu back to Roosters midseason next year after his Japan rugby to supplement his income *cough*

 

[JaggedJ]

I’ve made a few comments on here that he has had an offer on the table for some time from the knights and wondered what the holdup was? I’ve wondered for a while if we’ve identified him as a front rower we’d like to recruit?

If Tohu is having his last year next year and Thompson is available after that then it's a no brainer on our part.

 

[BlackToko88]

from the article, it seems like Leo isnt liking the clean out of senior players. In sure he spoke highly of his experience with kiwis camp and playing alongside JFH,

If the price is good worth a real shot tbh

 

[The Warrior Waka]

*cough* Joey Manu back to Roosters midseason next year after his Japan rugby to supplement his income *cough*

Uncle Nick has given Abdo free Volvo's for the rest of his life. Joey has an exemption *cough* *spew* lol.

 

[Beastmode]

I’ll give you Cam Murray, he’s starting to pick up more and more injuries have you noticed?
But the others are hardly anything to bark about.
Hopgood is 26 and had one good season. And now has a fucked back…….
Watson was 28 before he really kicked on this season, fair enough. But let’s see next year………
McInnes 30, is one of the overrated players in the league. Only just made his origin debut and was then promptly dropped.
Tbf, I see Plath having a pretty successful career……as a hooker.

To be clear, if we can get a Tohu, Yeo or Carrigan then absolutely. Or Murray lol.
But that’s the issue, elite players like that who aren’t 1 season wonders don’t come around everyday.

A horses for courses approach is also a go. A prop at 13 in some games and a ball playing 13 against others.

8. Barnett
10. Thompson
13. JFH

How good would that be.

They don’t grow on trees
We have the nursery to build great ball playing #13 if we chose this route and put faith in our younguns.

Start training these kids up maybe in the halves at flegg and Matthew’s then push them into lock when they bulk up

Halasima, Laban train them up young to be ball players