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

 

[PullingTeets]

Regarding Hanson, how has he gone in NsW Cup this year? Any chance of him pushing first grade next season or is he still a year or two away?

More than 2 years away, but he's gunna score a shit load of tries due to his backing up line breaks when he does crack first grade.

 

[Dangerous]

Regarding Hanson, how has he gone in NsW Cup this year? Any chance of him pushing first grade next season or is he still a year or two away?

From what I have seen of him this year he needs at least another years development in NSW cup before even getting a look at first grade. He's been solid so far but he's not exactly knocking down the door for first grade yet. We should be targeting another half with the potential to take over from TMM/Metcalf next year as they are both injury prone & have proven they can't play a full season. I'd be happy with a Tannah Boyd type player he'd suit our team well

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Kick Berry Chase works if we have a good D and nail redzone opportunities, it backfired when we force mistakes in their redzone and repeat the useless attacks until our morale tanked, or miss tackles to allow 70m tries. D is the key next year

I still think that this is a practice, which the NRL sees as negative, conservative footy and is the antithesis of the fast, glitzy game the 'market' wants. My take is that refs will look hard for leg-up penalties if this is how we choose to play our footy. This will be exacerbated for the non-darling teams. I think it would be a safer tactic in the last 30 minutes of games though, and perhaps we could adapt and adopt it as a tactic then, if the situation requires it. Like Bazball in cricket, I still think positive tactics are the way forward in sport. 2002 Warriors played ball. 2011 was more conservative, but with a couple of very dynamic assets (I think these assets are what are missing for us, if using this tactic).

As far as tightening up what we are doing (structure, game plans) being as important as speed and youth, sure it is important. But, you see the likes of Metcalf popping his nose through tackles, and causing defenses to scramble, which our other players are not doing. There are a few key things that causes the opposition defences to be isolated, to have to make quick decisions, and to be outgunned in a physical contest. Speed is definitely one we need to address, and so far we have not.

Hopefully we see structure and game plans addressed in pre-season, but recruitment is needed desperately for outside backs/half imho, and a great pre-season, and a great coach aren't going to address that.

 

[Otto Sump]

I still think that this is a practice, which the NRL sees as negative, conservative footy and is the antithesis of the fast, glitzy game the 'market' wants. My take is that refs will look hard for leg-up penalties if this is how we choose to play our footy. This will be exacerbated for the non-darling teams. I think it would be a safer tactic in the last 30 minutes of games though, and perhaps we could adapt and adopt it as a tactic then, if the situation requires it.

Great post.... Over the last few years there have been many people calling out the refs for managing games rather than officiating whats in front of them and this post identifies an area that has 'game management' written all over it. The 15 – 20 minute square up, and this year we just weren't good enough to punch through it when inevitable the tide turned.

 

[Makasene]

Tohu

Not even I could bring myself to propose Tohu could play 6 next year!

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Isaiah katoa demoted to the bench. Dangle the $ bags

 

[peewee]

More than 2 years away, but he's gunna score a shit load of tries due to his backing up line breaks when he does crack first grade.

No way will he need 2 more years
Be confident
Look at Kini, Sailor etc

 

[Noitall]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ2K-6A9W-I

Watched this yesterday from the start of the year regarding Luke Hanson

 

[Wrighty]

Tannah Boyd was an age group star


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B7TF5JLEY8

 

[Noitall]

Tannah Boyd was an age group star


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8B7TF5JLEY8

He’s got a solid tackle efficiency at 86%. Started the season at halfback but after a poor start to the season for the titans was shifted to five eighth where the titans saw a few wins. Hasn’t really been used again since round 18

 

[Wellington Warrior]

Are we intending to have a seperate NRLW recruitment thread??

 

[Wrighty]

He’s got a solid tackle efficiency at 86%. Started the season at halfback but after a poor start to the season for the titans was shifted to five eighth where the titans saw a few wins. Hasn’t really been used again since round 18

I think the Warrior better wake up and smell the coffee that we need a Tannah Boyd, Sexton, Illias, Cole, type player....we are pushing it up hill if we think we can get Sam Walker or a player of his magnitude.

 

[Noitall]

I think the Warrior better wake up and smell the coffee that we need a Tannah Boyd, Sexton, Illias, Cole, type player....we are pushing it up hill if we think we can get Sam Walker or a player of his magnitude.

In regards to Luke Hanson on a development contract next year, it seems an odd contract to just have an option the following year? And is that a club or player option? Really hard to know what the Warriors long term halves plan is? TMM can negotiate with opposition clubs from November, so is it just Metcalf in their plans? Is SJ going to mentor Hanson and Cleary in hopes this our future?

 

[kos]

I think the Warrior better wake up and smell the coffee that we need a Tannah Boyd, Sexton, Illias, Cole, type player....we are pushing it up hill if we think we can get Sam Walker or a player of his magnitude.

Wrighty would you add Ronald Volkman?
I don’t think we have a shirt show in hell of Toby Sexton
Actually my mind tells me Tanah has a a very good kicking game

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

From what I have seen of him this year he needs at least another years development in NSW cup before even getting a look at first grade. He's been solid so far but he's not exactly knocking down the door for first grade yet. We should be targeting another half with the potential to take over from TMM/Metcalf next year as they are both injury prone & have proven they can't play a full season. I'd be happy with a Tannah Boyd type player he'd suit our team well

I agree, Boyd is just as good as we got if not better, I wouldn't scoff at his service if we got him here.

 

[BabylonPink]

I think the Warrior better wake up and smell the coffee that we need a Tannah Boyd, Sexton, Illias, Cole, type player....we are pushing it up hill if we think we can get Sam Walker or a player of his magnitude.

I'd rate TMM higher and LM/CHT on potential higher than all those players.

 

[Playdaball]

I’d really like to see TMM work on his kicking game in the off season with a kicking coach. He need to improve that aspect to become a more complete player.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Man how lucky are we that Braden Hamlin-Uele turned us down earlier this year. He's only played a handful of games and his output has been Bunty Afoa levels.
And then we go on to sign JFH for only a few 100k more.

Probably the highlight of the year for the Warriors really

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Man how lucky are we that Braden Hamlin-Uele turned us down earlier this year. He's only played a handful of games and his output has been Bunty Afoa levels.
And then we go on to sign JFH for only a few 100k more.

Probably the highlight of the year for the Warriors really

But don’t you think very concerning that our recruitment team, obviously Webster included, even considered BHU & were prepared to offer him as much coin as we did?

 

[Noitall]

But don’t you think very concerning that our recruitment team, obviously Webster included, even considered BHU & were prepared to offer him as much coin as we did?

Could be as much that he was the best option able to be negotiated with at the time? Even maybe offering good money to one in hopes it pushes another out? Sharks had a lot of middles coming off contract at the same time. Oregon Kaufusi is the best they’ve got until next year. Could be worse, apparently Corey Horsburgh is on $900k a season. No wonder raiders happy to see him leave