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

 

[Worried2Death]

Yes and his father is an NRL coach and ex player.

Imagine having coaching from the cradle like that, he is a once in a generation player, almost all the others in the NRL take time.

You said the same thing as me, but better. Great minds like ours can't both be wrong sup.

 

[sup42]

Yes but he had the best coach in the comp programming him from birth, god dam him and his unnatural rugby league senses and freakish chin.

Duplication, you beat me too it.

We let go a decent young half with a good boot recently and now he is repping for the Eels and Samoa.

I personally hope the club hangs onto Volkman with the long term in mind, grow our own halfback for a change.

Even Johnson did not come fully right till this season as far as running a game goes.

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Yes but he had the best coach in the comp programming him from birth, god dam him and his unnatural rugby league senses and freakish chin.

You must forgive Wrighty, he is new to League after all

 

[Noitall]

You said the same thing as me, but better. Great minds like ours can't both be wrong sup.

 

[Noitall]

You must forgive Wrighty, he is new to League after all

No flames.

 

[Noitall]

HALVES HEADED FOR THE
OPEN MARKET
UNDER 30
Ezra Mam (20)
Toby Sexton (22)
Tom Dearden (22)
Daejarn Asi (23)
Jarome Luai (26)
Kodi Nikorima (29)
Anthony Milford (29)


I reckon Luai might leave the panthers.

 

[WahsaurusRex]

HALVES HEADED FOR THE
OPEN MARKET
UNDER 30
Ezra Mam (20)
Toby Sexton (22)
Tom Dearden (22)
Daejarn Asi (23)
Jarome Luai (26)
Kodi Nikorima (29)
Anthony Milford (29)


I reckon Luai might leave the panthers.

If the money weren’t an issue, I would love to get Jarome Luai

That really shouldn't be a hot take by any stretch either, but..


Away from dreamland, I think other than Luai and Milford, all of those guys stay at their clubs.

Luai to the Raiders or (since Gus seems to keep unearthing cap space) the Dogs, Milf to SL.

 

[CWC]

We seem to be really good at signing back up halves, how many back ups do we have if we sign another one? 6?

 

[The Warrior Waka]

We seem to be really good at signing back up halves, how many back ups do we have if we sign another one? 6?

Keep going until we get Cleary

 

[Damo]

Would rather Volk leave if that's the case his nsw cup game doesn't translate to Top grade, Metcalf on the other hand can kill it in NSW cup & get even better in top grade, Volk can't it's been proven the multiple times he has played when SJ was out and didn't do much in terms of steering the team around, Metcalf is on a whole different level to Volkman

Volkman has only had one game in the #7 role he is so good in at NSW Cup level. In that game against the Dolphins, our whole forward pack was getting pumped due to restings of all our top guns. Even SJ wouldn't have done anything with that forward pack in front of him.

How has that been proven he can't do it in top grade?

 

[Juno]

I don't think the last few games were a fair reflection for TMM coming back from that injury. He was playing well at the start of the year and had been good at the boncos last year.
Will be interesting which way Webster goes if both guys are fit start of the year. Metcalf definately better on attack but needs to work really hard on improving his defence.

Preseason will sort it for Webby one way or the other

 

[Noitall]

If the money weren’t an issue, I would love to get Jarome Luai

That really shouldn't be a hot take by any stretch either, but..
View attachment 2844

Away from dreamland, I think other than Luai and Milford, all of those guys stay at their clubs.

Luai to the Raiders or (since Gus seems to keep unearthing cap space) the Dogs, Milf to SL.

I reckon Luai to tigers, I agree Milford to SL and think Dearden might cost the cowboys more than expected.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

We seem to be really good at signing back up halves, how many back ups do we have if we sign another one? 6?

With another Backrower!

 

[Warriors4eva95]

TMM also played all his time at broncos at fullback the year before. Think he’ll be much better for this season going into the next.

I'm hoping so I just don't see it I've watched most his career from Penrith to Cowboys to Broncos and now Warriors, not to much to brag about yeah feel sorry for he's brain injury but that's about it, give me a highlights package because i don't see too many floating around

 

[Wrighty]

Duplication, you beat me too it.

We let go a decent young half with a good boot recently and now he is repping for the Eels and Samoa.

I personally hope the club hangs onto Volkman with the long term in mind, grow our own halfback for a change.

Even Johnson did not come fully right till this season as far as running a game goes.

Volkman turned 21 in July 2023
1) a 19 year old Cleary was significantly better
2) Shaun Johnson debuted at 22 i read somewhere and was immediately better than anything we can hope from volkman next year
3) we kept saying with cht it takes 50 games of nrl and just give him time but he never got any better
4) volkman is a spine player
If we are going to win the entire comp we need an elite spine and not spine players who are only nrl standard which seems to be that cieling for volkman
5) rooster gave up on him

 

[Riz]

Volkman turned 21 in July 2023
1) a 19 year old Cleary was significantly better
2) Shaun Johnson debuted at 22 i read somewhere and was immediately better than anything we can hope from volkman next year
3) we kept saying with cht it takes 50 games of nrl and just give him time but he never got any better
4) volkman is a spine player
If we are going to win the entire comp we need an elite spine and not spine players who are only nrl standard which seems to be that cieling for volkman
5) rooster gave up on him

Players develop at different rates, if you think things are black and white then you are wrong.

 

[Defence]

Volkman turned 21 in July 2023
1) a 19 year old Cleary was significantly better
2) Shaun Johnson debuted at 22 i read somewhere and was immediately better than anything we can hope from volkman next year
3) we kept saying with cht it takes 50 games of nrl and just give him time but he never got any better
4) volkman is a spine player
If we are going to win the entire comp we need an elite spine and not spine players who are only nrl standard which seems to be that cieling for volkman
5) rooster gave up on him

Comparing him to Sj and cleary though- 2 all time greats there.
The cht is a fairer comparison.

 

[JaggedJ]

I think Volkman is further along than CHT was in the halfback roles, CHT just physically more able of handling first grade at the moment.

I don't see Volkman having a high ceiling. He would need someone elite outside him to help take us to the next level.

 

[Wrighty]

I think Volkman is further along than CHT was in the halfback roles, CHT just physically more able of handling first grade at the moment.

I don't see Volkman having a high ceiling. He would need someone elite outside him to help take us to the next level.

Glad you agree and you said it much better than I did

He will end up being a useful player but my main point is that Is all he is on track for

And you need an elite spine to win the premiership
In other positions like bench prop or wing or even centre you can win the premiership by having useful players in those positions but not the spine and definitely not half back
You will not find one advocate of Volkman on this forum who thinks he has any chance at ever being the Dally M half or even being hotly in contention for it
But that sort of elite player is who we need as our future halfback
Anything less in the post Shaun Johnson era and we will finish outside the top 8

Have I at least made my point even if everyone disagreed with it because I can tell from the volley of responses that only jagged knew my drift

Yes the elite halves don’t grow on trees but we can’t settle for anything other than elite
The dogs acquired burton when they had no one so if they can we get a top half if we needed to and sharks acquired Hynes

 

[waipiro]

And you need an elite spine to win the premiership
In other positions like bench prop or wing or even centre you can win the premiership by having useful players in those positions but not the spine and definitely not half back

You do recall Chad townsend was halfback in a premeirship winning team eh?