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]

Don't be greedy bro!

Haha nah, absolutely I think we have the money to do that. With Tohu, Jazz, and SJ's money coming up I think we'd have the cash, but imo wed only be looking at one - you gotta give out rookies some game time and realistically, one or two of Ale, Zyon Maiu’u, Laban, Sifakula and Halasima probably need to be in the team full time at that point.

Id go:
JFH
Egan
Barnett
Niukore
Capewell
Walker

Willison/Saifiti
Ford
Ale
Laban/Halasima/Sifakula

Imagine the Broncos tears if we did take Willison, they'd need a hug. He sounds pretty committed to Brisbane so I can't see it happening unfortunately.

 

[PullingTeets]

Imagine the Broncos tears if we did take Willison, they'd need a hug. He sounds pretty committed to Brisbane so I can't see it happening unfortunately.

I dunno, I thought JFH would never leave Penrith after listening to a few interviews with him.

 

[CWC]

Don't be greedy bro!

Haha nah, absolutely I think we have the money to do that. With Tohu, Jazz, and SJ's money coming up I think we'd have the cash, but imo wed only be looking at one - you gotta give out rookies some game time and realistically, one or two of Ale, Zyon Maiu’u, Laban, Sifakula and Halasima probably need to be in the team full time at that point.

Id go:
JFH
Egan
Barnett
Niukore
Capewell
Walker

Willison/Saifiti
Ford
Ale
Laban/Halasima/Sifakula

I’m going back and forth lol but I like the starting pack and maybe the bench can be

Lussick/CHT
Ale (Tohu’s current position, full time bench lock/cover prop)
Sifakula/Zyon Maiu’u (share games)
Laban/Halasima (share games)

Injury cover - Afoa, Jazz, Ford (starter cover)

If we say get Willison then he’ll take Sifakul/Zyon Maiu’u’s spot and those 2 will be first drop for injuries, then Jazz and Ford probably need to go or be on basic income as cover, or keep them with Tohu+SJ money but that can be spend somewhere else, maybe Dylan Brown is a real possibility using retirees’ $ and reduction or release on Jazz/Ford you could get both Brown and Willison

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Why are we so keen on other clubs caste off than promote from within?

We want to win now every year and we have long picked up the crumbs from other teams tables. Then once we do get a good signing we shit the bed around them or right on top of them. Development is going to pay off big time

 

[Brightman]

Why are we so keen on other clubs caste off than promote from within?

I agree, we have a bumper group of rookies in the NSW Cup team that are ready.
It's up to the coach but there were a few to side players looking over their shoulder and preseason 2025 will be very interesting!

Demetric Sifakula is going to be force in the NRL and will establish himself in short time, more so than Zyon Maiu’u who I imagine will benefit the most from playing under JFH. Next Moses Leota.
Leka Halasima is an impressive unit, the best version of Ukuma Ta'ai. Laban reminds me so much of Stephen Kearney, one of the Kiwis greatest.
From the backs Ali Leiataua makes it look easy and only after 2-3 games in the top side!

There will be others but these kids are standing out now..

 

[Wrighty]

At least once every three pages someone mentions Willison.
There is no rumour he is coming here. He is signed to the end of 2025 and can come here 2026 at earliest.

 

[Damo]

At least once every three pages someone mentions Willison.
There is no rumour he is coming here. He is signed to the end of 2025 and can come here 2026 at earliest.

Dreams are free I guess.

 

[Beastmode]

2023
1. CNK
2. Marata
3. TMM
4. Walker
5. Metcalf
6. Barnett
7. Webby

I think these new faces kept the team fresh and motivated. They complimented perfectly with SJ, Tohu, AFB and Egan.

20204
1. RTS
2. Capewell
3. CHT

With these additions we lost Curran, Sironen & Volkman. It hasn’t been the same.

2025 - we lose AFB, add JFH

I feel we need to move SJ, Tohu, Jazz, Montoya and Pompey. They need to be replaced with a mix of new recruits who will come with a point to prove. A fresh start.

The problem with extending our current players is they lose that desire to prove a point.

It’s tricky. Getting that recruitment balance right is so important

 

[Makasene]

2023
1. CNK
2. Marata
3. TMM
4. Walker
5. Metcalf
6. Barnett
7. Webby

I think these new faces kept the team fresh and motivated. They complimented perfectly with SJ, Tohu, AFB and Egan.

20204
1. RTS
2. Capewell
3. CHT

With these additions we lost Curran, Sironen & Volkman. It hasn’t been the same.

2025 - we lose AFB, add JFH

I feel we need to move SJ, Tohu, Jazz, Montoya and Pompey. They need to be replaced with a mix of new recruits who will come with a point to prove. A fresh start.

The problem with extending our current players is they lose that desire to prove a point.

It's a long bow bro.

The 2023 recruits were pretty much a necessity due to the loss of our junior teams through Covid.

 

[snake77]

We recruited heavily for 2023 for a few reasons.

Returning from the covid period and coming back to New Zealand. We had quite a few players for various reasons not returning to New Zealand with the club.

More than the above it was out of necessity to turn the club around and it happened to fall when a lot of players were coming off contract. This is similar to going into the 2018 season where we recruited heavily.

I can't recall if it was this year or last year. But I remember reading an article that had how many players each team had coming off contract implying how active they would be in the market. We had the least amount. If we didn't we were closer to the bottom of the list.

We may have a spot or two for someone else after JFH. I'd say we'd be more likely to be active if we had some retirements or some players released.

 

[Cces]

Anyone know how Fukofuka is playing this year in Flegg? Played some Cup last year & given a Development Contract but no appearances in reserve grade this year. Looks to have converted from Hooker to Lock. Is he potentially Walkers replacement in 2026?

 

[Cces]

Jett Cleary made his Jersey Flegg debut today in a 62-nil rout of the West Tigers, who'd beat them earlier in the season

The first choice Halfback was back for Panthers U21s this week so no action in the grade for Cleary after last week's debut.
Anyone know if he'd be playing in the local comp instead?

 

[Dannevegas]

Naufahu Whyte dropped from rhe 17, sign him now!

 

[Playdaball]

With Tohu’s injury can anyone see him being medically retired in the off season?

 

[Damo]

With Tohu’s injury can anyone see him being medically retired in the off season?

"Chronic" wrist injury was interesting wording by Webster.

 

[hornbybrown]

With Tohu’s injury can anyone see him being medically retired in the off season?

How does a medical retirement work?

Does it mean the player gets their contract paid out but it doesn’t count against the cap?

 

[Tookey 2.0]

How does a medical retirement work?

Does it mean the player gets their contract paid out but it doesn’t count against the cap?

Yeah I'm pretty sure that's the case, you need to evidence it's a new injury and not one from before you were signed with a club too, I think. Which would be fine for Tohu as he's been here for ages.

Obvs would be good for the club money wise, but man I'd be gutted if he was medically retired and didn't get to go out on his own terms. He'd be in my all time Warrior team for sure

 

[Inruin]

I like the thought of Dylan Brown in a Warriors jersey. But I can't reconcile the pricetag it would take to get him here.

 

[Noitall]

I like the thought of Dylan Brown in a Warriors jersey. But I can't reconcile the pricetag it would take to get him here.

Going to be really interesting because roosters forum believes they’re going to go in hard for 2026 and I’ve seen people on here say he loves the Sydney lifestyle? I might be a conspiracy theorist but the way it’s gone quiet on the offer on the table for SJ makes me think there’s something going on around our halves?

 

[CWC]

I like the thought of Dylan Brown in a Warriors jersey. But I can't reconcile the pricetag it would take to get him here.

Depends on who else we need to sign, forwards seem sorted with gun juniors coming through, hookers covered, centres stacked, I wouldn’t sign a wing when RTS can play until upended by younger wings, FB is covered, TMM at 7 and there aren’t any premiere 7 out there, 6 with 2 injury prone players and there is a young established gun kiwi 6 maybe available…. I think we still have extras to upgrade with AFB, SJ and Tohu $, and Jazz if needed even if we shed 1.1-1.2M?