The GM from panthers did a good interview with James graham sharing their wage structure per position and how they never tend to break it. In saying that they have produced talent that on paper they wouldn’t be able to afford within the salary cap if they bought what they produced hence why they’ve let that talent go. Let’s be honest we haven’t produced any talent right now worth more than 400k current value but I know the goal is to eventually produce that talent ourselves. Until we get our development to a level where we lose 750-1mil talent and replace it with talent that will be of that value we will always need a Dylan brown or jahrome Hughes to compete. This will be my gripe if in 5 years we still aren’t producing high quality talent and are still trying to buy million dollar halves and spine players from aus. That will tell me the club has failed at being a successful development club ala Penrith.
This is 100% the approach and one I think we’re trying to copy.
The Panthers and storm have strict policies around their salary cap. With Melbourne, they prioritise the spine & they fill in the rest of the squad with hard working players and/or talented discards that will excel when surrounded by talented spines. Katoa had a career season playing outside Hughes. Not discrediting that he didn’t work hard, but playing outside Hughes is a cheat code.
Panthers are slightly different. They’ve simply had to underpay their players right through their success, due to signing them on longer term deals at discounted rates, or because the players wanted to continue playing together & win together. They’ve played junior grades together & their chemistry won them premierships.
Along the way, they refused to overpay for their players resulting in burton, luai, kikau, Capewell, korisau, Leniu and Crichton all leaving for higher salaries. They only did this, because tago, alamoti, kenny, sorenson, McLean could replace them, on cheaper salaries. All were brought through their own system, or were talented discards looking for an opportunity to play in elite sides.
The warriors have been continuously bouncing in and out of the 8 for years. There’s been no sustained success. New Zealand simply has been unable to produce elite NRL players that commit to NZ, with most of the elite players being developed in aus pathways, with a few exceptions. When you look at the current starting 17 at the warriors, off the top of my head, only vaimauga, ale, Leiataua have come through the pathways. this is unacceptable. Compare this to the panthers, Edwards, McLean, tago, Cleary, smith, Kenny, sorenson, Martin, yeo (to name a few), have all come through their pathways.
This has seen the warriors invest hugely in their pathways system as it’s the only way to see sustained success. In their first year, the u17s took out the title, with the 19s and 21s performing admirably considering that the talented athletes were pushed to cup for experience. I would assume the 19s and 21s would’ve done better had all eligible players played in their age groups, but for long term dev they’re better off learning the trades against men.
I’m not sure how long it will take to see long term success, but at least for the first time in warriors history there’s a plan in place that has evidence it works. Whilst we will continue to lose talented youngsters along this path, this to me shows we’re going in the right direction, and hopefully (as we’re seeing now), players from aus will want to play for our Dev teams (kiwis and oz players). We’re seeing the very first crop of athletes starting to make their mark on 1st grade come through now; laben, vaimauga, Leiataua, halasima, maiu’u etc. this is just the first wave. Some will make it, some won’t, but I’m assuming the warriors have signed these guys on relatively cheap deals allowing them to release players like jazz, knowing these young middles are pushing for a spot.
Anyway, long post but wanted to get all my thoughts out there. We’re on the right path finally, we just need to stay patient, as hard as that is. We need to continually blood young players, give them work ons in cup, and hope they make a return to 1st grade.
I also think NZ has one major trump card over all other nrl clubs, we’re in NZ. For all the talented kiwi players in AUS, there’s a chunk that I know struggle to live overseas and away from their extended families and have ambition of coming home. Just like we worry about losing talented aus players once they show their worth, that is the warriors strength from a recruitment perspective. However until we’re showing continual success across all grades, these players know they’re better to stay in aus and develop under better systems.
It’s a long term play, but one that has proven success. We have our coach locked in for years, we have investment across the club, we have growing player base, and fans are flocking to the games. I have a direct link to rugby union in Auckland, and I know for a fact that the younger athletes are looking over at the rival code and liking what they see. The blues are worried & NZRU are too.
