Reading this headline made me laugh.
Will Warriors break Super League recruit hoodoo with Morgan Gannon?
The Warriors haven’t had the success of some other clubs with their English recruits.
John Lazo-Ron
Morgan Gannon is poised to become just the fourth English-born player to kit up for the Warriors directly from the
Super League in the upcoming 2026 season.
The talented forward is looking to make a major impact with the Warriors, with
Gannon recently revealing his decision to cross hemispheres wasn't just about a new club, but about testing himself and stepping outside his comfort zone.
At just 22 years old,
Gannon arrives at the Warriors with an already strong reputation. The young second-rower has racked up an impressive 67 appearances for the
Leeds Rhinos, a remarkable feat for someone so early in his career.
Gannon's experience and composure on the field belie his age, making him one of the most promising talents to make the leap from the
Super League to the
NRL in recent years.
While other English stars have managed to make their mark in the
NRL –
Sam Burgess and
James Graham come to mind – the Warriors haven't had quite the same success with their
Super League recruits over the years.
Back in their inaugural season in 1995, then head coach
John Monie brought over English superstars
Andy Platt and
Denis Betts with him from Wigan.
Platt, who played test footy for Great Britain and
England, landed at the Warriors with a reputation for being a fierce competitor. However, the second rower/prop struggled to mirror his performances in the Australian competition that saw him rise to fame in the UK, falling short of the expectations that accompanied his arrival in Auckland.
It didn't help that the then 32-year-old's stint with the Warriors was plagued by misfortune from day one, with a persistent knee injury limiting him to only 14 games that season, including the club's historic debut match.
Platt returned to the
Super League after the 1996 season to see out the rest of his career.
Like Platt, Betts was a seasoned international and a proven winner.
Betts inked a five-year deal with the Warriors, not only bringing with him a wealth of experience but also abundant success with numerous titles under his belt. At the time, Monie reportedly declared Betts as the ‘highest paid league player in the world' supposedly on a whopping $800,000 per season salary.
He was expected to make a significant impact on the club's maiden campaign, however only managed to cross the tryline 11 times in 42 matches across three seasons – a decent effort but far from the game-changing influence the club would have been banking on. Eventually, the club parted ways with Betts with two years still running on his contract.
Arguably the most disappointing
Super League signing in the Warriors' history is
Sam Tomkins.
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 27:
Sam Tomkins of the Warriors reacts during the round 16 NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Canberra Raiders at Mt Smart Stadium on June 27, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
Touted as one of the world's most exciting players, the dynamic fullback was brought over from Wigan in 2014 on a three-year deal, on top of a staggering world-record $1.5 million transfer fee to secure his signature.
After a decent start, where he played every game and scored 13 tries, Tomkins failed to press on in his second season and scale the heights he did in the UK.
In 2015, the Warriors' marquee signing managed only 13 appearances and scored only one try after a season hindered by injury. As the weeks rolled by and the tries dried up, the whispers grew louder, with Tomkins receiving criticism from pundits and fans alike who questioned whether his performances justified his heavy price tag.
League great Peter Sterling said on Triple M's Rush Hour show at the time, “He came out with a lot of promise and just never really lived up to it … I thought he was disappointing in the
NRL”.
While he has no regrets about his time at the Warriors, Tomkins himself said of his time in the
NRL: “I think my form with the Warriors probably mirrored that of the team as we missed the finals both seasons, so you have to say it was a disappointment”.
The hype that came along with Tomkins probably didn't help his cause as expectations were already skyrocketing before he stepped foot on Mt Smart.
He returned to the
Super League with one-year remaining on his contract, with the Warriors securing
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck as his replacement.
There are high hopes that
Gannon will be the one to break the Warriors
Super League recruitment mould and shine where others have struggled. Warriors CEO Cameron George recently stating that
Gannon “… could be a real smokey this year that could really have an impact”.
With talent, youth, and ambition on his side, all eyes will be on the rising star as he prepares to make his mark in the
NRL.
Time will tell.
Off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2027: Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Te Maire Martin, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Will be off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2028 from November 1st, 2026: Mitchell Barnett, Erin Clark, Jett Cleary, Wayde Egan, Kayliss Fatialofa, Jackson Ford, Sam Healey, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Ali Leiataua, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Motu Pasikala, Adam Pompey, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
