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	Tohu Harris	✔	✔
10	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔	M
11	Shaun Johnson	✔
12	Edward Kosi	✔	✔
13	Jacob Laban	✔	✔	✔
14	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔
15	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔	✔
16	Zyon Maiu’u	✔	✔	✔
17	Te Maire Martin	✔	✔
18	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔	✔
19	Marcelo Montoya	✔	✔
20	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔
21	Marata Niukore	✔	✔	✔
22	Adam Pompey	✔	✔
23	Demitric Sifakula	✔	✔	T
24	Jazz Tevaga	✔
25	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
26	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔	✔
27	Dylan Walker	✔	✔
28	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔
D1	Ben Farr	D
D2	Etuane Fukofuka	D
D3	Leka Halasima	D	D	✔
D4	Patrick Moimoi	D
D5	Tanner Stowers-Smith	D
-	James Fisher-Harris	-	✔	✔	✔	✔

key: T = Team option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, D = Development contract

Confirmed Top 30 2024: 28/30
Confirmed Development 2024: 5/6

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 26/30
Confirmed Development 2025: 1/6

2025 Gains: James Fucking Fisher-Harris baby! (Panthers)
2025 Losses: Addin Fonua-Blake (Sharks)
2025 Off Contract: Shaun Johnson, Jazz Tevaga

 

[Noitall]

Zyon Maiu’u

Not sure what to make of him not getting his debut this year with even the likes of Roache and Going getting theirs. Likely needs to have a big preseason and impress in the trial games.

 

[Natural Born Warrior]

Not sure what to make of him not getting his debut this year with even the likes of Roache and Going getting theirs. Likely needs to have a big preseason and impress in the trial games.

Pretty simple. Webster moved away from a prop driven game plan.

No Bunty. No Ale and no Zyon Maiu’u at the end of the season.

Came back to bite/hurt us as we couldn't shut down the Broncos pack in the semi. We struggle quite a bit in the forwards towards the end of the season.

Expect Zyon Maiu’u to get a bit of game time in 2024.

 

[kos]

Pretty simple. Webster moved away from a prop driven game plan.

No Bunty. No Ale and no Zyon Maiu’u at the end of the season.

Came back to bite/hurt us as we couldn't shut down the Broncos pack in the semi. We struggle quite a bit in the forwards towards the end of the season.

Expect Zyon Maiu’u to get a bit of game time in 2024.

Spot on.

 

[Noitall]

Pretty simple. Webster moved away from a prop driven game plan.

No Bunty. No Ale and no Zyon Maiu’u at the end of the season.

Came back to bite/hurt us as we couldn't shut down the Broncos pack in the semi. We struggle quite a bit in the forwards towards the end of the season.

Expect Zyon Maiu’u to get a bit of game time in 2024.

Would have thought even a game like the dolphins one would have been at least some first grade exposure in a game we obviously weren’t concerned about the result. I’m not sure it came back to bite us as much as perhaps a lack of faith that they could get the job done as far as that prop driven game plan you mentioned. Bunty was putting us under early pressure at the back end of the season with early mistakes in the game and the club seemingly saw Ale’s role as lock more beneficial as far as nsw cup games he played in that position.

 

[SJ2k]

Does anyone think Jazz is done?
He looked great in our average teams in the past, but now, in a much stronger pack he really didn’t look great this year.

Yeah unfortunately not being able to cover hooker makes him an issue. Having him and Siro on the bench was problematic, and Siro is more useful since he covers hooker. I love Jazz but if he's just coming on for short impact stints I'd much rather have a bigger body.

 

[kos]

Those who suggested Mo.
He has resigned at the Titans till end of 27.
Mo Fotuaika.

 

[nzwarriorsfaithful]

Those who suggested Mo.
He has resigned at the Titans till end of 27.
Mo Fotuaika.

so he re-signed for three MOE years

 

[kos]

so he re-signed for three MOE years

4

 

[nzwarriorsfaithful]

4

Off contract end of 2024. 3.

 

[kos]

You got me!

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

Those who suggested Mo.
He has resigned at the Titans till end of 27.
Mo Fotuaika.

Moe no go: Fotuaika extends 'til '27

Titans enforcer and reigning player of the year Moeaki Fotuaika has locked in his long-term future, re-signing with the club until the end of 2027.

t.co

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Might be a silver lining... Mo had a good year and wold be commanding big money.
Saifiti is in a form slump and his club are wanting to move him on, could be the cheaper option of the two, and I'd back Webby to get the most out of a proven performer like Saifiti.

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

Aotearoa Warriors Diary: Ready For Summer — The Niche Cache

The return of NZ Warriors to Aotearoa resulted in a season-long celebration of rugby league with the two Andys establishing foundations for the future.

theniche-cache.com

Amazing work as always!

 

[Blain]

I think many here need to lower expectations/hope in the meantime. Mofo, Saifiti etc are not realistic for us. Even for 2025 (we can sign people from November). We don't have the money for a $600k-$900k prop, unless people go. And no, dumping a Ford/Bunty/Curren/Tevaga wouldn't change our position.

Something I think we will start seeing next year is the development of our juniors. COVID fucked our junior system. We haven't produced a decent first grade forward since.. Katoa? That's 3 years at least. Gun juniors is how we need to balance our cap/squad, as well as giving us X factor which we are lacking a little. We have spent our big money already on the pack, Harris, Niuokre (over paid IMO BTW), AFB are all on top coin, with Walker, Barnett and Jazz on good money too. I really hope that 1 or 2 of Maiuú, Sifakula, Laban, Halasima etc can come in and over first grade quality.

The Panthers have stayed on top by having gun juniors come through and play 2-3 years for cheap. Then they get upgraded or signed by the Dogs. Management have been talking about this all year, so I have no doubt this is what we'll be trying to do.

 

[Dippa]

The Bulldogs have released Luke Thompson who was on about 850K heading back to the Super League.

I'd say the Bulldogs may well grab Daniel Saifiti the way they are going signing every tom, dick and harry!

 

[Falcon]

Those who suggested Mo.
He has resigned at the Titans till end of 27.
Mo Fotuaika.

Boooooooooooooooo booooooooooo

 

[Falcon]

Aotearoa Warriors Diary: Ready For Summer — The Niche Cache

The return of NZ Warriors to Aotearoa resulted in a season-long celebration of rugby league with the two Andys establishing foundations for the future.

theniche-cache.com

Amazing work as always!

I’d give these guys a Dally M award for insightful commentary on the NZW and the deep dives into the junior ranks

 

[LeagueJunkie]

Those who suggested Mo.
He has resigned at the Titans till end of 27.
Mo Fotuaika.

Typical Hasler move. Blow all your cap on forwards. Fotuaika, Tino and Fifita will be taking up massive cap space.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

I think many here need to lower expectations/hope in the meantime. Mofo, Saifiti etc are not realistic for us. Even for 2025 (we can sign people from November). We don't have the money for a $600k-$900k prop, unless people go. And no, dumping a Ford/Bunty/Curren/Tevaga wouldn't change our position.

The Panthers have stayed on top by having gun juniors come through and play 2-3 years for cheap. Then they get upgraded or signed by the Dogs. Management have been talking about this all year, so I have no doubt this is what we'll be trying to do.

I mean, the reality is no one knows how much we have available or not. I agree we won't have the money to spend $900k on a prop for next year, but come 2025 it's likely both SJ and Tohu will either retiring or taking a smaller role at the club, which will reflect in their salary so we more than likely would have that money.

And who knows, Curran and Jazz could be on anything upwards of 500k (my guess is around 350-400k each) so if management decided to, I think we could squeeze 600k for 2024 if the right piece of the puzzle came along.

Also, we have to remember that the Panthers got pretty lucky. A core group of amazing players came along at the same time - Cleary, Luai, Burton, Crichton, To'o, the Mays - while non stars Edwards, Kikau and Korosau all came together at the perfect time and have built a dynasty. This is an exception to the rule, and as a result I don't think we can point to Penrith as the way to do it, because that hadn't been done before and likely won't be matched for another 20, 30 years imo.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Typical Hasler move. Blow all your cap on forwards. Fotuaika, Tino and Fifita will be taking up massive cap space.

Yea, the Titans will be interesting to follow. The big forwards has worked in the past but the game has moved away from that.

Whatever happens they will be a point of difference with a power pack and its if a cheaper spine can convert that dominant territory into points.