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    The writing was on the wall for Lussick once we signed Healey. A credit to him for not dropping his lip and sticking it out in the NSW Cup side. Even playing in a different positon.

    It sounds like he was a good guy to have around the club.

    I have huge respect for the guys that stuck it out with the club while they were stuck in Australia during covid and came back with the club. We are getting to the point where there isn't many around. Shows the change NRL clubs go through in the space of 3-5 years.

    Like I said in my first sentence. The writing was on the wall. His was a contract / roster spot we needed to free up if we wanted to sign someone else or promote someone.

    Good luck Freddy. I would say break a leg like they say in acting. But he's already done that and I want our field kickers to see out the season.
     
    WAH MAN said:
    Inch and Linnane are still nobody yet. Forward planning etc sure..... But our fullback hierarchy surely still looks like CNK, TT, RTS. Even if I don't like it.
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    As experienced Webster ites we know he goes with the tried and true and is loyal to his Vets.

    I think Inch is no chance as you say vs that Trio but Linane is a special case.

    I could believe that Linane has been brought in with a potential NRL debut this season on the basis that Webster is looking like he wants speed and dynamism out there.

    Rather than threatening CHT RTS TT in the short term I think Linane is a threat to Te Maire Martin in a 14 debut scenario.

    The reason I say that is that Cappy really wanted Linane at the Warriors, so much so that he publicly came out and said he is star signing, and he managed to convince the Warriors to go after a busted player.

    “His outstanding qualities as a player are his running game and his speed. We look forward to developing him in our system and giving him every opportunity.

    He’s an exceptional talent and a terrific young man,” said One New Zealand Warriors general manager recruitment, pathways and development Andrew McFadden.

    Exceptional talent is not a phrase you see thrown around by our coaches in this regime, they really believe in this guy, they think he is going to be a star.

    We really look forward to giving him every opportunity.....I think that one statement when read after the calling this guy outstanding talent is where the Warriors view Linane, they think he is another Metcalf, they think they got him early, they think they have a future superstar halves pairing - and they have Nathan Cleary's little brother in reserve.

    Certainly you can see how if they inject a fast running five eight in Te Maire's cameo slot - drop CHT to dummy half for ten to fifteen minutes, a role he looks great in for Samoa.

    With Linane signing and placing Metcalf at seven it is now clear our plan is to have the fastest halves in the NRL.

    Which tells you their plan is creating space by second guessing the opposition numbering, with the hope it draws in the opponents to take down Metcalf with their stand off and their edge back rower.

    Which gives Metcalf options to draw and pass or kick to Linane and his outsides, or use a cut out ball.

    The problem with all the attention on Metcalf as we know is that a shift to Linane offers just as much speed threat to their Center and Winger/fullback, which gives Linane the option of either a short draw to Gannon with pace on hitting that ball, or a pump fake and go ala Metcalf, or a straight ball to Gannon for a cut out to AKP.

    That's without even factoring in our Center which we hope is Ali and can run a straight line, put on a shimmy to draw and pass to AKP.

    And if you really want to skull fk them in the eye hole you put Leka stacked with Gannon on that side and look like Penrith on the move who look like they have fifteen players when they run set plays on their strong side.

    We would instantly have a very fast wide attack - as quick as Brisbane with Walsh or the Raiders or the Panthers and Storm.

    And lets not forget that with AKP we have a legitimate cut out ball and let him do all the work player. He has that Xfactor footwork where we can just throw it out there and let him shred as a legit game play.

    Also I think that the bench spot for Linane would be a short minutes played thing which fits in with this protect the young guys on debut scenario, I can see the Warriors using that back on the bench role to one day drop Cleary in there or eventually Inch.

    The other thing about RTS and CNK is that they are showing signs of age, and Webster has been through that now with Tohu and SJ, he knows he needs to start next year with the older guys, then if they look like SJ and Tohu syndrome 2.0 pull the trigger a third or half a season in and bring in AKP, Linane, Taine - even look at Mellars.

    Father time will not be stopped no matter what plans the Coaches have nor dreams the fans foster.

    And at least the coaches have experience of that now, they know they have to look to the future, they just had an amazing year of discovery, hell they put Metcalf in the seven and it was a Dally M move.

    They unleashed Leka Halasima the most exciting forward in the NRL after ELi Koatoa.

    They introduced us to future Warriors Captain Dimitric Vaimunga Sifakula.

    They let a Laban back onto the RL world stage, and finished with throwing EIT out there with Stowers Smith.

    This is not a coach that is going to be afraid of using new players next season.

    2025 was the year Andrew Webster went wild with selections and threw his Cup stars into the NRL.

    100% fitness willing Fatialofa plays NRL this season, why? because Andrew Webster now knows that all the hype about the Warriors junior forwards is actually true and he has seen it with his own eyes - a full season of proof, every young forward he used turned out to be an NRL player....when has that ever happened?
     
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    Going against the grain but I don’t necessarily think it means a NAS signing.

    Opening up a single top 30 spot gives those fringe guys something to aim towards. It’s that carrot you can dangle during the off-season hill sprints. It’s just smart business.

    Cutting Lussick has been the obvious move for the last 6 months. He’s served us well but to me, he’s one of the last signings from that period of desperate moves where we couldn’t attract shit. The roosters basically forced us to take on his contract.
     
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    sup42 said:
    Seems like he is going which obviously could mean we are close to announcing a signing, probably NAS.

    He was a good servant to the club as they say though bro, whether you liked him as a player or not he always put in the hard yards, personally I think he gets more negative comments than he deserves.

    Should have been playing Lock. Look how effective he is as a Prop in cup, should have been a ball playing hard running defensively sound Lock forward.
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    Seems like he’s been up there with the fittest in the past couple of preseasons and quite hearty on the field. I wish hm nothing but the best if he’s departing
     
    ROCCO said:
    Fuck off Lussick
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    Seems like he is going which obviously could mean we are close to announcing a signing, probably NAS.

    He was a good servant to the club as they say though bro, whether you liked him as a player or not he always put in the hard yards, personally I think he gets more negative comments than he deserves.

    Should have been playing Lock. Look how effective he is as a Prop in cup, should have been a ball playing hard running defensively sound Lock forward.
     
    There’s clearly a relationship built between the panthers & the warriors, which has extended to recruitment. They’ve sent over their spiritual leader, the coaches son & Luke Hanson, we’ve sent over Ale, Moimoi, Crosby, kalani, essentially all in the last year or so.

    There’s clearly convos happening between the two clubs eg we can’t keep this guy but he’s extremely talented, we’d recommend him, or this guy has potential but needs to leave our environment, or in our case sending Cleary to get out of the Sydney headlights or fish heading back to his homeland.

    The reality is, we can’t keep them all. What it does look like though, is we’ve not only kept the best ones but we’ve locked them down to long term deals eg Leka, Demi, Laban, tanner, kayliss, Neal.

    Who knows, they might go over there, develop & come home, just like we might do with Cleary. If there’s any other club in the NRL that I’d want a positive relationship with, it’s the panthers. If we could, and recruitment requires it, I’m sure we could take some of their juniors, like they’ve done to us, in the future.

    Another positive is, the best club in the history of the NRL is taking players from our club. This indicates that we’re selecting quality players in the pathways program, developing them into NRL players that are worthy enough to be recruited.

    That shows our pathways system is working, albeit the talent being distributed, but revisiting my first point, I believe firmly we’re keeping the best of the best. This only points to long term success for our club.
     
    Defence said:
    He looks really good- imagine him by the end of preseason.
    Hopefully this is his year. He’s probably been in the shadows of Leka and dv (despite debuting before them?) but he’s a genuine prospect too.
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    Thought he was coming home strong this season.

    Having his leg broken in that way by Kafusi was bloody terrible.

    Laban I think has the highest leadership ceiling of all of them. He has Tohu Harris aura.
     
    Key appointments, a programme name and a combine have been confirmed as the One New Zealand Warriors’ landmark partnership with the City of Logan takes shape.

    The Ausbuild-backed joint venture with Logan City Council was revealed in late July to set up an academy along with a community initiative in the South East Queensland area.

    One New Zealand Warriors CEO Cameron George has today announced it will be known as the ‘Warriors Inspire Logan’ programme while confirming the appointment of ex-Warriors NRLW and Australian Jillaroos coach Brad Donald as football manager, former Warriors front rower Mark Tookey as community manager and Claire Gilmour in an accounts and administration role.

    Also inked in is a combine for under-16 boys and under-16 girls from the Logan City area to be staged on Saturday, December 6.

    “Together with the city, we see the ‘Warriors Inspire Logan’ programme providing a real breakthrough for rugby league in the area,” said George.

    “Our vision is to inspire pride and opportunity in Logan by connecting the community to the heart of the One New Zealand Warriors.

    “We’re excited about having Brad and Mark on board in the key roles of football manager and community manager. They have achieved so much in rugby league and bring a great understanding of who the Warriors are and what we are about as a club.”

    Donald was unbeaten as the Australian Jillaroos’ head coach as he guided them to back-to-back Rugby League World Cup victories in 2017 and 2022 while he also stepped in to coach the Warriors in the Covid-affected 2020 NRLW campaign.

    Tookey, a Logan Brothers junior, was a cult hero during his 67-game career as Warrior #76 from 2000-2004 during which time he played in the club’s first grand final side in 2002.

    Gilmour has spent time with the commercial teams at both the Warriors and the Gold Coast Titans this year.

    Through its vision the ‘Warriors Inspire Logan’ (WIL) programme will seek to inspire players of the future with opportunities “empowering training and personal growth to help players become the best versions of themselves”.

    In schools and the community, WIL will “inspire pride, deepening engagement with the One New Zealand Warriors and what we stand for”.

    The first opportunities for aspiring players will come on December 6 with a combine for under-16 boys and girls interested in joining the One New Zealand Warriors’ Logan Academy. Starting at 8.30am, the combine will be held at the Logan Metro Sports Complex, 349 Browns Plains Rd, Heritage Park, QLD, 4118.

    Players considered must be born between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010, and must be Logan residents or attend a Logan-based school or are a member of a Logan sporting club.

    Registrations close at 4.00pm on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. Limited spots are available. Register HERE.

    “Our elite academy for boys and girls in Logan will provide a direct pathway to the New Zealand Warriors’ NRL and NRLW teams,” said George.

    “It’s a two-pronged approach between Logan City and the One New Zealand Warriors to work with the community for better outcomes for locals though work programmes and to form a rugby league academy to create another pathway for young boys and girls to chase their dreams.”

    “We have a network of academies throughout New Zealand doing a terrific job and see a real opportunity with this partnership to connect with New Zealanders in Australia.

    “We’re excited about what lies ahead and we really appreciate Logan City’s support.”

    City of Logan mayor Jon Raven said it was an exciting next chapter for the city.

    “Our love for league runs deep in Logan, but it’s not every day our youth get opportunities like this one,” he said.

    “If you’re an under 16s player who wants footy to be your future, this is the fast track you’ve been waiting for.

    “Our city has a proud history of producing sporting superstars. We’re ready to find the next one.”

    Ausbuild managing director Matt Bell said the partnership with ‘Warriors Inspire Logan’ will provide career opportunities for young people.

    “Sport can be a great way to make connections with community and find employment opportunities, including apprenticeships and jobs,” he said.

    “Ausbuild has a history of working with clubs to build pathways for young people and that’s why we’re so excited to join with the One New Zealand Warriors and Logan City Council. It’s a fantastic fit.”

    The level of interest from the community was palpable when 5000 fans engaged with the One New Zealand Warriors during their final training session ahead of their round 25 match against the Gold Coast Titans in August.

    Register here for the December 6 combine.

    More ‘Warriors Inspire Logan’ opportunities for other age grades will be announced in due course.
     
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