Recruitment 2022 Warriors Recruitment Discussion

[matiunz]

NRL: What departure of Warriors recruitment boss Peter O'Sullivan means for the club​

By: Michael Burgess
Sports writer for NZME
@mikeburgess99

Peter O'Sullivan admits that some former Warriors targets will now be in his sights, as he starts work building the roster at the Dolphins.

After being in charge of the Warriors' recruitment, retention and development strategy for the last three and a half years, O'Sullivan made a sudden switch to the NRL expansion team last week after being headhunted.

Monday was his first official day at the Dolphins, who will become the competition's 17th team in 2023.
It coincided with the opening of the NRL negotiation period, with clubs allowed to begin talks and submit offers to players who are off contract in 12 months' time.
It means that O'Sullivan will be discussing deals with prospects who he had originally earmarked for the Warriors.
"[There are] some that are certainly going to cross over, there is no doubt about it," O'Sullivan told Newstalk ZB. "Then there are some that are going to come into play that weren't in play."
It's a spanner in the works for the Warriors.

The club hierarchy are hopeful it will be business as usual, with chief executive Cameron George and coach Nathan Brown taking on more of a recruitment role until the position is filled, but the timing of his departure is far from ideal.

No one knows more about the Warriors' roster or salary cap situation than O'Sullivan and now he is a competitor.
The Dolphins could make a play for Joseph Manu (Roosters) and Marata Niukore (Eels), who are two of the Warriors' principal targets in this window, with O'Sullivan having put together the bids.

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has previously worked with Warriors' halves Kodi Nikorima and Ash Taylor and may try to lure them to Brisbane for 2023.
And what about Reece Walsh? O'Sullivan famously got him from the clutches of the Broncos and knows his Warriors deal inside out.

O'Sullivan's move was swift and unexpected.
He had been planning for 2022 – with the hope of spending more time in New Zealand – when he got a phone call last Tuesday with the Redcliffe offer.
"I had a bit of a think about it and I suppose like a player, I was off contract next year and you get a good offer at an exciting new franchise," said O'Sullivan. "That was a big part of it for me, the blank canvas and the chance to work at a brand new club, which I hadn't done before. It was too good an opportunity to knock back."
O'Sullivan arrived at the Warriors in May 2018. He had previously been deregistered at the end of the 2016 season – for breaches of the NRL's betting rules – but the Auckland club was able to register his contract with the governing body.

O'Sullivan was tasked with reshaping the club's roster and strengthening development pathways. It hasn't been easy for the Warriors to attract premium talent over the years but O'Sullivan took a proactive approach.
Walsh and Addin Fonua-Blake were two of his biggest signings, while he helped get Shaun Johnson back to the club. On the debit side, he was part of the decision that saw Isaiah Papali'i leave last year while Kane Evans was a poor choice.
For his part, O'Sullivan departs with mixed feelings.
"It's exciting times but sad at the same time," he said. "The thing I am going to miss most is not watching Rocco [Berry], Eli Katoa, Walshy, Viliami [Vailea] and others really find their feet in first grade."
"That's the part that weighed on me the most. I'm really proud of where [the Warriors] are at the moment; a strong squad, good depth, positionally pretty good and a far bit of money up their sleeve."
"The cap is in far better position than when I got here. The roster is strong, with lots of growth imminent, so they are in position to make some inroads and get some further impetus into the roster. That is the slight missing link but I am sure in the next few months that will take shape."

I wonder what the legalities around some of this are? For example he would know what the Warriors are prepared to pay Manu, wouldn’t this almost be insider trading for the Dolphins?

 

[matiunz]

I was really looking forward to the start of November to see what acquisitions POS has bandied together for Warriors fans. What was his masterstroke going to be?? Now I am feeling deflated, especially after reading the article above. With POS gone I am not holding my breath for any great revelations in the coming days for 2022!

Think too many people focus on the November 1st thing- it’s the START date of the process not the end, there’s never a slew of signings at 12.01am

 

[Defence]

Think too many people focus on the November 1st thing- it’s the START date of the process not the end, there’s never a slew of signings at 12.01am

That’s right- there’s really no reason for a player to sign a year and a half out (although the dolphins are a bit different because they’ll want to announce a couple of big names straight away to get some momentum in the player market and create a bit of hype). But generally speaking the only reason a player would sign and announce it straight away is if they were angling for an early release.
If it’s announced anytime soon that Manu or niukore have signed for 2023 then I would expect them to be here in 2022.
Otherwise we’re gonna have to be patient.

 

[Dippa]

Roosters offer Naiqama a one-year deal

Kevin Naiqama’s NRL career at the Knights, Panthers and Tigers never got the chance to hit its stride

everythingrugbyleague.com

How many more outside backs do the Roosters want to sign?

 

[Kestrel84]

Roosters offer Naiqama a one-year deal

Kevin Naiqama’s NRL career at the Knights, Panthers and Tigers never got the chance to hit its stride

everythingrugbyleague.com

How many more outside backs do the Roosters want to sign?

They also just let Ikavalu go, so Naiqama can just be seen as a replacement for him.

 

[playdaball]

Glad to see Cameron get involved in recruitment. Next year he will take over coaching too.

Ha Ha , hope not.

I can recall Ian Robson trying to become a kicking coach (AFL background) and Mick Watson was always too deeply involved too.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

The Roosters have lost Ikavalu, J Morris, B Morris and brought in Watson, Momorovski and Naiqama. I wouldn't necessarily assume that these signings have a bearing on Manu's future

 

[Toookey]

The Roosters have lost Ikavalu, J Morris, B Morris and brought in Watson, Momorovski and Naiqama. I wouldn't necessarily assume that these signings have a bearing on Manu's future

I think it does though.
Momo, Billy, Sualli and Manu is too many 1st grade centres for a team. While the other two are probably on about 350k combined, having Manu and Momo on a combined 1.15 mil is crazy money for two centres, especially when your paying about 1.9 mil for Keary and Teddy. That’s literally about 3.3 mil of a 9.5mil cap on 6 players.

Then you have the rest of the big names - Tupou, Radley, Angus, JWH, Taukaiho, Sam Walker, Watson, Collins…

 

[Tianasnow14]

The roosters halves depth for 2022.

Sam walker, Luke Keary, Lachlan Lam, Drew Hutchinson, Adam Keighran in an emergency I'm guessing. Unless they have another shocker in terms of injuries next year, I don't see where Manu gets a turn in the halves. He's not playing fullback ahead of tedesco. Suaali is their future fullback. I just don't see how it makes sense for Manu to stay.

I'm not saying he comes to us. But it doesn't make sense to stay if he wants to play in the spine permanently and get pay a mil.

 

[ajofbrisbane]

I wonder what the legalities around some of this are? For example he would know what the Warriors are prepared to pay Manu, wouldn’t this almost be insider trading for the Dolphins?

Warriors signed him on after he was booted out of the NRL for betting on games. He doesn’t sound like the type of bloke who has many scruples let alone is afraid of doing the wrong thing to get ahead.

If I was the Warriors I’d be going through all of the agreements he’s done to check they’re not in jeopardy.

 

[Aman]

Damn so we’ve just been paying POS for 3 years just in time for him to switch to a new franchise to bring over all of his new targets and completely rape the NZ talent market?

this is rough, real rough. It feels like your missus left you and then posted photos of her new man the next day.

I need time to recover from this.

 

[Wheels]

Damn so we’ve just been paying POS for 3 years just in time for him to switch to a new franchise to bring over all of his new targets and completely rape the NZ talent market?

this is rough, real rough. It feels like your missus left you and then posted photos of her new man the next day.

I need time to recover from this.

I was thinking the same. It feels like we come home and we don't have any furniture when we were expecting a new couch to be delivered! I am hoping that playing for the Warriors because we are the only NZ team and looking to win our first premiership might be motivation for some players....

 

[warriorsfan92]

Don’t think we need to be pessimistic. Remember, he was released one year early. We didn’t have to. There’ll DEFINITELY be clauses in the contract that won’t allow dolphins to make a play on the players we’ve approached. That’s literally insider info & they can just offer slightly more and be successful. That’s just my opinion though, there’ll be clauses and laws associated with the early release for sure.

 

[Wrighty]

Don’t think we need to be pessimistic. Remember, he was released one year early. We didn’t have to. There’ll DEFINITELY be clauses in the contract that won’t allow dolphins to make a play on the players we’ve approached. That’s literally insider info & they can just offer slightly more and be successful. That’s just my opinion though, there’ll be clauses and laws associated with the early release for sure.

That's not what the article earlier in this thread says??? The article said POS would potentially be going after some Warriors targets on behalf of the Dolphins.

 

[Wrighty]

Panthers eyeing up Tex Hoy. I had my eye on him as a recruit.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

That's not what the article earlier in this thread says??? The article said POS would potentially be going after some Warriors targets on behalf of the Dolphins.

Can you find that quote now? I have a feeling it has been edited out of previously released articles.

 

[Nangsy]

How about Volkman from Roosters, Huge potential. They also have 5 halves on their books.

 

[AlexM]

Can you find that quote now? I have a feeling it has been edited out of previously released articles.

period, with clubs allowed to begin talks and submit offers to players who are off contract in 12 months' time.
It means that O'Sullivan will be discussing deals with prospects who he had originally earmarked for the Warriors.
"[There are] some that are certainly going to cross over, there is no doubt about it," O'Sullivan told Newstalk ZB. "Then there are some that are going to come into play that weren't in play."
It's a spanner in the works for the Warriors.

 

[j-bob]

I will say it.
What a stink cu**.
now he is targeting players that he has worked with on our time for the new club.
That’s bullshit and as far as I care he can fuck right off.

 

[Noitall]

I will say it.
What a stink cu**.
now he is targeting players that he has worked with on our time for the new club.
That’s bullshit and as far as I care he can fuck right off.

And as he said, a mate that helped him out in a dark time, or words to the effect in Brown. I’d like to see someone like Flanagan come into the fold as an assistant. Just someone with credentials of a title and a winning roster.