Recruitment Warriors 2024/2025 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2024/2025 Recruitment & Retention Discussion
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: 25/30
Confirmed Development 2025: 1/6

2025 Gains: Nil
2025 Losses: Addin Fonua-Blake (Sharks)
 
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CHT is Thomas Lealuai from Wish and considering the weekly lamenting of TL when he played for us it's weird how much we try to find ways to wedge CHT into any position we can to get him into the 17 like he's too good to be left out.
Bookmarking this so we can all laugh at you at a later date 😜.
I think some of us me included see a lot of potential in him that may come out under webby and finally in a stable team.
He's shown a lot of heart in the past which is a metric that can't be bought when it comes to fan following 😁
 
If we want a 6 with speed and Metcalf is gone, then Taine could be a prospect, that was one of the things lacking against the top teams this year, RTS will help with his x-factor, RTS+another speedster in the half will be great
 
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Is Tuaupike a contender at 6 after playing there for NZ A. Useful kicker as well. Only one game but his distribution and vision seemed good. Metcalf plays at 6 like a fullback being his major strengths are anticipation and backing up.

I actually think that CHT has a huge upside at 6. His defense is at 2nd row level. He is a natural fit on the left as he is left footed and SJ needs to have someone take some of that field kicking duties off him. Lots of upsides there.
Unsure how he would go there’s but with five genuine half’s on the books, pretty sure Webby won’t be looking to create another makeshift one.
 
I think some of us me included see a lot of potential in him that may come out under webby and finally in a stable team.
He's shown a lot of heart in the past which is a metric that can't be bought when it comes to fan following 😁
Here's hoping for the stability that might help him excel.

CHT to date:

NYC: 39 games 10W/28L/1D
Jersey Flegg: 1 game 1L
Junior Kiwis: 2 games 2L
NSW Cup: 30 games 12W/16L/2D
NRL: 54 games 15W/38L/1D (13W/33L as a starter)
Tests: 7 games 6W
All Stars: 1 game 1W

That's a 33% win rate across those 134 games. He's been a part of a side that's won 2 or more games in a row just 7 times (twice in the NRL) & hasn't had a win streak over 3 games in first grade.
He played a valuable role in helping Samoa make the RLWC Final so by no means is he a lost cause. He's got some very good assets but he isn't a player to build a team around.
 
The issue with CHT is that whenever people talk him up his playmaking is way down the list. Heart, defence, passion, support play, left foot kick blah blah. We need another playmaker.

Issue #2 is that his game never looked different in first grade or NSW Cup. An NRL quality half should look a cut above in NSW Cup, not virtually identical.

He may look better as part of a system, but a players talent is what a players talent is and at no level, first grade, Cup, NYC, has he shown a consistent playmaking game which is what we really need to not only compliment SJ but plan for a future without SJ.
 
Hate to be scroogey on xmas but id say

Forward pack - top 8
Halves - top 8 (based mainly on SJ)
Backs - top 8
Bench - bottom 8
Squad depth - top 8
Coach - top 4

Shit Defence did you find out you were getting a lump of coal for Christmas? Grumpy basterd! 😂😜

But no, to be realistic I don't think anyone was putting any of those categories as top 4 at the beginning of this year.

I feel that top 8 is very middle of the road, so to have our backs with CNK, DWZ, RTS and the Berrysiah listed at top 8 undersells us. I'd probably say top 6.

Our halves with SJ - top 4. Our halves without SJ, bottom 8.

I'd probably have our forward pack as top 6 too - Tohu, AFB, Marata and Capewell are all pretty great players but we lack a little something to list ourselves as top 4 imo.

Bench, who tf knows haha. There will be lots of unproven there in CHT, Ale, Zyon Maiu’u and Laban, but then players like Walker, early season Jazz and Barney are all very good players. To be fair most teams have at least 1 rookie or journeyman on their bench, so I think we won't be any better or worse than most, but just depends how it looks I guess
 
When I first saw CHT, he was playing for the Junior Kiwis in 2018. He did a back heel kick to score a try and dominated that game, I remember saying to myself at the time, this kid is the future of NZ rugby league.


View: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2123260601099799

I think he has a massive celling and feel his x-factor was coached out of him under Brown. Let's hope Webby can bring him back.
 
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When I first saw CHT, he was playing for the Junior Kiwis in 2018. He did a back heel kick to score a try and dominated that game
The Scorpion kick is an all-time Rugby League highlight but it distorts the reality. The side lost by 16 points, he kicked 2/5, apart from that Try Assist he contributed bugger all offensively & was successful with 15 of 22 tackle attempts.
 
I’d add - goal line defence, resilience and the best 7 all year

Resilience has to be the biggest improvement by a country mile.

The massive come from behind game against the Sharks early on in the year.
The Canberra game where we withstood their huge first half.
Being the team who best dealt with sin binnings all year.

There were so many times where we were under the pump this year - scoreboard pressure, bs calls, unfair (and some fair) sinbinnings. Our goal line d despite all of this. I felt we rolled with the punches a lot too, when we had injuries mid game (Egan says hello) we were able to reset and start again.

So many times this year the commentators said something along the lines of "were not used to seeing this from the Warriors" in regards to our never give up attitude.
If we keep that up I'm confident we'll still go really well
 
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