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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On another topic I think letting go of Sironen was a huge mistake, he is a better hooker than Lussick and I think we are really going to struggle to score points with him on the field, he does’t engage the markers at all and his passing is slow, it allows the opposition to rush our line and we lose all our shape,
He played well in the end, but I understand he was overpaid for what we got. All to do with balancing the cap.
 
Why can't we groom our own NAS or Ben Te Kura through our own pathways. We comstantly read articles about the warriors signing a great prospect 16 year old who plays second row and lock, why don't we have anyone in SG Ball or Flegg who is a hulking prop. Tanners Stowers Smith was our hope for a while but he is only 183cms and 101kgs. And yes size does matter for props, most of the elite props are big units even though people point out exceptions to that rule. There will always be exceptions but exceptions don't disprove a rule.
Where are our big units? We are New Zealand, we must be able to develop some or do all the other australian clubs nab the biggest teenagers first?
All playing union or yeah nabbed by other clubs. I see the Broncos picked up the young West Coaster Antonio Verhoeven last week, 198cm at age 16. A southern NRL franchise would presumably help keep more South Island kids in NZ but Broncs are always going to be an attractive draw too.
 
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Where are our big units? We are New Zealand, we must be able to develop some or do all the other australian clubs nab the biggest teenagers first?
We have the luxury of watching a brilliant big man like NAS most weeks but finding someone that is his size & has anything above an average career is like finding a needle in a haystack. Ben Te Kura hasn't achieved anything. Sam Lousi had the same physical dimensions as NAS & was a huge underachiever. Isaac Matalavea-Booth is another monster who has had big fanfare at the Titans & Dogs but is yet to debut at 22 years old. Franklin Pele (albeit 10cm shorter at 1.90m) has already been shipped to Super League by an NRL club devoid of decent middles.
Rodney Tuipulotu Vea is our genuinely big guy coming through but, as shown by the Panthers, bigger isn't necessarily better
 
Also regarding Taumalolo, he finished the game playing a bare 22 minutes for 58m. Not sure what’s going on here but could a move be on the cards in the near future?
I wouldn't be happy paying $1m/season for that kind of output myself...
Not sure who to blame here, JT for obviously being greedy (TBF, it's not JT's job to think about the Cowboys' finances or future, only his family's) or the Cowboys Recruitment Manager for not thinking "hang on, his body's going to catch up with him at some point, let's just make this 7 seasons..."
 
We have the luxury of watching a brilliant big man like NAS most weeks but finding someone that is his size & has anything above an average career is like finding a needle in a haystack. Ben Te Kura hasn't achieved anything. Sam Lousi had the same physical dimensions as NAS & was a huge underachiever. Isaac Matalavea-Booth is another monster who has had big fanfare at the Titans & Dogs but is yet to debut at 22 years old. Franklin Pele (albeit 10cm shorter at 1.90m) has already been shipped to Super League by an NRL club devoid of decent middles.
Rodney Tuipulotu Vea is our genuinely big guy coming through but, as shown by the Panthers, bigger isn't necessarily better
Good point on Lousi and there have been others. Finding those giants are hard enough, once you find them there is no guarantee they will be able to use thier body correctly.
You also have to find the sweet spot. Jordan Mailata is 2.03m 166kg, played under 20s for the bunnies and was told he’s too big and will never make it in the NRL so went to the NFL.
 
What if we threw a massive contract at Finefeuiaki? Article says he moved to SEQ when he was 11, and he was born in Auckland so likely lived here for 11 years.

He's similar size and height to Tapine so he could be our monster prop for years.

Honestly, we have whiffed on so many big boy young guns over the years (JT twice, NAS in '17, Tino in '19) we surely must be due to win a signing race for one now 🙃

AFB was probably it, but he was closer to his mid-20s while the others were 19-21 so I am not counting him for my argument's sake lol
 
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