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
-	Jett Cleary	-	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 Fisher-Harris (Panthers), Jett Cleary (Panthers Pathways), Kahu Capper (Roosters Pathways)
2025 Losses: Addin Fonua-Blake (Sharks)
2025 Off Contract: Shaun Johnson, Jazz Tevaga

 

[Noitall]

No where yet but they want him gone this year.

Could be apart of trying to secure Utoikamanu?
Apparently if someone will pick up his full salary they’ll let him go before June 30

 

[Dangerous]

Ive been watching Paps quite a bit this year & hes been terrible!!! He just looks a short slow plodding hobbit & has been terrible in defense. Pretty sure Benji wants him gone tbh.

 

[Worried2Death]

Ive been watching Paps quite a bit this year & hes been terrible!!! He just looks a short slow plodding hobbit & has been terrible in defense. Pretty sure Benji wants him gone tbh.

In that case maybe we should rethink this plan to harvest his offspring

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Ive been watching Paps quite a bit this year & hes been terrible!!! He just looks a short slow plodding hobbit & has been terrible in defense. Pretty sure Benji wants him gone tbh.

Come on CapeWah! Don't be like that. You can both stay and we'll send Tohu?

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Ive been watching Paps quite a bit this year & hes been terrible!!! He just looks a short slow plodding hobbit & has been terrible in defense. Pretty sure Benji wants him gone tbh.

He has seemed disinterested for a while. Not the 1 percenter guy that Webby likes. The Tigers are having a laugh if they expect someone to pick up his full contract.

I was always thought he was an energiser bunny for the Warriors on defence, who was weak on offence. But he has changed.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Get him back and send Capewell their way.

Noooo.. Wait, actually I think Ford. Im ruminating about my Katoa call.

11. Papalii
12. Laban
13. Ale

That could be a monster back row....

 

[Worried2Death]

Noooo.. Wait, actually I think Ford. Im ruminating about my Katoa call.

11. Papalii
12. Laban
13. Ale

That could be a monster back row....

Game's shifting to smaller front rowers with big motors, he fits that bill when he's in good form. Hard to gauge his form at a basket case like the Tigs but if Benji's given up on him it's a red flag. Or is it?

 

[Ever Hopeful]

I could see him in the front row.

Interestingly he has 33 line breaks in his 8 seasons. He averaged 10 a season for the Eels and 2 a season for the Tigers & Warriors.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Game's shifting to smaller front rowers with big motors, he fits that bill when he's in good form. Hard to gauge his form at a basket case like the Tigs but if Benji's given up on him it's a red flag. Or is it?

Also the environment. He has the ability. he just needs the right environment to thrive alongside a couple of young fellas learning their craft. He could really shine.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Papa has youth, okay speed, aggression, ability to hit and stick, and likes an offload. if he gets his head right, he could be a weapon again

 

[Defence]

Papa has youth, okay speed, aggression, ability to hit and stick, and likes an offload. if he gets his head right, he could be a weapon again

Shit didn’t realize he’s still only 25!

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Papalii could be Tohus understudy at lock. He’s a big body, strong defensively & can distribute. A 2026 pack:

Fisher Harris
Egan
Barnett
Ford
Niukore
Papalii

Ale
Zyon Maiu’u
Laben/Capewell

Starts to look pretty strong

 

[Noitall]

Papalii could be Tohus understudy at lock. He’s a big body, strong defensively & can distribute. A 2026 pack:

Fisher Harris
Egan
Barnett
Ford
Niukore
Papalii

Ale
Zyon Maiu’u
Laben/Capewell

Starts to look pretty strong

Tigers fans say he just played his best game in a tigers jersey playing at lock last game. Totally see him as a middle forward now

 

[Leon Black]

Bring Ice back!!!!

Dally M second rower of the year at Eels, struggling at a terrible roster, who wouldn’t, age 25? No brainer, send Ford the other way every day if the week. Tohu only got 1 season left in him, after 2025. ???

Niukore either injured or suspended, Capewell has been a bust… makes perfect sense. Sure we have young guns but can’t rely on them all the time. If he plays at his Eels level form, ball running beast.

It’s a massive YES from me.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

The reality that all of our top rookies going on to become good to great players in the NRL are going to be very slim. In reality, it would be a huge success if we were able to have two of them reach the heights that Papalii has.

So, if we have to lose one of those guys to get Papalii home I'm all for it. And his price tag right now is going to be better for us, so if Webby thinks he can get Papalii back to his best for us and we only pay him $600k, that's a huge get imo

 

[defensivebomb]

Not a massive fan of Papalii after he got done for drink driving while he was earmarked as a leader, then had his rut playing for us, only to improve through the roof as soon as he left. Then he had that long drawn out process of second thinking his move to the Tigers, which I thought was disrespectful

He has huge potential and is talented, but feels like the type of player we’ve often had playing for us - talented, highly paid underachievers

I wouldn’t want the club to risk big money on the assumption that we’d be getting the best version of him

 

[Noitall]

Papali’i last start at lock, and first time this year
80 minutes
2 tries
2 line breaks
8 tackle breaks
36 tackles 4 misses
152m- 144 hit up metres

That’s where I’d be playing him

 

[Worried2Death]

Papali’i last start at lock, and first time this year
80 minutes
2 tries
2 line breaks
8 tackle breaks
36 tackles 4 misses
152m- 144 hit up metres

That’s where I’d be playing him

Is he a better 13 prospect than Tom Ale? Yes at this stage.

 

[Muddogz]

Ice is a two time dally M edge backrower you’d play him there. His best is better than anyone not named Fifita. It’s a no-brainer if we can afford him

 

[shuffle]

For me I didn’t want him back but I didn’t realise he was only 25! Could easily transition to the front row and has heaps of experience! If it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg sure bring him back. But it maybe at the cost of one of our young Wahs. I’m thinking Sifakula, Halasima or Ale.