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	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔	✔
10	Tohu Harris	✔	✔
11	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔	M
12	Shaun Johnson	✔
13	Edward Kosi	✔	✔
14	Jacob Laban	✔	✔	✔
15	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔
16	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔	✔
17	Zyon Maiu’u	✔	✔	✔
18	Te Maire Martin	✔	✔
19	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔	✔
20	Marcelo Montoya	✔	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔	✔
23	Adam Pompey	✔	✔
24	Demitric Sifakula	✔	✔	C
25	Jazz Tevaga	✔
26	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
27	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔	✔
28	Dylan Walker	✔	✔
29	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔
D1	Ben Farr	D
D2	Etuane Fukofuka	D
D3	Patrick Moimoi	D
D4	Tanner Stowers-Smith	D	D
-	Jett Cleary	-	D	D	D
-	James Fisher-Harris	-	✔	✔	✔	✔
-	Kalani Going	-	D
-	Motu Pasikala	-	✔	✔	✔

key: C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, D = Development contract

Confirmed Top 30 2024: 29/30
Confirmed Development 2024: 4/6

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 28/30
Confirmed Development 2025: 4/6

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

 

[MrFrankWhite]

1 thing that never fails is people are very quick to write off a player/coach. I still remember everyone being happy he extended his contract lol

And I was one of those people. Things can change quickly. The future of the club must always come first.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I fell like everytime a Warriors great gets to retirement, a lot of fans internalize it...

Tohu will never reach the end of his usefulness as a man, but EVERY player reaches the end of their usefulness at the club..

 

[Beastmode]

I fell like everytime a Warriors great gets to retirement, a lot of fans internalize it...

Tohu will never reach the end of his usefulness as a man, but EVERY player reaches the end of their usefulness at the club..

I think his value has diminished but not to the point of retirement. Webby needs to manage his workload better and not burn him to the ground. He’s not a young buck that can go 80 every week

 

[Wrighty]

Wrighty, Evan's debuted in Round 5 & then played in 10 of the next 12 games (6 starts) in the lead up to writing that on his wrist, when he was 18th man! The bloke wasn't hard done by, he was mentally unstable as shown by his 2 Sin Bins in 30 minutes!

Come at me

 

[Makasene]

Regarding Jazz I believe he has a future at the Warriors as a mentor at NSW Cup outside the top 30. He is a proven success for young Polynesian/Maori players from the suburbs and young players will recognise and trspect that. If needed he can play first grafe when the restrictions end.

Yes I thought they should give him the same deal as Kalani Going, which is to play NSW Cup as a leader.

Jazz has upped his game though since returning from injury, he is playing better than that role at the moment and should really be looking at a Super League contract if he can get it. He might not want it though.

 

[Inruin]

Yep, last year he was in the trifecta of 'irreplaceables.' Time does catch up, but I agree that less minutes are the way forward. Particularly if it means a dynamic spell at 13 from Walker.

Does a spell = 60 minutes?

Then yes

 

[CWC]

Might have been Yeo’s pass or link play chain got intercepted by DCE last night and they scored a long range try from that, i thought that was so Tohu’s play lol. that’s the type of plays he needs to work on to avoid issues, cuz that’s the link play he does most of the time in slow mo recently

 

[Lets Eat (YeahNah)]

Marty Taupau on the outski

Possible cheap contract for a big boy off the bench

 

[Dantheman]

Marty Taupau on the outski

Possible cheap contract for a big boy off the bench

No thanks, would rather re-sign Jazz than go down that route.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

1 thing that never fails is people are very quick to write off a player/coach. I still remember everyone being happy he extended his contract lol

No one’s writing him off I don’t think, however he hasn’t performed at the level he did last season and, perhaps more importantly, Dylan Walker has been playing really well - his play the ball speed looks to me to be light years ahead of Tohu right now.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Yeah, nah

Jazz has enough trouble playing the ball correctly and not dropping it. Ball playing skill is below par - even he admits it. Can’t pass to save his life.

What I love about Jazz is his charisma. I’d follow him into battle any day. The guy does not shy away from battle or a fight

Those are admirable qualities until you have to do repeat sets on defence

 

[run_it_str8_again]

One thing I've noticed is that player's form dips and spikes or plateaus. Jazz. Marcelo. Bunty are all examples of such. I believe using this formula shows that as a coach Webby is trying simply to get the best out of each player and that it takes time to work that out with all of the contributing variables like age, injuries - current and historic, team construction.

So due to those three blokes coming into form I would back Webby and staff to get all of our players on form all at once at some point and then kill everyone and win the comp.

 

[Kav1]

Are the warriors going to keep Jazz for 2025 and beyond?

Would love all thoughts on this quiet week.

For me he adds so much more than just his impact off the bench. But also i think the kids pushing underneath

J F Harris
M Barnett
M Niukore
B Afoa
T Harris
T Ale
D Walker

Like Sifakula, Zyon Maiu’u, T S Smith. Could all do with some NRL Time in between Injuries and suspensions. We need to see some growth in these three kids ASAP for me.

I will miss his energy but also I think Tom Ale is ready to step into that role.

Thoughts?

Jazz is doing a superb job off the bench. He was out with injury for most of last season so should have another year in him at least.

 

[Kav1]

Those are admirable qualities until you have to do repeat sets on defence

He creates impact off the bench on both attack and defence.

 

[CWC]

To be fair Jazz was doing well before last year's serious injury, then the way he finished the year (and how much pain he had while getting shockwave treatment in the Warriors video) proved that was actually more of a tendon injury than a calf muscle, and he admitted his body couldn't do what he wanted

This year he's healthy again and was doing ok until he went into beast mode in the Manly game before the hammy virus got him, now he's in form again and outside the dumb challenge he's been valuable to the game. With all the injury toll I'd keep these guys around if possible at reasonable $, he was injured before, not passing by his expiry date

 

[Kav1]

Regarding Jazz I believe he has a future at the Warriors as a mentor at NSW Cup outside the top 30. He is a proven success for young Polynesian/Maori players from the suburbs and young players will recognise and trspect that. If needed he can play first grafe when the restrictions end.

How about defense coach for women's team?

 

[Muddogz]

A lot depends on how Webster wants to play. We have a bunch of promising forwards but none are a like for like replacement for Jazz. Going would be the closest but there’s a big difference in quality there.

If he wants to go bigger in the middle then you would be looking at letting Jazz go. I think he’s played some pretty good football this season and last and has been hampered by injury. If he stays fit he’ll come home strong.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Jazz is doing a superb job off the bench. He was out with injury for most of last season so should have another year in him at least.

Definitely agree he's playing well but is that enough. I guess the answer will come next week perhaps?

SJ back, TMM to five eight, CHT to 14, Walker to 17.

That leaves two spots and we have Capewell on the bench this weekend.

Jazz and Ale left. One has to drop.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

He creates impact off the bench on both attack and defence.

Good point Kav1. I'm just a jilted observer with criticism issues towards him.

I fell like everytime a Warriors great gets to retirement, a lot of fans internalize it...

Tohu will never reach the end of his usefulness as a man, but EVERY player reaches the end of their usefulness at the club..

True bro. Every time we fail to win the comp and another player who has bled for us retires or leaves or even dies..... There is a sense of grief that will finally be released when our captain whoever that be, raises the trophy on stage for our maiden premiership

 

[kos]

Come at me

View attachment 7716

Kane Evan’s and Jack Hetherington
Birds out of the same box
But Jacks changed he had too