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

 

[cock_o]

Dylan comes home to Whangarei as much as he can. Has a heap of childhood friends still there. And 2 that moved in with him last year but got homesick & returned home recently.
He also catches up with Fish frequently when they're home together. I remember watching a insta clip of Jazz's with Dylan, Fish & Temaire pig hunting together.

Edit - Hopefully the wah boy's got into him about coming home. Worked with one of them? Lol

Yes i watched that clip of them pig hunting aswell. Thing Xavier Willison was in it too.

 

[Worried2Death]

Yes i watched that clip of them pig hunting aswell. Thing Xavier Willison was in it too.

This just gets better, got a link to the clip? I'm hoping Cappy was there too with his briefcase and paperwork.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Best cast scenario for is us Hughes goes down (meaning we beat the Storm in the final) but it means TMM and Dyl play in the Kiwis halves, Dyl sees how amazing we are and with JFH coming Nek year, jumps on the band wagon.

Xavier Willison also makes his kiwi debut and comes home in 2026

 

[The Warrior Waka]

This just gets better, got a link to the clip? I'm hoping Cappy was there too with his briefcase and paperwork.

Nah, You're being silly now bro. But, i can confirm Payne Haas & Narhan Cleary were heating up pipi's on the campfire by the tent.

 

[CWC]

They need to take the whole Kiwis team to fishing and hunting at the end of the year

 

[Five&Last]

Dylan comes home to Whangarei as much as he can. Has a heap of childhood friends still there. And 2 that moved in with him last year but got homesick & returned home recently.
He also catches up with Fish frequently when they're home together. I remember watching a insta clip of Jazz's with Dylan, Fish & Temaire pig hunting together.

Edit - Hopefully the wah boy's got into him about coming home. Worked with one of them? Lol

That one is at a different stage of life. And honestly he's a completely different person to Brown off the field based on what he puts out on socials

Can't see Brown giving up the nightlife and attention he gets in Sydney

 

[Boston Boy]

I think Brown is good. Good defense but is more of a supporting half. You will still need your main playmaker. I’m not sure a supporting half should take $1m of the salary cap. If you don’t think he’s a supporting half check out how Parra do without Mitchel Moses. Brown is defensively very sound, very high effort in the 1 percent areas, a decent runner etc but as I don’t have data I would guess and say his attacking numbers are mid to low range among halves. I am open to being wrong. I think he similar to CHT on defense and kicking though he is quicker, but his ball playing isn’t as good a TMM. Also TMM is a good to very good defensive half. I realise he maybe required to complement TMM but that’s how I see him as a player. Would I be wrong to say that he hasn’t really shined when needed for Parra in the absence of Moses yet takes up a huge chunk of the salary. Not a good problem to have.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

That one is at a different stage of life. And honestly he's a completely different person to Brown off the field based on what he puts out on socials

Can't see Brown giving up the nightlife and attention he gets in Sydney

The reason i deleted all my socials is because of the fakeness people portray on social media. As opposed to real life them. Speaking from first hand experiences with family & friends who have a somewhat large following and being a social media influencer. Whatever the fu*k that means. Most of them portray something they're not. When in reality they yearn for something more balanced & real. Sydney , Brisbane & Melbourne are levels above Auckland in the world of "I have more designer shoes than you" and they're stuck in that hole they can't escape.
Auckland' has a bit of that vibe, But you can fu*k off up north and get a dose of realty real quick. Well, In my perspective, A taste of the good life.

The thing is, Aussies don't like to live here because Auckland is seen as a poorer version of Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane. But they never get out of Auckland to see the beauty that lies outside of if.
Most of the Kiwi NRL talent that were raised outside of Auckland know about it. And most like Fisher-Harris come back to raise their families in the beauty that they were raised in.

Dylan may be young, And loving that life. He also knows what NZ offers outside of Auckland. He can have a taste of the nightlife and escape back up north for some much needed grounding.

Don't discount his love for home.

 

[CWC]

Yup for all we know social media could be the PR agents posting for their brands, who knows

 

[sydneywarrior92]

didn't brown get busted for sexual assault and get stood down for half of last season? No doubt he is talented but is this really the type of person we want to bring into our team? Seems to violate the no dickhead policy.

 

[Makasene]

didn't brown get busted for sexual assault and get stood down for half of last season? No doubt he is talented but is this really the type of person we want to bring into our team? Seems to violate the no dickhead policy.

It was for "inappropriate touching" - essentially a grope while on the piss.

It was a 7 match ban.

Not condoning it by any stretch. But, seen a lot worse by some current players on our books...

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Stacey Jones half time speech for the Kiwis.....

Okay hands up who wants to come to the warriors when thier contract is up?

 

[Warriorsfan92]

don't we have enough halves? His failure to stand up during Moses' absence does not impress me.

He’s not a 7. He’s an out and out 6. Tmm is a 7. Those 2 would work very well together imo. Brown is still one of the best halves in the competition.

 

[Makasene]

He’s not a 7. He’s an out and out 6. Tmm is a 7. Those 2 would work very well together imo. Brown is still one of the best halves in the competition.

It's pretty wild the Kiwis halves depth

Hughes
Brown
TMM
SJ
Nikorima
Foran

Crazy to think there was a time we would have to fly a Paul brother back from England to play the next day!

 

[CWC]

Stacey Jones half time speech for the Kiwis.....

Okay hands up who wants to come to the warriors when thier contract is up?

Stacy: "F*** off Jerome"

 

[CWC]

It's pretty wild the Kiwis halves depth

Hughes
Brown
TMM
SJ
Nikorima
Foran

Crazy to think there was a time we would have to fly a Paul brother back from England to play the next day!

You forgot CNK!

 

[Boston Boy]

It's pretty wild the Kiwis halves depth

Hughes
Brown
TMM
SJ
Nikorima
Foran

Crazy to think there was a time we would have to fly a Paul brother back from England to play the next day!

Paul boys @ their peak were pretty good though. I remember if one of the kiwi halves got injured we would have a second rower in at 6. Remember Tohu played six because we had a half injured. Also Nigel V played a running 6 role, which ended up working real well because Nigel was an awesome runner. Now we got some good choice, never have we had such choice that are on par with the Ozzie’s.

 

[JaggedJ]

Paul boys @ their peak were pretty good though. I remember if one of the kiwi halves got injured we would have a second rower in at 6. Remember Tohu played six because we had a half injured. Also Nigel V played a running 6 role, which ended up working real well because Nigel was an awesome runner. Now we got some good choice, never have we had such choice that are on par with the Ozzie’s.

There was a game we beat Australia in the early 2000's and our spine was

1. Vagana
6. Faumuina
7. Tony
9. Betham

Then there was the test where Willie Talau played 6.

There's really no disadvantage to having Stacey as Kiwis coach (unless he downright sucks). With JFH coming, and our arrow pointing up, I have no issues with us using whatever advantages we can to create potential recruits.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Stacy: "F*** off Jerome"

You pesky little c**t!

 

[Shogun]

Regarding TPJ I don't think you should be able to "retire" then sign for another team the next year. Seems like a huge loop hole for anyone who wants out of their club. Maybe Ben Hunt can learn from this.