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

 

[kos]

I'd like the club to provide a job for Jazz too (if they don't renew his contract). He has (and continues to serve us well)

Odd.
They have had five years to run the rule over Setu
One could arguably say Mgt is more of a centre than Rts.
Having said all that I like Setu but hope Mgr doesn’t pinched from us.

 

[CWC]

Wow 26? I was expecting some winger around 20/21....

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Wow 26? I was expecting some winger around 20/21....

My assumption is Kosi is gone soon. Then Monty & DWZ next year.

 

[Worried2Death]

My assumption is Kosi is gone soon. Then Monty & DWZ next year.

You mean Dal gone 2026?

 

[kos]

Wow 26? I was expecting some winger around 20/21....

There’s more teams now
I expect the average age of signings is creeping up
Newcastle brought a guy called I think David Anderson to replace injured Ponga first first grade game at 26stc.
Cronulla brought up a similar age guy when Trindall fell out of first grade due to brush with the law - his first grade game at 26/27
There will heaps of others - just remember the Newcastle and Sharks guys cause they came in and were actually remarkably good players
So there is gems to be found in that age bracket

 

[Viking]

There’s more teams now
I expect the average age of signings is creeping up
Newcastle brought a guy called I think David Anderson to replace injured Ponga first first grade game at 26stc.
Cronulla brought up a similar age guy when Trindall fell out of first grade due to brush with the law - his first grade game at 26/27
There will heaps of others - just remember the Newcastle and Sharks guys cause they came in and were actually remarkably good players
So there is gems to be found in that age bracket

If you're thinking of Dave Armstrong who replaced Ponga at fullback then he's 23. Signed an extension with the Knights after scoring a hatrick against the Titans but backflipped to go to Leigh Leopards on big money next year. Got torched by the Dogs in his last game before injury too.

The oldest debutant in the backs this year would be Trey Fuller at 27 I think.

 

[Defence]

Is setu's deal multiyear or is it just to fill out the squad for this year as a bit of a reward for persistence?

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Him jumping Moala Graham-Taufa would be extremely odd.
Keep in mind that ZeroTackle incorrectly listed Tyronne Roberts-Davis as a Warriors squad member throughout the entire 2021 season which had zero substance

It's only for this season. You would imagine Taufa get in next year.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Posted in SJs thread too but possibly relevant here.

Announcement coming on Thursday


View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9J1WguJ61k/?igsh=ZHg2c2dubXZ0ZTg=

Maybe he'll be tucking his t shirt in properly?

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Went and had a look how his tackle efficiency stacks up against our first grade wingers. Tu tackles at 81%, though in a lower grade in nsw cup. DWZ tackles at 80% but shocked to see Montoya tackles at 66%

That's still a pass mark. Hehe. Probably a C but technically that's 2 out of 3

 

[Worried2Death]

That's still a pass mark. Hehe. Probably a C but technically that's 2 out of 3

Hopefully his D has improved since his famous diabolical effort in the 9's, I'd love to see him excel and lock down an edge spot now he's paid his dues, can't coach speed.

 

[Spence]

Hopefully his D has improved since his famous diabolical effort in the 9's, I'd love to see him excel and lock down an edge spot now he's paid his dues, can't coach speed.

Was that maybe Ravutaumada?

 

[Worried2Death]

Was that maybe Ravutaumada?

He might have been there, I remember Setu getting burned tho, and Stace master coaching them to stop being shit

 

[Five&Last]

Zero Tackle isn't a reliable source.

If Setu was regarded that highly we would've seen him creeping onto team lists.

He's not an NRL player imo. Strong on his feet but makes terrible reads and really low IQ plays.

MGT would be next cab off the rank.

 

[Cces]

Zero Tackle isn't a reliable source.

If Setu was regarded that highly we would've seen him creeping onto team lists.

He's not an NRL player imo. Strong on his feet but makes terrible reads and really low IQ plays.

MGT would be next cab off the rank.

I share your skepticism of ZeroTackle but Blake Ayshford confirmed it on the radio. I know he's not in the inner sanctum but last year he also confirmed Pompey's re-signing before any official word from the club

 

[Five&Last]

I share your skepticism of ZeroTackle but Blake Ayshford confirmed it on the radio. I know he's not in the inner sanctum but last year he also confirmed Pompey's re-signing before any official word from the club

Okay extremely weird decision from Cappy then...

Can't get around that at all.

 

[JaggedJ]

If MGT is seen purely as a centre then fair enough, makes sense.

Curious if it means Montoya's injury is a little more serious than first thought. I assume Kosi will be first cab off the rank (ugh) if Montoya isn't fit. If not then it's probably the end of the line for Kosi.

 

[Five&Last]

If MGT is seen purely as a centre then fair enough, makes sense.

Curious if it means Montoya's injury is a little more serious than first thought. I assume Kosi will be first cab off the rank (ugh) if Montoya isn't fit. If not then it's probably the end of the line for Kosi.

His background is on the wing, he's transitioned to centre in the last year or two.

So can play both

 

[Makasene]

His background is on the wing, he's transitioned to centre in the last year or two.

So can play both

RTS to left wing

MGT to centre should be the play

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

I thought the top 30 was based on the 30 highest paid players in the club rather than the 30 best players. It just happens that in most cases your 30 best are you highest paid.

If it’s just filling a gap at the end of a season and the guys been here a long time he might just be on slightly more than the younger guys where there’s a whole group all paid very similar.

It might be better to not increase anyone’s pay and let a senior NSW player fill a spot rather than create distortions and pick winners from a group of minimum wage players.

In summary, filling the last roster spot may be a pay administrative thing rather than any indication of talent.