The elephant in the room for the Warriors is how to replace the best paid prop in the game in Addin Fonua-Blake who is looking to return to Australia after 2024.
Meanwhile, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s return could spark growing pains as he builds combinations with his teammates in a new position at centre.
And the Warriors have no shortage of halves partners for Shaun Johnson, but who gets the No.6 jersey and who replaces the No.7 when he retires are huge unknowns.
Read on for Warriors’ State of Play.
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NRL releases full 2024 season draw | 02:31
2023 FINISH: (4th W16, L8 *Preliminary final)
COACHES: Andrew Webster
In his first season with the club Andrew Webster restored pride in the jersey and built them from a cellar dweller team into a top four side in 2023. Webster was a deserved winner of the Dally M coach of the year award after guiding the Warriors to within a game of the NRL grand final in his first season at the helm. His ability to not only get the best out of veteran halfback Shaun Johnson, whose career was at a crossroads, but guide him to within a whisker of taking out the Dally M Medal spoke volumes of his coaching credentials. Getting the best out of a playing group that has been the underachievers for so long is the biggest vote of confidence in Webster’s ability. However, the Warriors won’t be taken lightly next season and will be the hunted as opposed to the hunters, so they will have to be ready if they want to remain a top four team and compete for the title in 2024. Webster will be helped by his three assistants, club legend Stacey Jones, Justin Morgan and Richard Agar.
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2024 squad: Adam Pompey (2025), Addin Fonua-Blake (2026), Ali Leiataua (2025), Bunty Afoa (2025), Chanel Harris-Tavita (2025, MO 2026), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (2025), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (2025), Demitric Sifakula (2025, CO 2026), Dylan Walker (2025), Edward Kosi (2025), Freddy Lussick (2024), Jackson Ford (2024), Jacob Laban (2024), Jazz Tevaga (2024), Luke Metcalf (2024), Marata Niukore (2026), Marcelo Montoya (2025), Mitchell Barnett (2025), Rocco Berry (2024), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (2026), Ronald Volkman (2025), Shaun Johnson (2024), Taine Tuaupiki (2025), Te Maire Martin (2025), Tohu Harris (2025), Tom Ale (2025), Wayde Egan (2025), Zyon Maiu’u (2024)
Development players: Ben Farr (2024), Etuate Fukofuka (2024), Patrick Moimoi (2024), Sanele Aukusitino (2024), Selumiela Halasima (2026), Tanner Stowers-Smith (2024)
PLAYERS IN: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (rugby union), Chanel Harris-Tavita (gap year)
The Warriors haven’t made many moves in the player market, but their two signings for 2024 could be game-changers for the club. Former skipper Roger Tuivasa-Sheck returns to the Warriors and is set to play centre in 2024, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad holding onto the No.1 jersey. If there was an area the Warriors could improve from last season it would be their lack of a strike centre and although it is a new position for Tuivasa-Sheck in rugby league, he did play it in rugby union and his skills and talent should hold him in good stead. However, Tuivasa-Sheck turns 31 next year and it remains to be seen if he can get back to his brilliant best after two years out of the game. Chanel Harris-Tavita also returns after a gap year in 2023 and adds to the club’s already impressive depth in the halves. Harris-Tavita could be the heir to Shaun Johnson’s No.7 jersey when he hangs up the boots. The 24-year-old can play both halfback and five-eighth as well as hooker, so his versatility provides Webster with options in the playmaking department.
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PLAYERS OUT: Viliame Vailea (Cowboys), Bayley Sironen (Catalans Dragons), Brayden Wiliame (retired), Josh Curran (Bulldogs), Valingi Kepu (released)
WHERE THEY NEED TO IMPROVE: Front row
Mitchell Barnett and Addin Fonua-Blake did a great job for the Warriors upfront last season, but the former is a second-rower and the latter will be leaving the club after the 2024 season due to family reasons. Barnett has the potential to blossom into an excellent front-rower, but he is a makeshift option at this stage of his career. And when Fonua-Blake moves on it will leave a massive hole in their front row stocks that will be difficult to fill. Prop is definitely an area where the Warriors can improve their depth and they will be hoping some of their youngsters can have breakout seasons in 2024 or they will have to go to market given prop is such a specialised and important position.
WHO THEY COULD SIGN: Prop
With the club lacking elite front-rowers amid Fonua-Blake’s impending departure, the Warriors will be on the lookout for a replacement. However, on the flip side, Fonua-Blake is one of the game’s highest paid props and his departure should free up salary cap space to go after one or two quality players. Unfortunately, at this stage there are not a lot of like for like replacements on the open market for 2025. Sharks front-rower Braden Hamlin-Ule is an option as his deal expires in 2024, but he will be 30 in 2025. Jacob Saifiti is still only 27 and has played 142 NRL games, two Origins for the Blues and seven Tests for Fiji. Saifiti is reportedly a chance of being squeezed out of the Knights due to salary cap pressure and could make the switch across the Tasman. A reunion with former Knights teammate Barnett could soften the international move away and Saifiti still has some of his best rugby league ahead of him. If the Warriors could land one or both of those players it would go some way to making up for the huge loss of Fonua-Blake in the engine room.
PLAYER UNDER MOST PRESSURE: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is a club legend and former skipper, who has very little left to prove in rugby league, but returning from two years in rugby union presents its own unique pressure. The 30-year-old has scored 58 tries in 195 games for the Roosters and Warriors and won a premiership on the wing in 2013 in just his second season. However, despite winning a Dally M Medal in 2018, Tuivasa-Sheck was never able to see the Warriors achieve success as a team while he was at the club. Winning a maiden title for the Warriors would be the icing on the cake of a great career and it is probably his final frontier as a player in the NRL. The added pressure of playing a new position of centre will also present its own challenges and striking up combinations with the other players as he comes into a winning team. Given his talent and commitment one would back Tuivasa-Sheck to handle the pressure and live up to the hype, but there could be growing pains.
YOUNG GUN TO WATCH: Luke Metcalf
The Warriors had no shortage of options to partner Shaun Johnson in the halves last season, but arguably the most impressive was Luke Metcalf. He may be 24, but Metcalf has only played 19 games of NRL since his debut in 2021 for the Sharks due to persistent and nagging injuries. However, 12 of those games came in his first year at the Warriors in 2023 and he scored six tries before injury cruelly cut short his season. Metcalf has the combination of speed and footwork to be the perfect foil for Johnson in the halves and if he can get his body right he could beat both Te Maire Martin and Chanel Harris-Tavita to the No.6 jersey. Metcalf also enters a contract year in 2024 and will be motivated to prove he is worth a new deal to stay at the Warriors long-term.
