Now that the week’s drama over whether Addin Fonua-Blake will remain with the Warriors is over, for next season at least, the club can get back to finalising their roster for 2024.
With the departures of Josh Curran, Bayley Sironen, Brayden Williame and Viliame Vailea, a few spots on the club’s 30-man roster have opened for Andrew McFadden, the club’s general manager of recruitment, retention and pathways to explore.
There could be other vacancies as Stuff has heard two other players are considering asking to leave the Warriors for compassionate reasons but haven’t informed the club yet.
If they were to ask, Warriors management would take some convincing to let them go.
Regardless of this, the key target for McFadden is to sign an experienced forward.
It wouldn’t necessarily be someone in the superstar bracket, but a player with miles under the belt, who the club can be confident will do a good job.
But while they’re looking to strengthen the squad with acquisitions, they don’t want to block the progress of the young exciting players coming through.
There is a balance to be found. Young players need to get first-grade experience, but the club also need to pick up two points each weekend.
The Warriors want to give opportunities to young players, but also want to capitalise on the momentum of the 2023 season and if they can bring someone in who can add to the team right now, they’ll do that.
But it has also got to be the right person for the squad and fit in with the dynamics. No more Kane Evans type signings, thanks very much.
Zyon Maiu’u is highly rated and even had the Knights wanting to have him on loan last season, which the Warriors rejected.
He had a great NSW Cup campaign and is sure to make his NRL debut next year, but at the age of 19, still has a fair bit to learn before he’s ready to play a full season at NRL level.
Fellow forward Demitric Sifakula is coming back from a knee reconstruction, so it’s more likely he could be a regular in the NRL team in 2025 as he won’t be back until midway through next year, and it traditionally takes longer for forwards to get over his type of injury.
There’s also the issue of what to do with Ronald Volkman, who is signed through to the end of 2025, but is clearly the fifth-ranked half in the squad for 2024.
The club could look at reaching an agreement where he goes out on loan next year and returns to the Warriors in 2025. By then, either Shaun Johnson or Luke Metcalf would have left.
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