Recruitment And Retention Discussion

There's an article in the Herald about our pursuit of Marata Niukore.
If anyone with an account could give a run down, it would be much appreciated.
 
Niukore is depth. He will firm up our bench. Doesnt and couldn't replace Frizell. Frizell is a leader and until very recently was a career SOO player. Niukore playing Cup currently.

He will lift the mean capability of the players outside of our 13, hopefully it gets done cheap.
 
Les Misérables said:
Niukore is depth. He will firm up our bench. Doesnt and couldn't replace Frizell. Frizell is a leader and until very recently was a career SOO player. Niukore playing Cup currently.

He will lift the mean capability of the players outside of our 13, hopefully it gets done cheap.
Click to expand...
Only reason he is playing cup is because he’s coming back from injury, will be straight into the team when he is match fit
 
So how do we see our pack next year if we land Niukore. I'm Hoping for something like...

Safiti
Crossland
Hopwood
Lucas
McEwen
Manuleleua

Utility / backup hooker
Mooney
Niukore
ESL
 
Lynchyknight said:
Only reason he is playing cup is because he’s coming back from injury, will be straight into the team when he is match fit
Click to expand...
Would Saifiti, Frizell or Lucas play cup coming back from injury? He's in Cup because he doesnt add as much value to that team as our senior players add to ours.

Returning from long term injury through Cup is for the young guys, almost exclusively, with the exception being for fringe FG mature players. Also not saying Niukore is a fringe FG'r.
 
I notice Kyle McCarthy's profile was added back to the firstgrade list after his good game in Cup last week.
I had a look at the signings tracker on nrl.com and he is back in our list, but he is the only one on the list with no year's mentioned - not even 2026
 
Billy said:
I notice Kyle McCarthy's profile was added back to the firstgrade list after his good game in Cup last week.
I had a look at the signings tracker on nrl.com and he is back in our list, but he is the only one on the list with no year's mentioned - not even 2026
Click to expand...

Probably sums up where he’s at, at the moment.
A solid Cup performer on the verge of first grade, but not quite there just yet.

Just turned 22 - so happy to give him some time. But I fear some of the younger guys are going to start coming through over him soon. Imo, De Courcey had an opportunity to pip him in the pecking order in pre season trials, but couldn’t capitalise.

Wonder if he’s capable of a Ben Trbojevic off season muscle up.
 
Les Misérables said:
Would Saifiti, Frizell or Lucas play cup coming back from injury? He's in Cup because he doesnt add as much value to that team as our senior players add to ours.

Returning from long term injury through Cup is for the young guys, almost exclusively, with the exception being for fringe FG mature players. Also not saying Niukore is a fringe FG'r.
Click to expand...
Yeah team needs play a big part here. As I said elsewhere his best asset is that he hits like a truck with his first up contact, if you go up and down the roster that’s not an attribute they’re short on at all. They just blunted Canberra’s go forward really well without Marata in the team.

For us, if he was in our squad, I’m pretty confident he’d be in the starting lineup at lock, as while guys like Croker, Saulo, Cant etc are wholehearted, I don’t think opposing middles are particularly sad to be running at them.
 
2027 could shape up like:

8. Saifiti
9. Crossland
10. Mooney
11. Lucas
12. McEwen
13. Niukore

14. Graham
15. Frizell*
16. Croker/Cant/Saulo
17. Hopwood/ESL/Manulelelua
 
MattyM said:
2027 could shape up like:

8. Saifiti
9. Crossland
10. Mooney
11. Lucas
12. McEwen
13. Niukore

14. Graham
15. Frizell*
16. Croker/Cant/Saulo
17. Hopwood/ESL/Manulelelua
Click to expand...
I reckon Manuleleua may be starting ahead of McEwen at some point. McEwen's progression has been solid but his on the ball efforts are almost non-existant when he's focusing on his defence. We need more than that from our starting backrowers tbf.

Maybe Manulelua is capable of that maybe he isnt
 
Les Misérables said:
I reckon Manuleleua may be starting ahead of McEwen at some point. McEwen's progression has been solid but his on the ball efforts are almost non-existant when he's focusing on his defence. We need more than that from our starting backrowers tbf.

Maybe Manulelua is capable of that maybe he isnt
Click to expand...
Yeah, well if Manuleleua is consistent enough with his footy and his fitness improves it wouldn’t surprise me. Had a great opening game in cup and McEwen has still been rocks and diamonds IMO.
 
I do expect more from McEwen today, less than 50 metres when you start the game and play most of it is not quality, I wanna see this aggressive ball runner people told me about
 
The runs McEwen did take were very sharp though, picked out the half and generated quick play the balls. Runs a very good unders line too which is part of why the attack down the right looked so promising. Not overly worried about a 20 year old back rower who’s still finding his feet in first grade, who’s been asked to defend on the more difficult side, ending a game having run 50 metres if he’s nailing the fundamentals of what we want a starting edge forward to do. And I thought he was.

I don’t see a player underperforming, I see a smart coach asking for the right things from an inexperienced player.

I can’t pretend I’ve seen a lot of Manulelua over a full game but I’ve heard mixed things about his defensive work rate & other fundamentals, happy to stick with Jermaine there for now. Being way too talented for reserve graders doesn’t automatically mean he’ll make the NRL team better.
 
Hey All, warriors fan here.

I think Marata will be a good pick up for you guys if it’s for the right money. We signed him off the back of a GF appearance with parra and first kiwis selection, hence the big contract which he has never really lived up to over here. We’ve tried turning him into a middle forward as he’s lost a lot of lateral mobility over the past few seasons which has seen him get caught out many times playing on the edge.

The reason where happy to let him go is because we’ve got a large group of young forwards who have broken out into the NRL and are putting pressure on him to retain his position. If you land him in the 350-450k range it would be good business.
 
NightsForever11 said:
Hey All, warriors fan here.

I think Marata will be a good pick up for you guys if it’s for the right money. We signed him off the back of a GF appearance with parra and first kiwis selection, hence the big contract which he has never really lived up to over here. We’ve tried turning him into a middle forward as he’s lost a lot of lateral mobility over the past few seasons which has seen him get caught out many times playing on the edge.

The reason where happy to let him go is because we’ve got a large group of young forwards who have broken out into the NRL and are putting pressure on him to retain his position. If you land him in the 350-450k range it would be good business.
Click to expand...
Great summary of Niukore's position at the moment.

Warriors young forwards are the best crop in the comp alongside the Dragons IMO, difference being the Warriors have some older rep-standard forwards to fit into their pack as well.

Niukore would be a good pickup for us at the right price and I wouldn't be shocked if the Warriors were open to letting him move this season.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top