The New Zealand Warriors are a club with plenty of contract questions to answer on the run to the 2025 season getting underway.
The 2023 preliminary finalists who surprised the NRL have found themselves in a position with 13 spots to fill, but they won't know which way they are realistically getting until they get answers over a number of stars futures.
Will Shaun Johnson and Tohu Harris retire is the biggest question facing the Warriors, but then the lesser questions of salary cap to upgrade and extend the likes of Jackson Ford and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, as well as whether they can retain Luke Metcalf, who is sure to be chased by a number of Australian clubs.
That will all pave the way for the Warriors to understand their state of play, something they aren't going to know on November 1, which could make recruitment quite tough for the Auckland-based outfit, not to mention the usual issue around their location.
That said, in this series, Zero Tackle are running the rule over every club and their top five targets for November 1
Current squad for 2025
Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Mitch Barnett, Wayde Egan, Addin Fonua-Blake, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Edward Kosi, Ali Leiataua, Te Maire Martin, Marcelo Montoya, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Marata Niukore, Adam Pompey, Demitric Sifakula, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Ronald Volkman, Dylan Walker
Current best 17 for 2025
1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Edward Kosi
3. Adam Pompey
4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
5. Marcelo Montoya
6. Te Maire Martin
7. Chanel Harris-Tavita
8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Wayde Egan
10. Mitch Barnett
11. Marata Niukore
12. Demitric Sifakula
13. Dylan Walker
14. Ali Leiataua
15. Tom Ale
16. Bunty Afoa
17. Ronald Volkman
Players off-contract at end of 2024
Rocco Berry, Jackson Ford, Tohu Harris, Shaun Johnson, Valingi Kepu, Freddy Lussick, Luke Metcalf, Jazz Tevaga, Taine Tuaupiki, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Here are five players available to negotiate on November 1 from outside of the club the Storm could target for 2025 and beyond.
EVERY PLAYER OFF-CONTRACT AT THE END OF 2024
2. Sunia Turuva
A move for a player like Turuva likely depends on what happens with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak. It's one of the Warriors' biggest questions heading to November 1.
Why hasn't he re-signed yet is one which must be lingering for the club's fans. One of the top wingers in 2023, Watene-Zelezniak hit his best form and was incredibly important to the charge of the Auckland-based side.
That said, if he doesn't re-sign because of salary cap or any other reason, the Warriors must move quickly to secure a replacement who is well and truly up to the task.
And frankly, there aren't many available on the open market who could match Watene-Zelezniak.
Sunia Turuva is absolutely one who can though. The Penrith rookie was in the top ten for running metres in 2023, found the tryline regularly, defended strongly and won the Dally M Rookie of the Year award.
He will be on the radar of a number of clubs, so whether the Warriors could tempt him is a different question altogether, but he is certainly a player the club could make a play for.
