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
1. Braden Hamlin-Uele
The Warriors may need additions in the middle third for 2025, but it must be specific in the type of additions. What they don't need is another big minute starting prop.
They already have two of them in Addin Fonua-Blake and Mitch Barnett, and potentially another big-minute middle in Tohu Harris if he re-signs and elects to continue his career in Auckland.
Bunty Afoa and Tom Ale have the ability to provide plenty of impact as well, but a player like Braden Hamlin-Uele just provides a little extra on both fronts.
He is a wrecking ball when he gets it right, but won't take up big minutes and has the ability to play off either the bench, or within the starting side.
A constantly improving presence, it wouldn't be a tough sell either for the Warriors given the forward was born in Auckland.
