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
A New Zealand-born second-rower, Riki is a player who constantly flies under the radar at the Broncos, despite now having 67 matches under his belt.
A crucial part of the side this year who made their way to the grand final, and a three-time Maori All Stars representative, Riki may be looking for a fresh start in 2025 to fully recognise his talents, and right now, the Warriors would be an enticing prospect for any Kiwi given the way they played under Andrew Webster in 2025.
There is little doubt the Broncos are in a real salary cap crunch. They have some enormous contracts for players at the top end of town, and Riki is one player who could be demanding an upgrade.
Sometimes, reading into the reasons why players haven't re-signed before November 1 is a dangerous game, but this time, it seems spot on. Riki is holding out to see his worth.
And he will be worth plenty, particularly to a club like the Warriors where there are real questions over their ability to retain Jackson Ford, and their depth in the second-row otherwise is skinny as it stands for 2025.
Arrow is a player who has already come up in a number of clubs lists, and the Warriors are another.
The idea of dragging him across the Tasman may be a difficult one, but it's not a bad one if they can talk him into it. Arrow, as we have mentioned a few times in this series, brings an excellent ability to play at lock, prop or in the second-row, making him an incredibly valuable prospect.
Not only that though, he brings with him experience and a defensive intent like few players in the competition can.
You could make arguments - particularly if Tohu Harris doesn't continue with the Warriors in 2025 - that the Auckland-based club could use upgrades and more depth in all three forward positions, so a player like Arrow makes sense on multiple levels.
There are few good halfbacks on the open market for 2025. The Warriors also need to wait on a decision from Shaun Johnson before they decide what's next.
Even if Johnson does hang up the boots, there is no realistic replacement available from outside the club on his level.
Add to that the club already have Ronald Volkman and Chanel Harris-Tavita contesting the number seven jumper, and there is no need to bring in a starting-calibre player.
What there could be a need for though is more depth in a half who can wear either the six or seven. Enter Dean Hawkins.
Stuck behind Lachlan Ilias for his preferred number seven jersey at South Sydney, and behind Cody Walker for the number six if he was to go down that path, his opportunities at Redfern have been few and far between so far.
The problem is, he is better than that, and is unlikely to sign a new deal with a club who can't give him at least a sniff of a way into first-grade.
The Warriors have competition for spots, but instead of being automatically behind in the rush, Hawkins could well be a player near enough to the front of the queue in Auckland.
It'd be a punt from both parties, but not a bad one on either side of the coin.
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.
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.