Each season a group of Warriors depart to join other NRL clubs, with the usual narrative which follows being a negative one. Most of the time we ask ourselves 'why did they let him go?' or say 'he's way better now that he left the Warriors' which is fine as we expect the Warriors to be able to pick the best players from their stable. That stable is large however, which means that the Warriors simply can't hold on to everyone which becomes a footnote in the conversation of former Warriors players.

Come the start of the 2016 season we will see players who we have spent the last few years watching and getting to know, in the colours of other NRL clubs. I decided to put a positive spin on the younger players who have grown up at Mt Smart and must now fly the coup, onwards and upwards...

Sebastine Ikahihifo and Siliva Havili will both join the St George Illawara Dragons as the Dragons continue to bolster their squad. Ikahihifo was on the outer with the Warriors as he got inconsistent game time and was always likely to be pushed out the door as the Warriors 'realigned' their roster. What always caught the eye about Ikahihifo was the intensity and aggression he played with. He always charged at defenders and while there was always a chance of a mistake from Ikahihifo there was a certain level of effort that was evident when Ikahihifo was on the field. The Dragons have also signed Dunamis Lui and Mose Masoe which in combination with Ikahihifo serves as a pretty handy way to absorb the loss of Trent Merrin while increasing depth and the overall quality of their forward pack.

Havili and Ikahihifo weren't really Andrew McFadden's cup of tea for whatever reason and Havili will benefit with a bit more clarity around his position in the Dragons' squad. With Mitch Rein clearly their best dummy half, Havili will compete with Josh McCrone for the bench spot in which they will give Rein a spell each game. If Havili is playing well, then he could force his way in ahead of McCrone as Havili has greater upside (powerful running, slick footwork, subtle tricks around the ruck) and a more potent attacking threat. McCrone offers depth in the halves as well and the best situation for Havili would be if coach Paul McGregor pencils McCrone in as the back up half, opening the door for Havili. I like Havili's situation though as he's more similar to Rein than McCrone is and the Dragons would benefit from Havili's direct running game late in either half. 

Brad Abbey joins the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs (who signed Craig Garvey - 2015 Dragons back up hooker so shout out to them for snapping up Havili's competition) and it looks as though he will bide his time behind Brett Morris. Abbey was snapped up by the Doggies, along with his younger brothers and coach Des Hasler would only lure Abbey across the ditch if he had something planned for the young fullback. 

Morris is a very good fullback who improved with more game time and his combination with players like James Graham gave the Bulldogs yet another attacking dimension. Morris should be the fullback in 2016 which means that Abbey will be able to soak up plenty of wisdom from Morris and Hasler, with Abbey likely to start the season in the NSW Cup. Abbey is capable of playing in the halves and on the wing as well so we could see him get his first opportunity in those positions. NRL nerds will be tuned into the Bulldogs NSW Cup team to keep tabs on Abbey and his development. 

Two low profile players who will join the Newcastle Knights this summer with David Bhana and Sam Cook linking up with another former Junior Warrior in James Taylor. Taylor was once a standout prop for the Juniors before joining the Knights and he's featured for their NSW Cup side which is where we can expect to see Bhana and Cook. Bhana is the sort of player that the Warriors really need and given all the talk of a Warriors' culture resembling the complete opposite to that of the All Blacks' it would have been wise to keep a dedicated grafter in the roster. Instead, Bhana will be out to impress new Knights coach Nathan Brown and Bhana's attitude should immediately have him on the front foot as he's a lock who loves to tackle and take tough carries. This sort of lock has gone slightly out of fashion with Jason Taumalolo and Martin Taupau throwing a spanner in that mix, yet Bhana could find himself as the ideal candidate to take over from Jeremy Smith at some point. 

Newcastle's forward pack has Smith, Korbin Sims, Tariq Sims, Robbie Rochow, Chris Houston, Sam Mataora and Joseph Tapine which leaves a little gap open for a mobile grafter. That could be where Bhana gets a foot in.

Cook will probably know that he's going to sit in the NSW Cup for a while, with injury or suspension his best chance of NRL footy. Tyrone Roberts has left the Knights to make way for Trent Hodkinson and the Hodkinson/Jarrod Mullen could low key be one of the best in the NRL next season. Cook is a solid half who will do a good job alongside either Hodkinson or Mullen as he is the sort of half who fits into a system instead of having a system designed around him (like Shaun Johnson). Funnily enough, Carlos Tuimavave's move to Hull FC opens the door for Cook to settle in the NSW Cup. The key thing to remember here is that these signings came after Nathan Brown got the Knights' coaching job and while they might have started discussions before Brown's appointment, Brown would have definitely had to have given his stamp of approval. 

Next season we will also see Nathaniel Peteru in action for the Gold Coast Titans after he moved to the Titans mid-way through this season. Peteru made a quick transition to the Titans and played five games, which should be at least doubled in 2016 as Peteru will enjoy a full summer of training with the Titans, who also need a few dynamic props to compete in with the NRL's best.

In some ways it's sad that these guys have left the Warriors or that they have been forced to leave given the situation that the club is currently in. I find it hard not to be excited for this group though as they all leave the Warriors seeking greater opportunities and more NRL experience, here's hoping they are able to shine in 2016 and once again showcase the production line of the Warriors.