What's the worst that could happen for the Warriors?

We are currently nearing the start of December and pictures have emerged of Kieran Foran rocking some New Zealand Warriors training gear. Just seeing Foran rocking the Warriors badge is enough to get fans salivating at the prospect of him running the footy and straightening up the attack or rushing up out of the defensive line to put a shot on, yet we are still waiting for confirmation that those thoughts could become reality.

The NRL is yet to give the Warriors x Foran deal the 'all good bro' and so there's still plenty of uncertainty lingering around Mt Smart. In theory, this should be a headache for boss-dawg Jim Doyle and coach Stephen Kearney because they have a 2016 roster to suss out, their salary cap needs to be tweaked and there's no point investing hours upon hours on the training turf with Foran if that time could be better spent with other players.These appear to be problems, although the Warriors are actually in a great position to roll with the punches.

A lot has been said about how Foran's signing will impact Tuimoala Lolohea and I wrote about the options available to the Warriors and Lolohea a month or so ago, what has been interesting is that this noise about Lolohea has largely gone quiet. We are not hearing about this club or that club chasing Lolohea, nor have any more seeds been planted by Lolohea and his management to try leverage their way out of the Warriors.

I would suggest that things have gone quiet because water simply needs to flow under the bridge and all in all, it's a smart move to just hold fire on gapping the Warriors until everything is set in stone. I'm no insider and get the same information that all y'all get, so what would be interesting to know is if there are any talks going down in the shadows with Lolohea's management and other NRL clubs in preparation for Foran's contract being all good.

They kinda need to be because the NRL doesn't appear to be in any rush with Foran's contract and unless seeds with other NRL clubs are being planted now, it could be too late for Lolohea to make a move in January. What we do know is that Lolohea won't be going to Brisbane Broncos as Benji Marshall snapped up that opportunity, I still reckon that Melbourne Storm is a great fit for Lolohea while the usual suspects of Newcastle Knights and St George Dragons will be sniffing around.

The last we heard form the Warriors on this matter was that they wouldn't be letting Lolohea leave. This is a cute stance for them to take, although the main reason why the Warriors are perfectly poised to roll with the Foran punches is that they have options and those options are going to make Lolohea's mid-term future as a half with the Warriors very murky.

Some mainstream media joker kept talking about the ramifications of the Foran decision and the drama surrounding with regards to the Warriors salary cap. The Warriors don't need to go out and spend any money to replace Foran as they have Lolohea, Ata Hingano and Mason Lino already at the club and all three have tasted NRL footy in the halves. If Foran's contract isn't registered, all the Warriors need to do is promote one of those three from within and even if that doesn't involve Lolohea, the Warriors will be able to fast-track the development of Hingano.

I've made no secrets about my love for Hingano and I view him as a long-term Warriors half, who apart from Foran - who has already enjoyed success alongside Shaun Johnson - is my pick to take the Warriors forward into a fairly attractive future. What's important to note here is that the Warriors have four halves at their disposal who have all come through the ranks of the club and instead of producing just a Stacey Jones of Johnson, the Warriors are enjoying the spoils of producing Johnson, Lolohea, Hingano and Lino (in that order).

Remember when the Warriors/Aotearoa produced mostly big forwards or wingers? Well here is Aotearoa's NRL club with four home-grown halves while Te Maire Martin, Zach Dockar-Clay, Kodi Nikorima, Jamayne Isaako and Fa'amanu Brown are leading a pack of young halves either in the NRL already or on the brink.

If Foran's contract isn't registered, that salary cap space won't be used on a half, it'll instead be used to lure a solid NRL middle forward over the ditch ... or it just won't be used and there will be salary caps space to upgrade contracts in the short-term future.

If Foran's contract is registered, the only ripples that could be felt will be after next season when the Warriors and Foran will need to suss out what happens beyond 2017. Foran would want to upgrade his contract with more years/dollars and that could push a few Warriors players out, or Foran will go back to Sydney and it won't matter.

The only reason we should stress the NRL's registration of Foran's contract is because the Warriors will obviously be a better team with Foran and Johnson in the halves, with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck at fullback, with Issac Luke at hooker. Even the worst case scenario of Foran's contract not being registered and Lolohea leaving the club will simply see the Warriors move towards their future, faster and that's not such a bad thing.