Here's hoping Manu's in the sheds to congratulation the Premiership winners.

10 tries for 10 seasons ain't nothing to be scoffed at. Nor is coming out of Otara to then achieve such a try-scoring record and morphing from such a novelty (I'd never seen a winger as big as Manu prior to Manu) to establishing himself as a leader, not only for young Warriors players but anyone else in South Auckland. Manu Vatuvei is a legend in every aspect that I can think of, I ain't writing that yarn just yet though.

This isn't the end of Vatuvei, this is simply Vatuvei doing what is best for him and moving into a different chapter of his rugby league career. When Vatuvei retires from rugby league, that's when I'll get up to my neck into what Vatuvei means to me, other South Aucklanders, rugby league in Aotearoa and - as a true mark of the man - anyone who can draw inspiration from such a simple tale of a winger (their main job is to catch the ball) who hit an almighty low as his hands failed him, only for Vatuvei to keep on trucking.

See; I'm locked and loaded for the 'Vatuvei retires' yarn.

With Vatuvei looking likely to move to England where he'll apparently play for Salford, I'm incredibly intrigued by the coming years, the twilight of Vatuvei's rugby league career. And there's plenty of water - perhaps an escalation of Vatuvei's legend status - to go under the bridge. For now, this is business.

It's sound business for Vatuvei as he'll be playing footy in England, he'll take his family and experience the joys of living in Europe and he's helping out the Warriors.

That last bit is low key crucial in all of this as Vatuvei could have been a bit of a dick and dug in; the Warriors offered him a contract and Vatuvei has every right to see out that contract. The Warriors signed Vatuvei knowing that he's a wee bit injury prone, that he's an ageing winger and that there was a slim chance of Vatuvei being the same Vatuvei in his final year of that contract as he was before that contract. Vatuvei didn't risk anything, it was the Warriors who gambled on Vatuvei.

Vatuvei could have stayed for his contract, playing reserve grade and wasting the Warriors' salary cap. Simple.

It doesn't look like that will be the case though and in some way, shape or form this will come back around to Vatuvei. He'll likely return to Auckland and slot right into a community role or something similar, the chances of Vatuvei having a long career with the Warriors after he retires are high. That's the least the Warriors could do.

There's no room for Vatuvei in the Warriors NRL team now and there won't be moving forward.

I've seen two trends in people's views on Vatuvei; his drop in form and injuries. Vatuvei didn't suddenly become not very good, or see his form suddenly vanish, no, no, no. Vatuvei is nothing but injury-prone and has been for 12-18 months and when injuries strike, an opportunity is given to someone else. Vatuvei's form didn't drop off, the issue is that in Vatuvei's absence, David Fusitua, Ken Maumalo and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad emerged as better options.

Or more specifically Maumalo has blossomed into Vatuvei 2.0 and the club has effectively found someone who does what Vatuvei does, who also happens to be younger which leads to Maumalo being more nimble and a better investment. We've seen Maumalo show rapid signs of development this season as he's showing off some footwork at the line, he looks comfy under the high-ball and he's progressed from holding Vatuvei's spot at the start of the year to being a legit mid-term prospect; he took his opportunity.

The Warriors have also recently signed Bureta Faraimo from Parramatta, giving the Warriors four decent wing options as well as an up and comer like Junior Pauga. Fusitua (22yrs), Maumalo (22yrs) and Nicoll-Klokstad (21yrs) are all young but look at home in the NRL, there's no reason to think that they won't be part of an extremely settled backline group over the next five years.

Not just a settled backline, but a settled backline group. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is the long-term fullback, Shaun Johnson and Ata Hingano are the long-term halves, Blake Ayshford and Solomone Kata are likely to be the centre pairing for the next few years and then Fusitua and Maumalo have wing spots snapped up. That leaves Nicoll-Klokstad and having him as part of this backline group is important as he can genuinely play fullback, centre and wing.

If the Warriors have six blokes covering five outside-back positions, then you've got the depth required to compete as a top-tier NRL club. Factor in the potential development of Tuivasa-Sheck (24yrs), Maumalo, Fuistua, Kata (22yrs) and Nicoll-Klokstad and it's hard not to fizz up with excitement. How can you not be excited by an outside backs group that apart from the 24-year-old skipper, are 21 and 22yrs, after they have already shown great signs in their brief careers thus far?

Do you invest in these young outside backs who ooze potential or keep the ol' dawg who isn't playing around?

Manu doesn't fit and it's all good. It's professional sport and a player who holds such a standing at a club deserves to try - damn injuries - finish their career on their terms. This is the best decision for both parties and we only need to look across the ditch where Robbie Farah was kicked to the curb, to appreciate that Vatuvei is at least leaving Mt Smart in a situation that benefits everyone involved.

I'd expect nothing less from Jim Doyle and Stephen Kearney.

What this all represents is incredibly important as well, hence Vatuvei's departure had to tick every 'good vibes' box.

The Warriors need to move into a new era and that started with Kearney's arrival, ushering in Tuivasa-Sheck (a young polynesian man also from Otara) as captain. Vatuvei's departure represents the true end of an era and while that era featured so much joy, it was also tinged with issues and a lot of annoying stuff that fans have had to endured.

Ben Matulino sealed a move to Wests Tigers, leaving Vatuvei is one of the last pieces of that era still in place. The time has come for the Warriors to move into a new phase, this must surely have been done in good faith and Vatuvei deserves nothing less; Matulino and Vatuvei were no longer needed but weren't told to bugger off or 'don't let the door hit ya with the good lord split ya'.

A young backline is in place, Johnson and Hingano are set in stone as play-makers, Tohu Harris is arriving, we've found a ruthless forward in James Gavet and there's been a switch under Kearney to promote the best local talent into reserve grade (Chris Satae, Pat Sipley). Times are changing at Mt Smart and while it's sad to see Vatuvei go, we can only welcome this immensely positive future in by moving on from the past.

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