Mid-way through 2020, the Aotearoa Warriors/Redcliffe Dolphins link up was announced. The Warriors described this link up as 'trailblazing' with 'far-reaching benefits' and boss man Cameron George was quoted as saying "It's time we revamped our club and in Redcliffe Dolphins we have the perfect partners who share the same big dreams for the future as us".

Just over a year later and Redcliffe are being hyped up as the next NRL franchise, without much mention of NZ Warriors. While this collaboration between Warriors and Redcliffe was mutually beneficial, it appears as though it will be short-lived and won't quite reach the same lofty markers as initially described.

This partnership was perfect for Warriors, well in hindsight any way. With covid sniffing around Australia and Aotearoa, the Warriors had a ready-made base there with Redcliffe. The Warriors shipped Aotearoa juniors over to Australia where they were scattered throughout Redcliffe's Mal Meninga Cup (U18), Hastings Deering Colts (U21) and Intrust Super Cup (reserve grade) teams. This ensured that the Warriors could bolster their junior development with regular footy at a higher level in Queensland, without having to buzz about crossing borders in this climate.

Redcliffe have been building their case for NRL expansion in the cluttered South East Queensland market. In linking up with Warriors, Redcliffe cut their long connection with Brisbane Broncos which saw Xavier Coates start on the wing in round tahi of the 2020 ISC competition before it was shut down while various other notable Broncos have come through Redcliffe. Redcliffe would have been eager to get out of the Broncos shadow as it would have been fairly awkward to build the case and then promote that case for NRL expansion while working with a direct competitor.

Redcliffe released themselves from Broncos and further developed their NRL expansion bid, while Warriors benefited from a base in Australia where their fringe NRL players and juniors could enjoy stability. Could Redcliffe now snatch up all the Warriors juniors for their NRL team? Possibly, although you'd be silly to think that this danger is greater than what's already happening with other NRL clubs.

Aotearoa is the hottest recruitment market and Warriors are competing with every other NRL club for Aotearoa talent. That's why everything is so fun with the Kiwi-NRL goggles on.

The interesting thing to ponder is what happens next year. If Redcliffe snap up that NRL expansion spot, it won't be until 2023 and Redcliffe's announcement of this link up stated that this was a three-year commitment. That leaves 2022 as an awkward phase, although this would still be mutually beneficial for both organisations; Warriors maintain stability with their Aussie base and Redcliffe sharpen their tools for NRL footy.

Warriors will be aiming for a soft return to Aotearoa next season, then by the expansion season in 2023 they will aiming for the hearty return to Aotearoa. Given that this partnership exists between the two parties, I'd suggest that there are good vibes shared and neither party will be out to niggle the other.

While Aotearoa is the hottest NRL recruitment market, it's fairly obvious that the level of footy and consistency of competition is higher in Australia. Here is where we get some positive insights into this crop of Warriors juniors as the likes of Viliami Vailea and Manurewa Marlins juniors Kina and Valingi Kepu started in U21s with Redcliffe before moving through to ISC.

Vailea was playing Aorere College 1st 15 last year and after 2 games of Redcliffe U21s, Vailea was promoted to Queensland's reserve grade competition. Most ISC teams feature fringe NRL players and Vailea jacked up 7 tries, 51 tackle busts with 108m per game. If we're putting ISC and Australian footy up on a pedastool; Vailea quickly progressed through U21s and ISC to make his NRL debut, thus making it kinda obvious that Vailea's really good.

Vailea was playing Warriors SG Ball (U18s) last year alongside the Kepu twins and Taniela Otukolo (Otahuhu). Otukolo joined Vailea in playing NRL footy this year and in another sign of talent, Otukolo played NRL without any reserve grade footy this year. The Kepu twins went from U18s last year to playing against men in Queensland this year which means that the Warriors have four juniors who went from U18s to playing against men in ISC or in Otukolo's case NRL.

Eric Va'afusuaga (Kings College) went from that same SG Ball team, to the Queensland equivalent (Mal Meninga Cup) before moving up a level to play U21s. That's clear development, especially the leap up from Redcliffe U18s to U21s. Daeon Amituanai (Whiti Te Ra) graduated from SG Ball to play 11 games for Redcliffe U21s, while William Fakatoumafi (Otahuhu) played 10 games for U21s - remember Fakatoumafi has already played Nines for Tonga.

Not only is this partnership with Redcliffe mutually beneficial, it has provided clear insights into the level of talent lurking within the Warriors. We can see how Warriors juniors have quickly progressed through Redcliffe's junior teams and in some cases up to the Dolphins ISC team. Intrigue moving forward will revolve around which Warriors juniors are invested in and moved over to Redcliffe; Zyon Maiu'u, Tony Tafa and Jacob Laban helped Kelston Boys High School 1st 15 win the Auckland competition and are Warriors juniors who could feature for Redcliffe next year for example.

Below is a list of NZ Warriors juniors who played for Redcliffe this year and as much information as I could find. That starts with Warriors who played round 1 of NSW Cup last year and are still with Warriors, then it opens up to the Redcliffe connection to focus on players who have played junior footy for Warriors prior to moving to Redcliffe...

NSW Cup Round 1 2020

Rocco Berry, Adam Pompey, Edward Kosi, Preston Riki, Tom Ale, Temple Kalepo, Jyris Glamuzina, Isaiah Vagana.

NZ Warriors juniors / Redcliffe Dolphins

Sebastyan Jack - Marist Saints - Half

Redcliffe U18s: 4 games.

NZ Warriors SG Ball 2020: 5 games.

Eric Va'afusuaga - Kings College 1st 15 - Outside back.

Redcliffe U21s: 5 games.

Redcliffe U18s: 5 games.

NZ Warriors SG Ball 2020: 2 games.

William Fakatoumafi - Otahuhu Leopards - Outside back.

Redcliffe U21s: 10 games.

NZ Warriors Jersey Flegg 2019: 9 games.

Daeon Amituanai - Whiti Te Ra - Outside back.

Redcliffe U21s: 11 games.

NZ Warriors SG Ball 2020: 4 games.

Temple Kalepo - Ellerslie Eagles - Hooker

Redcliffe U21s: 1 game.

NZ Warriors Jersey Flegg 2019: 13 games.

NZ Warriors Jersey Flegg 2018: 2 games.

Kina Kepu - Manurewa Marlins - Forward

Redcliffe ISC: 3 games.

Redcliffe U21s: 12 games.

NZ Warriors SG Ball 2020: 6 games.

Valingi Kepu - Manurewa Marlins - Forward

Redcliffe ISC: 3 games.

Redcliffe U21s: 10 games.

NZ Warriors SG Ball 2020: 6 games.

Jryis Glamuzina - Ellerslie Eagles - Forward

Redcliffe U21s: 7 games.

NZ Warriors Jersey Flegg 2019: 17 games.

Lleyton Finau - Marist Saint - Forward

Redcliffe U21s: 6 games.

NZ Warriors SG Ball 2020: 6 games.

Viliami Vailea - Aorere College 1st 15 - Outside Back

NZ Warriors NRL: 2 games.

Redcliffe ISC: 13 games.

Redcliffe U21s: 2 games.

NZ Warriors SG Ball 2020: 3 games.

Taniela Otukolo - Otahuhu Leopards - Hooker

NZ Warriors NRL: 3 games.

Redcliffe U21s: 9 games.

NZ Warriors SG Ball 2020: 8 games.

NZ Warriors Jersey Flegg 2019: 8 games.

Preston Riki - Pt Chev/Rawene - Forward

Redcliffe ISC: 14 games.

NZ Warriors Jersey Flegg 2018: 17 games.

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