NZ Warriors have shuffled Josh Curran over to Bulldogs in a move that highlights how Warriors operate under the two Andys. While Phil Gould enjoys cosy job security from his never-ending development plan, Bulldogs are signing unwanted players from other NRL teams. Gould celebrated the signing of Curran with '"From the first time I saw Josh Curran play, he looked like a Bulldog to me" and "we just had to sign him up" however Curran is the same as most of the other Bulldogs signings.

Curran was a solid player for Warriors and it has been suggested many times in recent weeks that Curran played his best footy during the pandemic era. This is where the perception of Warriors in the 2020-22 period appears as folks were down, some were even critical of how Warriors played in the pandemic era which completely ignores the adversity Warriors had to deal with for three seasons. No other NRL team had that adversity, yet Warriors were judged by their results as if being based in Australia would have no impact on their performances.

Curran played his best footy while Warriors were based in Australia, how convenient. This is aligned how most of the Warriors signings during the pandemic era were Aussies, who were able to stay in Australia while playing for Warriors. Reece Walsh and Matt Lodge are easy examples, while a loan deal for Jesse Arthars was made a lot easier by the fact that Arthars got NRL game time with Warriors and he barely had to leave Brisbane.

Even former coach Nathan Brown was only in this role because Warriors were based in Australia. When a return to Aotearoa was locked in, Brown didn't want to make the move. This also frames how well Curran performed during the stint in Australia as Warriors weren't very good and their best players were mainly Aussies. Upon returning to Aotearoa, the best Warriors this year were kiwis who finally got to enjoy home comforts.

What else happened in the return to Aotearoa season? Curran struggled to hold a consistent role. This is packaged with the fact that after Curran's best mahi, Warriors signed Jackson Ford and Marata Niukore who were both brewed as edge forwards. Not only did Warriors sign two players in the same position as Curran, Ford and Niukore both earned game time ahead of Curran.

Curran started in six games this season and played 80 minutes in four of his 23 games, when Ford or Niukore were absent. Curran's minutes off the bench usually came when Niukore needed a break or was busted from an injury/HIA. Replacing this role will come from within which is a key wrinkle in how Warriors manage their salary cap under Andrew McFadden and Andrew Webster.

The Niche Cache always has you covered for all Warriors pipeline information. There are no excuses for not knowing who the youngsters are and this was highlighted mid-season during a strong NSW Cup campaign, then in the 'Ready For Summer' season debrief. A bunch of players mentioned in those yarns then appeared for Aotearoa A and Tonga A.

Most importantly, youngsters on their first NRL contracts are much cheaper than Curran or an established NRL player on their second, third or fourth contract. Warriors don't need an 80min edge forward to replace Curran, they just need lads to come off the bench and this is aligned with how youngsters are developed.

Two youngsters who could benefit the most from Curran's departure are Demitric Sifakula and Jacob Laban. Sifakula made his debut this season and was a notable player in a winning NSW Cup team before missing their finals due to injury. Sifakula offers the most value as he has played edge and middle across trials/NRL season which makes him ideal for a bench slot. Laban has developed as an edge forward specifically and after playing for Aotearoa A in this position, Laban is likely to command an NRL debut next season after a strong summer.

Warriors also have Kalani Going who earned Aotearoa A selection. Going played edge and middle for NSW Cup this season, making his debut as a middle forward coming off the bench vs Dolphins. Going is likely to get the most NRL game time of this crew next season given his versatility and he seems destined to play a similar role as Dylan Walker, while also covering edge when required.

The beauty of Warriors youngsters is their versatility and the reason why the Aotearoa Warriors Diary is so excited about Warriors youngsters is because they also offer aggression, power and skill. No youngster represents this prototype better than Selumiela (Leka) Halasima, who was the youngest player on the field in most NSW Cup games this season. Halasima wasn't just the youngest lad on the field, he dominated and he dominated in multiple positions; middle, edge and even centre.

That's four players from within the Warriors system who can cover Curran's role and all four are at least half the price of Curran. The pipeline doesn't stop there though as Presley Seumanu and Eddie Ieremia started the season in Under 19 SG Ball before moving into Fox Memorial men's footy. Both played NSW Cup this season and both had game time at edge forward, while also aligned with the Warriors depth package of being big and aggressive enough to play middle.

Under the guidance of the two Andys, Warriors have a development pipeline that has earned the Aotearoa Warriors Diary's trust. You should trust this system as well and Bulldogs offer a clear example of what Warriors are not doing. Warriors are not signing scraps from other teams and Warriors already have a top-notch development pipeline, while lacking Harold Matthews Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup teams that Bulldogs have. This will change next season with Warriors adding teams to those competitions which will only amplify the emerging excellence of this pipeline.

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