Chanel Harris-Tavita, Te Maire Martin deals near as Warriors move — Zero Tackle
Zero Tackle: the New Zealand Warriors are set to announce two re-signings in the coming weeks, with Chanel Harris-Tavita and Te Maire Martin the halves in line for new deals. The timing matters because Luke Metcalf is headed to the St George Illawarra Dragons at the end of this year, leaving the club to lock in its next options now.
Cameron George on the talks
Cameron George said Chanel Harris-Tavita would not be going anywhere anytime soon, while the club was already well underway in discussions with Martin and his management. He added, “We've been having those discussions over the last week or so” and said, “I'm hoping that we'll have very good news in the next few days or this week.”
Those talks come with urgency. Harris-Tavita had been on the radar for the North Queensland Cowboys, and Luke Hanson has already been linked to the Gold Coast Titans, so the Warriors have been working through a halfback group that could otherwise have been pushed into more movement than they wanted.
Warriors halves picture
Andrew Webster said the Warriors were keen to retain Harris-Tavita, and the expected announcements would give the club more certainty around a group that also includes Jett Cleary and Hanson. Jye Linnane is the other half in the squad currently contracted, which leaves the composition of the position group clear enough for the club to act before the market shifts again.
Metcalf’s exit changes the picture immediately. He had been expected to play with Tanah Boyd out from this coming round until the end of the season because of an ACL injury, but he has still been overlooked while recovering and was not picked for the NSW Cup either.
Martin’s role after Boyd injury
Martin already showed where the next layer of cover sits when he came off the bench against the Broncos after Boyd went down injured. If the re-signings land as expected, the Warriors will have secured two players they want to take the club into the future, while keeping the halves group from being reshuffled again just as the season demands more stability.
