Few Warriors spots left

The Warriors have nailed down 19 of the 25 spots in next year's NRL squad and are about to test the market once the June 30 anti-tampering deadline passes.

Vacancies exist at fullback, prop, wing, second row and for a hooker-utility and a centre-wing - although half of these might already have been decided.

The list of 25 comprises the club's top 25 earners but they can use players outside this list in much the same way Patrick Ah Van and Sam Rapira have stepped up to the first-team squad this year.

Although the Warriors signed 16-year-old prop Russell Packer on Friday, they are undecided about whether he will be among the chosen 25 considering he's unlikely to feature in the first team next year.

And they have until Friday to decide the futures of Awen Guttenbeil, Epalahame Lauaki, George Gatis, Cooper Vuna and George Tuakura.

Leeds-bound fullback Brent Webb looks set to be replaced by Parramatta's Wade McKinnon, while 31-year-old prop Tuakura is not expected to be retained, considering he hasn't figured this year. Although only 19 and with great pace, Vuna's future is also in doubt after failing to light up this year's Bartercard Cup.

Gatis was initially brought in for one season but Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah said they had an option to re-sign him and he expected a "pretty positive outcome".

One area of particular interest is the second row, where Guttenbeil and Lauaki are vying for new contracts. If Guttenbeil decides to leave the Warriors after 11 seasons - and he has been given permission to speak to NRL and UK clubs - it would make a decision easier on the make-up of the second row.

Lauaki has missed most of this season with a shoulder injury and Scurrah said they would assess the injury right up until Friday, although they remain keen on the 22-year-old. "One signing that may or may not occur could change our position on that," Scurrah said.

"We are in quite a good position in terms of the amount of players we have secured and we have pretty strong thoughts about others. There might well be one or two spots we are going to wait and see on and test the market."

The number and quality of players still not signed for 2007 across the NRL is something of a surprise, given that the Gold Coast Titans, set to become the NRL's 16th side, already have 15 names on their squad list.

As many as 20 representative players will become free agents on July 1 and, for example, as many as 14 of Ricky Stuart's Roosters squad have yet to finalise their futures.