League: Warriors in arrested development

From the outside, the numbers just don't seem to add up - one in, four out, including the irreplaceable Stacey Jones, and doubts about the futures of as many as five other squad members.

Even accounting for the fact a number of youngsters will be promoted to the first-team squad next season, there seems no other option than to say 2006 is already looming as a rebuilding year for the Warriors.

By all accounts youngsters Sam Rapira, Sonny Fai and Frank-Paul Nuuausala are good prospects - they certainly made people sit up and take notice when they played key roles in helping the Junior Kiwis destroy their Australian counterparts 46-8 last weekend. Taking on Shane Webcke, Willie Mason and Andrew Johns is a different proposition to schoolboys, however.

It takes time for youngsters to find their feet in the NRL, no matter how good they are, and they will need to be managed through the early stages of their careers. It wouldn't be a surprise, then, to see some feature in the final rounds of the NRL should the Warriors fail to make the playoffs.

The Warriors didn't need to let all of their departing players go - Jones, Francis Meli, Iaefeta Paleaaesina and Tevita Latu. Jones and Meli still had a year left to run on their contract but asked to be released, while the Warriors management must take some of the blame for dallying over attempts to re-sign Paleaaesina, who then hit tremendous form and caught the attention of a handful of UK Super League clubs.

Add to that the release of Vinnie Anderson, who is taking the Super League by storm with St Helens, and the fact Jones will be sorely missed, and a picture starts to emerge.

It seems the Warriors' failure to hang on to their squad from this season is bordering on wasteful. While there will still be undoubted talent in the squad, incorporating new players, new combinations and new systems will only delay that development.

While both Steve Price and Ruben Wiki have been two of the club's best this season, they could be even better in 2006 having adjusted to life in Auckland, but may be frustrated by the club's need to rebuild.

If one or both of Price or Wiki were either injured or suspended, the depth at prop is not looking all that healthy considering only Richard Villasanti has much NRL experience and Karl Temata might not be in a Warriors jersey next season.

Historically, Warriors fans have had to be patient - unfortunately, it might not be any different in 2006.

Ins - Grant Rovelli (Roosters).

Outs - Stacey Jones (Les Catalans, France), Iafeta Paleaaesina (Wigan), Francis Meli (St Helens), Tevita Latu (Sharks).

Doubtful starters - Karl Temata, Awen Guttenbeil, Monty Betham, Evarn Tuimavave, Epalahame Lauaki.