NRL: Warriors lock Hurrell into new deal

Konrad Hurrell in action during last year's Toyota Cup Grand Final. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The Warriors have moved quickly to secure promising centre Konrad Hurrell on a longer-term deal as the club look to keep some of their best talent at Mt Smart Stadium.

Hurrell, 20, has had his contract extended to the end of 2013 and John Palavi, named the club's 2011 NYC Player of the Year, has signed until the end of 2014 and also been upgraded to join the NRL squad fulltime.

The club also announced former Warriors colts and reserve grade halfback Willie Swann has been appointed the Warriors' new development coach to take over from Ricky Henry, who has been signed to coach the Auckland Vulcans in the New South Wales Cup this season.

"By retaining Konrad and John for a longer term and bringing Willie back to the club we have once again signalled the importance we place on the development area,'' recruitment and development manager Dean Bell said. "Konrad and John have impressed everyone at the club and especially our coaching staff with the way they've developed.

"We work as hard as we can to spot and recruit the best young prospects in this country and then allow our development system to mould them into players who will have a good chance of moving into our NYC and ultimately NRL teams if they're good enough. That's where a coach with Willie's credentials is so important to us.''

Hurrell, born in Tonga, was signed from rugby union after being spotted playing for the Auckland Grammar School first XV. He had an exceptional first season in rugby league in 2011, making a major contribution to the Junior Warriors who defended their NYC premiership.

A destructive ball runner, he scored 22 tries in 21 matches _ including two in the grand final - and made an astonishing 268 tackle breaks as well as dominating other statistical categories. Named in the competition's team of the year, he moved into the club's NRL squad for the 2012 season and immediately impressed at the higher level, scoring a try in each of the trial wins against Gold Coast and South Sydney in past two weeks.

He was used predominantly on the wing in his first trial and in the centres last week and will play in the Warriors' final trial against the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles at Toll Stadium in Whangarei on Saturday.

Palavi was a standout all-round student at St Paul's College, New Zealand's premier rugby league nursery.

Studying to become a doctor, the 2011 Junior Kiwi is again eligible for what will be his fourth season in the NYC, a feat achieved by a select group since the competition was introduced in 2008. Usually a back rower, he has been included in the NRL squad for Saturday's trial.

Warriors coach Brian McClennan said Hurrell and Palavi were perfect examples of the rich reservoir of local talent the club invested in.

"Konrad has been fantastic ever since he came into the NRL squad for the start of our off-season training in November,'' he said. "He has done everything asked of him and has really taken his opportunities. He has also been a real pleasure off the field, a young man who is enjoying the whole experience.

"John has a huge future in every respect and he, too, has impressed everyone with the way he has worked during the off-season. He deserves this opportunity.''

Swann is from a well-known league family - his brother Anthony and cousin Logan both played for the Warriors.

He coached the East Coast Bays Barracudas in the Auckland club competition from 2009-2011 and last year was appointed as coach at his old club Marist for the 2012 season.