I maintain that other successful clubs put players on a development path that is honoured

Melbourne Storm is the best example

Will Warbrick - 15 games Q Cup

Tyran Wishart - 16 games Q Cup

Jack Howarth - 43 games Q Cup

Joe Chan - 20 games Q Cup

Harry Grant - 40 games Q Cup

These guys have had to earn their stripes in lower levels but then again maybe im just looking for data to suit my view. We'll see who Benji has in mind for the last roster spots

Adam Elliott  - 180 NRL Games

Tim Johannssen - 1 NRL Game

Isaiah Tass - 70  NRL Games

Haze Dunster - 19 NRL Games

Total 269 additional games

I ran a quick check of our 2026 NRL squad against two other randomly selected teams so as to get some data to assess the Benji Marshall claim that the club needs more experience. The data only collected the Top 28 NRL contracted players but the results make it clear that we are still very short on NRL match ready players.

To really change the culture and establish an experienced base of players the club needs to also spell this plan out to young players who have previously come to expect a debut straight out of High School. This should not happen.

The culture must be one where development paths are honoured so we need to make it clear to every junior coming up through the grades - you will not play NRL until or unless you have played a minimum of 25 NSW Cup games. This ensures staggered development for guys like Makasini and Tavana who were clearly not ready when thrown in this year.

One of the better performing rookies this year was Vaka Aho - the only young player whose development path was honoured. If Johannsen is not an option then Aho should get his Top 30 contract.

Good grief. I respect the likely intent of the post (i.e. we want WT be a competitive NRL club) but, beyond that, we're expected to accept his/her defintion of "culture" and the expectations of rookie players straight out of high school. And, the commets are supposedly data driven?  So, more sucessful clubs have a policy of a minimum of 25 NSW Cup games before being promoted to first grade? 

Yeh? Nah.

I'm wanting to be persuaded that someone can convince me that WT has a viable future as a competitive NRL club. But this ain't it.

Here are the 4 players I hope take the remaining contracts

Adam Elliott  - 180 NRL Games

Tim Johannssen - 1 NRL Game

Isaiah Tass - 70  NRL Games

Haze Dunster - 19 NRL Games

Total 269 additional games

I ran a quick check of our 2026 NRL squad against two other randomly selected teams so as to get some data to assess the Benji Marshall claim that the club needs more experience. The data only collected the Top 28 NRL contracted players but the results make it clear that we are still very short on NRL match ready players.

To really change the culture and establish an experienced base of players the club needs to also spell this plan out to young players who have previously come to expect a debut straight out of High School. This should not happen.

The culture must be one where development paths are honoured so we need to make it clear to every junior coming up through the grades - you will not play NRL until or unless you have played a minimum of 25 NSW Cup games. This ensures staggered development for guys like Makasini and Tavana who were clearly not ready when thrown in this year.

One of the better performing rookies this year was Vaka Aho - the only young player whose development path was honoured. If Johannsen is not an option then Aho should get his Top 30 contract.

I’d take Tim Johannssen in a heartbeat. No opinion on the rest. 

How would you use him?

Adam Elliott  - 180 NRL Games

Tim Johannssen - 1 NRL Game

Isaiah Tass - 70  NRL Games

Haze Dunster - 19 NRL Games

Total 269 additional games

I ran a quick check of our 2026 NRL squad against two other randomly selected teams so as to get some data to assess the Benji Marshall claim that the club needs more experience. The data only collected the Top 28 NRL contracted players but the results make it clear that we are still very short on NRL match ready players.

To really change the culture and establish an experienced base of players the club needs to also spell this plan out to young players who have previously come to expect a debut straight out of High School. This should not happen.

The culture must be one where development paths are honoured so we need to make it clear to every junior coming up through the grades - you will not play NRL until or unless you have played a minimum of 25 NSW Cup games. This ensures staggered development for guys like Makasini and Tavana who were clearly not ready when thrown in this year.

One of the better performing rookies this year was Vaka Aho - the only young player whose development path was honoured. If Johannsen is not an option then Aho should get his Top 30 contract.

Adam Elliott  - 180 NRL Games

Tim Johannssen - 1 NRL Game

Isaiah Tass - 70  NRL Games

Haze Dunster - 19 NRL Games

Total 269 additional games

I ran a quick check of our 2026 NRL squad against two other randomly selected teams so as to get some data to assess the Benji Marshall claim that the club needs more experience. The data only collected the Top 28 NRL contracted players but the results make it clear that we are still very short on NRL match ready players.

To really change the culture and establish an experienced base of players the club needs to also spell this plan out to young players who have previously come to expect a debut straight out of High School. This should not happen.

The culture must be one where development paths are honoured so we need to make it clear to every junior coming up through the grades - you will not play NRL until or unless you have played a minimum of 25 NSW Cup games. This ensures staggered development for guys like Makasini and Tavana who were clearly not ready when thrown in this year.

One of the better performing rookies this year was Vaka Aho - the only young player whose development path was honoured. If Johannsen is not an option then Aho should get his Top 30 contract.

He’s surplus to requirements over at Penrith, but yes, poor defender at this point in his career.

He was on a 3 year deal at Canterbury and the 2028 season he was set to be on a development contract. This suggests he might not join WT as a top 30 player (which is a good thing)