Key Points:

The Warriors have added hooker Lewis Brown to next season's squad and will know within a week whether Nathan Fien will join Huddersfield in the UK Super League next year.

Brown, 21, was signed from the Wests Tigers on a one-year deal, plus the option of another year, with a view to adding depth to the hooking position.

The former New Zealand under-16 representative's chances of being involved in the NRL squad next season will improve with news Fien is in talks about joining Nathan Brown at Huddersfield next season.

Brown will be replaced as Dragons boss next year by Wayne Bennett and is said to be keen on 29-year-old Fien.

Fien, who played halfback against the Broncos last night, still has one year left on his Warriors contract but approached the club about an early release when he discovered he wasn't in their plans beyond 2009.

The Warriors have asked that a decision on Fien be made in the next week so they can plan with more surety for next season.

They have made a tentative approach for former Eels halfback Tim Smith, who quit the NRL earlier this year admitting he had bipolar disorder and who has also had well-documented problems with alcohol. After a brief break from the game, Smith signed with Wigan until the end of next year, although it's understood he has an out clause at the end of this Super League season.

The Warriors have also been in talks with Wests Tigers' utility Liam Fulton but said they had withdrawn their offer to team-mate Mathew Head.

They want to make sure anyone they sign is better than the halfbacks they already have, Grant Rovelli and Michael Witt.

Brown has yet to make his NRL debut for the Wests Tigers, who are well stocked in the hooking department with Robbie Farah and John Morris, but he has been a feature of their NSW Premier League side.

He played junior representative football for Canterbury before moving to Australia in 2005 and linking with Cronulla's feeder side Griffith. He was soon spotted by the Roosters and played Jersey Flegg for the glamour Sydney outfit before moving to the Wests Tigers.

Although the Warriors have signed him primarily as a hooker, he grew up playing as a halfback or five-eighth and is also said to be an option at lock.

Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah declined to comment on Brown but said their recruitment was taking shape for next season.

"The majority of the top 25 is complete," he said. "We have also signed a number of players beyond the top 25 to bring more depth to the club but we still have some room for additional recruits.

"There's still a lot of players on the market and a fair amount of this season to play, so there's no panic."