NRL: Junior players at the centre of attention

Krisnan Inu. Photo / Getty Images

Recruiting from within might be the key to beefing up the vital position of centre as the Warriors piece together their squad for 2012.

The centres have come under considerable scrutiny this season as injury and loss of form has hit the club. Jerome Ropati, Joel Moon and Shaun Berrigan are all injured, meaning two second-rowers (Simon Mannering and Lewis Brown) are currently playing in the centres.

Ropati is the only recognised first-grade centre contracted beyond this year, meaning the club need to make a few decisions in the next six weeks.

Moon and Berrigan are both off contract, although Berrigan, who is more recognised as a hooker, receives an automatic extension if he plays 20 games in 2011.

It's hard to see Moon being retained after an indifferent three years at Mt Smart and rumours have linked him with a move to the UK Super League. The club have options with Krisnan Inu, Bill Tupou, Shaun Metcalf and up-and-comer Ivan Penehe but they might be tempted to hit the market.

Inu might be the best bet if an internal solution is preferred, with Penehe coming through the ranks - though if Inu can consistently reproduce the form he showed against the Storm, the temptation might be strong to leave him on the wing.

"Centre is a key position," Warrior chief executive Wayne Scurrah said. "The centres are where a lot of tries are scored. If there are good centres on the market, people are after them. They are sought-after players."

High profile players off contract this season include Beau Champion, Matt Cooper, Justin Hodges, Junior Sa'u and Timana Tahu but most will be accounted for.

Champion is expected to move from the Storm to the Titans while Cooper, Hodges and Tahu are expected to be retained by their present clubs. Sau said recently "half a dozen" sides were chasing his signature but the Warriors are not understood to be one of them.

Former Storm centre/winger Matt Cooper is also off contract with UK Super League outfit Warrington and has hinted at a return to the NRL but exciting Manly winger/centre William Hopoate is likely to remain at the Sea Eagles.

"We know who is available in both the NRL and UK," Scurrah said. "There are not a lot of top-line players on the market. There are a handful of options but we are not going to recruit for the sake of it. If we're talking about a mid-range player, we probably have enough good players coming through."

Their development programme has been a success in recent times, helped immensely by the achievements of the Junior Warriors in the under-20 competition, and they now have a swathe of talented youngsters coming through like Glen Fisiiahi, Elijah Taylor, Sione and Sam Lousi and Shaun Johnson (although none of them are centres).

"Our approach now is that outstanding kids coming through need to be given first grade opportunities and around that are top quality players from Australia and the UK," Scurrah said.

"The days of recruiting six or seven Australians a season are over as we bring through our own players. The absolute maximum would be three new recruits and they need to be quality. We have shown we don't need any more."

The club have already announced the signing of Titans hooker Nathan Friend on a two-year deal with an option for a third. They are also in talks with James Maloney about extending his current deal and have signed exciting fullback Fisiiahi to a further four years. Lance Hohaia is leaving at the end of the year to join St Helens.

As many as 171 players worth an estimated $21 million are off contract at the end of the season, including 30 internationals and 23 Origin players.