NRL: Kieran Foran working the phones for the Warriors but can he play?

Kieran Foran is still awaiting clearance to play for the Warriors. Photo / photosport.nz

Warrior-in-waiting Kieran Foran is phoning club members asking them to sign on again for next year but it remains uncertain if the NRL will approve his one-year contract to play at Mt Smart next season.

Foran is continuing his rehab from shoulder surgery and has also been doing promotional work for the Warriors as a club ambassador.

The 26-year-old has settled in Auckland after relocating from Sydney but his future with the Warriors remains in limbo with the NRL yet to green light the former Kiwis international's playing return.

Fairfax Media reported on Sunday that the NRL had issued Foran with a set of questions pertaining to his mental health, his betting habits and association with Sydney gambling identity Eddie Hayson.

Warriors managing director Jim Doyle would not comment on how talks with the games governing body were progressing but remains confident the three parties will reach an outcome before the start of the NRL season next year.

"It's still a work in progress," said Doyle. "We've been working on this for a month and we've still got November, December, January and February - we've still got another four months - so I would hope that the process should be finished in a five-month timeframe.

"It should all be done before the season starts."

The Warriors preparations for next year's campaign began in earnest today with new coach Stephen Kearney overseeing the start of pre-season training for those players fit and not involved in the Kiwis Four Nations campaign in England.

Foran is training among the club's rehab group while he is also spending time working in other areas of the club's operations.

"It will just take a bit of time," said Doyle. "Kieran is going through his recovery.

"He comes in in the morning and does all of his recovery and then in the afternoon he either works in the community department and goes out to schools, or he works in the membership department, making calls asking them to become a member next year.

"Obviously he's not a registered player so we want to give him something else to do and when he's finished his rehab we're using his time on that sort of stuff.

"So he's like a Warriors ambassador."

Meanwhile, changes continue off-field at the Warriors ahead of the new season, with Bill Wavish and Bill Birnie both vacating their roles on the club's board of directors.

Changes filed with the Companies Office revealed the pair had departed after four-and-a-half and two-year terms respectively.

Seven directors remain on the board, with Don Stanway, Justin Davis-Rice, Cameron George, Nicky Shuck and Owen Eastwood remaining alongside Doyle and club owner Eric Watson.
Doyle explained the newly formed Football Advisory Board would hold monthly meetings, which lessens the demands on the full board who will assemble on a quarterly basis.

Watson, Doyle, and Eastwood are also on the Football Advisory board, together with former Rugby World Cup-winning All Black coach Sir Graham Henry, experienced NFL coach Eric Mangini, and former Warriors forward Awen Guttenbeil.

"Our focus is on the Football Advisory Board and utilising them more," he said. "We're just streamlining the rest of the board because they'll meet less frequently.

"Bill Wavish has been here for a little while, he lives in Sydney, and Bill Birnie is involved in multiple other things."