The Warriors now have certainty about a key playmaker's plans. Photo / Photosport
The long, lingering questions over a key Warriors’ playmaker have been resolved.
The club has struggled through a series of injuries since the departure of Shaun Johnson last year.
Te Maire Martin will extend his time at the NRL franchise. The Herald understands the 29-year-old is close to agreeing a one-year extension on his current contract, which will see him remain at the Auckland club until the end of the 2026 season.
It’s a big retention call by the Warriors, given the amount of halves already on the books. But it’s also recognition of Martin’s impressive versatility, where he has covered multiple positions off the bench and become the preferred No 14 option.
His attitude – and willingness to put the club first in the opening quarter of the season when he was stuck in reserve grade – has also been noticed by the club hierarchy.
It’s quite a turnaround. Earlier this season it looked like Martin would almost certainly depart at the end of this campaign. He missed out to Luke Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita for a spot in the halves, before Newcastle youngster Jye Linnane was signed as a future playmaking option in April, while Jett Cleary was already on the books as a long-term investment.
That led to speculation from Australian media that Martin could even depart mid-season for a Super League deal or possible NRL switch, though coach Andrew Webster was quick to quash any talk of an early release.
Since then, Martin has reinvented himself as a utility. Starting with the round seven match against Brisbane, Martin appeared in 11 of the next 12 matches off the bench and was used at fullback, centre, lock and hooker as well as in the halves, contributing to eight victories.
He enjoyed his first start of the season last week against the Dolphins, before getting the nod again on Saturday, a surprise pick to supplant incumbent No 7 Tanah Boyd. The match turned into a personal nightmare, with Martin leaving the field after just 22 minutes due to concussion. It was later assessed as category one, which will rule him out of Friday’s clash with the Dragons in Auckland (8pm).
Despite that, Martin’s new contract will be a huge fillip, when it looked like he was headed for the exit a few months ago. He had wanted to stay in New Zealand, to be close to family and also given his enjoyment of various outdoor pursuits, notably hunting and fishing. But Martin also would have considered offers from elsewhere if it meant prolonging his professional career. Options would have eventuated, given the shortage of experienced halves across the NRL.
To stay at the Warriors, Martin will have taken a pay cut, given he was signed as a half ahead of the 2023 season, but there were other things to weigh up.
Martin made his first bow in the NRL in round three of the 2016 season, kicking a field goal to help Penrith to a dramatic win over the Broncos in a dream debut. After two seasons at the Panthers, he moved to North Queensland, where he was part of a fairytale run to the grand final from eighth, scoring the Cowboys’ only try in the decider as they were beaten by the Melbourne Storm.
He retired due to medical reasons in 2019, after suffering a brain bleed, before returning three years later via the Broncos, after some time away followed by lower-level league and rugby in New Zealand. Impressive form at Red Hill led to the contract offer with the Warriors, where he has since accumulated 38 matches. Overall, he has notched up 106 NRL games, along with four tests for the Kiwis.
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.