Warriors v Knights: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad re-signs until end of 2027 NRL season
Nicoll-Klokstad was being chased by clubs in the English Super League – particularly the Perpignan-based Catalans Dragons – but has opted to remain with the Warriors for another two years.
The London Broncos, who play in England's second-tier championship, were also understood to be in the mix.
Warriors coach Andrew Webster is delighted to have retained the 29-year-old for a further two years.
'Keeping Charnze means so much to us,' said Webster. 'He plays such a huge part at our club, and we didn't want him going anywhere else.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
10 hours ago
- RNZ News
The ultimate Warriors cult-hero line-up
Ali Lauitiiti still looms as the Warriors biggest cult hero. Photo: PHOTOSPORT While the Warriors may not have a cabinet chock-full of trophies, the club has never been short of men who create memories. Rising star Leka Halasima appears to be the latest of these Warriors enigmas. 'Leka' has already cemented himself as a fan favourite following his miraculous match winner in Newcastle . With the rise of Halasima, Jonty Dine selects his side of Warriors cult heroes, the players the streets won't forget. Fullback - Wade McKinnon Boasting a highlights reel to rival the best, McKinnon's electric kick returns, deceptive speed, and of course that mesmerising solo try against Penrith in 2007 endeared the Aussie to the Mount Smart faithful. Wing - Henry Fa'afili A knack for the spectacular, Fa'afili was beloved not just for his try-scoring feats, but also the iconic celebrations that followed . Centre - Konrad Hurrell A human wrecking ball, Hurrell was chaos personified. Regarded as a slight defensive liability, but with ball in hand, Hurrell was a sight to behold . Was just as adept at finding the tryline, as he was the camera to blow a kiss. Centre - Solomone Kata The Tongan tank was a nightmare for defences with speed , a low centre of gravity and the power of a front-rower, forming a brutal pairing with bash brother Hurrell. Wade McKinnon, Konrad Hurrell, Henry Fa'afili and Solomone Kata. Photo: Photosport Wing - Lee Oudenryn The fastest man in rugby league was a cult figure before he even joined the early Warriors side. With his blonde hair and searing speed, Oudenryn was happily adopted on this side of the Tasman. Five-eighth - Michael Witt A golden boot, Witt's radar accuracy off the tee saw him reach a streak of 28 successful goal on the trot, but he is most remembered for sealing the famous try in the semi-final upset over Melbourne, when he eventually put the ball down. Halfback - Lance Hohaia A utility weapon, 'The Huntly Hurricane' could play almost anywhere on the park, however that could at times see him struggle to lock down a regular starting spot. His diminutive frame belied his bravery . Prop - Mark Tookey 'Tooks' was the people's prop. A genuine big bopper who showed no regard for the men he ran at, and less about being a pin-up for the game. His kick return against the Cowboys in 2002 was as good as you'll see. Hooker - Jason Death The grit. The glue. The mongrel in the middle. Death never shied away from the dirty work. Also a quality distributor, Death was among the most reliable Warriors at the turn of the century. Lee Oudenryn, Michael Witt, Lance Hohaia and Jason Death. Photo: Photosport Prop - Iafeta Paleaaesina 'Feka' was synonymous with destruction. His fearless 'rhino style' runs, pumping the legs and exploding head first through contact, while terrifying for opposition was thrilling for the faithful. Second Row - Eliesa Katoa Katoa burst onto a heavily disrupted NRL scene courtesy of the Covid-19 pandemic, but despite only playing one of his 42 games in Auckland, still managed to leave an indelible impression on the club with his combination of power and offload artistry. Second Row - Ali Lauitiiti The first name on this list, the embodiment of a Warriors cult figure, an absolute magician. Lauitiiti, dubbed "the Michael Jordan of rugby league ," had freakish athleticism, was an offload king, and an integral reason for the club's first grand final appearance. Lock Forward - Richard Villasanti 'Villa the Gorilla" played his football with a reckless abandon that Warriors fans adored, epitomised by his vicious head to head shot on Brad Fitler in the 2002 grand final . Mark Tookey, Eliesa Katoa, Iafeta Paleaaesina and Richard Villasanti. Photo: Photosport Interchange Suaia Matagi Brutal off the back fence . Charlie Gubb Pure passion . Nathan Friend Selected for the somersault pass alone . Sione Faumuina A maverick with a deep bag of tricks . Charlie Gubb, Nathan Friend, Sione Faumuina and Suaia Matagi. Photo: Photosport Warriors cult hero lineup 1. Wade McKinnon 2. Henry Faifili 3. Konrad Hurrell 4. Solomone Kata 5. Lee Oudenryn 6. Michael Witt 7. Motu Tony 8. Mark Tookey 9. Jason Death 10. Iafeta Paleaaesina 11. Eliesa Katoa 12. Ali Lauititi 13. Richard Villasanti Interchange 14. Nathan Friend 15. Suaia Matagi 16. Charlie Gubb 17. Sione Faumuina Honourable mentions- PJ Marsh, Motu Tony, Jerry Seuseu, Mason Lino. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- RNZ News
NZ Warriors try to put heartbreaking NRL loss to Dolphins behind them
The soul-searching begins for the Warriors, after their last-gasp defeat to the Dolphins. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ NZ Warriors v Canterbury Bulldogs Kickoff: 9.35pm Saturday, 9 August Accor Stadium, Sydney Live blog updates on RNZ Sport Amid the ruins of a heartbreaking, last-gasp defeat to the Dolphins, each and every NZ Warriors player has had to hold themselves accountable to some degree - and then move on. In a frozen moment in time, as Dolphins and Kiwis winger Jamayne Isaako scored the gamewinning try in the corner of Go Media Stadium, the parochial home crowd fell silent, praying for some divine intervention from the NRL bunker that never came. The impact of this result was not lost on the fans, as they began to console themselves on a season seemingly slipping away, nor the players, as they began to second-guess what they could have done better to avoid this fate. "I've been part of teams that would say, 'Let's not worry about a review, it's too hard to see or let's not watch it'," coach Andrew Webster explained. "I just think you can't move on if you don't do that. "We had to get a bit of closure, when you go through some trauma like that, and then move on." Two weeks after inflicting the same torment on Newcastle Knights, there was also a matter of accepting the same medicine they had previously dished out. The Dolphins snatched their 20-18 victory, when they ran on the last tackle of their last set of the game, testing the Warriors' vulnerable right-edge defence, before sending the ball back to the left, where winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck remained alone against three attackers. Hooker Sam Healey and stand-in captain Kurt Capewell made valiant attempts to scramble back, but could not reach Isaako in time. One of the toughest on himself was fullback Taine Tuaupiki, the last line of defence who allowed himself to be sucked across the field in cover and could not respond quickly enough, when the ball went back the other way. "I just missed the job, bro," he lamented. "Elite fullbacks make that tackle in the corner and I didn't. "I'm sure a lot off the boys are nitpicking what they did wrong. That was my part, it's over now, but I wish I could have that back." Tuaupiki had already saved a certain try to Dolphins winger Jake Averillo and was also the last cover defender, as centre Herbie Farnworth broke into an open field, before pulling up with a hamstring injury. Jamayne Isaako scores the gamewinning try against the Warriors. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ "That's just my job as well," Tuaupiki insisted. "If someone makes a linebreak and runs straight through to the tryline, everyone would ask where was the fullback, so that was just me doing my job." Five-eighth Te Maire Martin was another shifting right, hoping to close down the final play on that side of the field. "We base so much of our stuff on effort and, if you look at that last play, we were almost putting in too much effort, which sounds stupid," he reflected. "I was at marker at the play-of-the-ball on the other side and chased right across to cover, and they ended up scoring where I would have been. "There were a few of us trying to shut it down, thinking it was the last play, then they came back. Instead of thinking calmly at that time, when the pressure was on… if we had stayed in our lanes, we could have shut it off. "You want to work hard for your teammates and a few of the boys were cramping up at the same time, so you want to cover. You still want to put in effort, but thinking calmer in those situations is the main [lesson]. "If they had scored on that right edge and I had stayed on the left, I would have been kicking myself." From Webster's perspective, the threat could have been nullified at the other end of the field. Moments before, the Warriors turned down a penalty shot at goal, which would have stretched their lead, but handed the ball back to their opponents on halfway. Instead, Webster ordered them to keep the ball in hand and pin the Dolphins deep in their own half for the rest of the game. "We had so much effort, everyone was circling behind to cover corners and they moved the ball back twice," he said, reliving that final play. "As they did that, guys were trying to cover corners, instead of having one big, beautiful line, and we allowed too much space. "We also let them off their line twice to give them a shot at that and we didn't need to do that. The learning there is, if we're ever in touch-football mode at the end of the game, we don't need 3-4 guys heading to the corner early - we should have just kept it straight." Webster was adamant the team had put their disappointment behind them, although some achieved that quicker than others. "You tend to drag your feet when you get home, but when you arrive to a bit of noise like a baby, partner pregnant... I've got a bit going on and can't afford to be dragging my feet," Tuaupiki chuckled. "When I was here, I was a bit gutted, but as soon as I got home, straight into dad mode and you get a spray from the misses if you're ruining the weekend." The Warriors have sat in the competition's top four most of the season, but a six-point buffer has now shrunk to just one, with four-time defending champions Penrith Panthers now breathing down their necks, as they prepare to face high-flying Canterbury Bulldogs in Sydney on Saturday. They have won two of their last six games and what looked like a favourable run to the playoffs has proved anything but . They need to win at least three of their last five fixtures to clinch a post-season spot, although that may soften, as teams on the edge of the top eight also face their challenges. Eighth-placed Dolphins take on ninth-placed Sydney Roosters this weekend and defeat would leave the Sydneysiders clinging to mathematical chances, while Manly Sea Eagles (10th) have top-of-the-table Canberra Raiders in the Australian capital. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
19 hours ago
- RNZ News
League switch helps Patricia Maliepo unlock X-factor for NZ Warriors
Patricia Maliepo doesn't back down from the physical stuff for the Warriors. Photo: David Neilson/photosport Unlike most rookies, Patricia Maliepo has not had the luxury of sitting at the back of the class, pretending to understand her new surroundings. The former Black Fern is one of several rugby converts testing the water with NZ Warriors this season, as the club returns to the NRLW after a five-year hiatus. With so many Kiwi league stars already under contract at other Australian clubs, the Auckland outfit has had to think laterally to fill its roster, but among the newcomers acquitting themselves with distinction, none has stamped their mark on the game like Maliepo. Playing at five-eighth, she has demanded the ball in her hands more than any other player and shown she knows what to do with it, when it arrives. Somehow, the switch in codes has unlocked the X-factor that promised so much in union, but never quite blossomed. "I definitely think that and I think you can see it," she agreed. "You have more time and, as a playmaker, you can run with the ball, instead of just distributing it every time. "I love the physical side of rugby league. I love running the ball, but sometimes I have to remember that I'm also the playmaker on the field, and I have to create those opportunities for my wingers and my middles too." The transfer of skillsets seems to have been seamless. Maliepo scored the Warriors' first try in their NRLW return against the champion Sydney Roosters, cooly slotted sideline conversions against Newcastle Knights and sparked her team with a 40-30 kick last weekend against North Queensland Cowboys. "The thing with Patricia is she plays a position where she has to own part of the game for us," coach Ron Griffiths said. "After her third game of rugby league, we had her delivering the attacking review from the weekend. "No doubt, that comes with some nerves about understanding her role and understanding the game. For her to do that shows how much she's grown in that short window and how much she's really enjoying the experience." That responsibility and trust marked an important step in Maliepo's league education. "Talking to people in front of the room is way different to being out on the field directing," she said. "For me to get up in a classroom or our teamroom is quite nervewracking. "It's definitely a work-on, but I like that Ron has instilled that into the team, letting players taking control of the review to see what they see on the field, compared to what the coaches see. "I wouldn't say it's been seamless. I think I barely know the full rule book of rugby league, but having good people who have played the sport - like my other half Emily Curtain and Apii Nicholls - around me, they have slowly built the game into me as the weeks go on. "As you play the game, you get the feel of it and you know what points to get to, but there's still a lot to learn." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
