Prop Herman Retzlaff has been signed by the New Zealand Warriors after being on trial during the National Rugby League club's off-season and pre-season training programme.

The Apia-born former Pakuranga junior has been secured for the 2008 season with an option for 2009.

"It's the best move I've made coming home to join the Warriors," Retzlaff said in a statement.

"I'm enjoying everything about it - being at this club and being back among family."

The move to the Vodafone Warriors has reunited Retzlaff with three players who were team-mates in the New Zealand under-16 team in 2003 - Sam Rapira, Sonny Fai and Patrick Ah Van.

It was on that tour that Retzlaff, 20, who was at Mt Albert Grammar School at the time, was spotted by Wests Tigers and signed up on a two-year scholarship at Keebra Park State High School on Queensland's Gold Coast.

He spent 2004 and 2005 at Keebra Park and was selected for the Queensland under-17 side in 2004, only to be forced to withdraw with injury.

Retzlaff then spent two years with Wests Tigers in 2006 and 2007.

He mainly played Jersey Flegg football for one of the franchise's feeder clubs but also had one game for Balmain Ryde in the New South Wales Premier League competition last year.

Last Saturday Retzlaff made his first appearance for the Warriors in their 50-0 win against the Auckland Vulcans.

HERMAN RETZLAFF

Date of Birth: August 26, 1987
Birthplace: Apia, Samoa
Height: 177cm    
Weight: 103kg
Position: Prop
Junior Clubs: Pakuranga Jaguars
Secondary School: Mt Albert Grammar School (Auckland), Keebra Park State High School (Qld)
Previous Clubs: Wests Tigers 2006-07
NRL Debut: Yet to make NRL debut
NRL Games: Nil   
NRL Points: Nil
Rep Honours: Nil

This is awesome news, just one thing, i wonder if this means he is eligable for state of origin, just wondering?

This is good news, just wondering if this makes him eligable for state of origin?

Sounds great, hopefully he puts his allegances with samoa, can only help to have more big names outside of AUS, NZ and England. Although if wants to play for NZ or QLD/AUS then so be it, he has every right by the sounds of things.

oikee:

This is good news, just wondering if this makes him eligable for state of origin?

 

i suppose he would as he played his first senior game after 16 in qld, and for aus as he satisfies the 3 year residency criteria, but why would he opt for aus. there has never been a player who has signed to move to australia to play rugby league and has gone onto play nsw/qld/aus. hopefully he does stick to samoa, but if he suddenly "makes it", the rlif will of course ridiculously let him move on to nz just as moi moi and tuaki did. not that he isnt eligible for nz, but he shouldnt be allowed to represent 2 countries so easily. anyway, lets see how he goes!

hutch:

oikee:

This is good news, just wondering if this makes him eligable for state of origin?

 

i suppose he would as he played his first senior game after 16 in qld, and for aus as he satisfies the 3 year residency criteria, but why would he opt for aus. there has never been a player who has signed to move to australia to play rugby league and has gone onto play nsw/qld/aus. hopefully he does stick to samoa, but if he suddenly "makes it", the rlif will of course ridiculously let him move on to nz just as moi moi and tuaki did. not that he isnt eligible for nz, but he shouldnt be allowed to represent 2 countries so easily. anyway, lets see how he goes!

Let's not get ahead of ourself's here, he has not even made his NRL debut yet, let alone been selected for anycountry or SOO. If he plays for Australia or Kiwis, so be it, hopefully he will give his allegance to samoa and stick with them. All this providing he is up to it.

Just wondering, because petro and price will be retiring from origin soon, looking for props to fill the gaps?

oikee:

Just wondering, because petro and price will be retiring from origin soon, looking for props to fill the gaps?

Yeh good point oikee QLD will lose alot when price and civo finish. There are a few replacement s ready though, Dave Taylor for one, i'd say he will make the side this year and never look back, as for the other prop well there is M Scott, S Tronc from the cowboys possibly C Webb can play front, Hannant from the broncs, Ross from the sharks and more that i can't think of ATM, so there is some talent there waiting in the wings.

Yes thats right, and also antonio kaufusi, he made the choice to play for queensland, and he will be there again, see how he goes on saturday morning in the challenge game.

yeh like i said, there are plenty of people there who can fill the job, hopefully we will have a forard pack that can build a platform for our great backline to work on. Just thinking about our best possible back line and all of candidates will amke australia IMO, Hunt, Inglis, Falou, Hodges, plus back this up with the world best halfs and hoker and what you have is IMO the best QLD side ever.

mmm  and will chambers waiting in the wings, also jim seeing you read league week, they have also unearthed a 17 year old new karmichael hunt , a young player, where do they find these guys, just love league, roll on 2008,,,,,, tamana tah who?

On top of this hunt is still only a kid himself, we lost tahu but boy, haven't they got talent in the wings,

 and now with the under 20's comp, she goes up another gear, these games are played before the main game, so will be good , when you go to watch the league you get two top games for the price of one, man thats value, should have done this years ago.?

oikee:

mmm  and will chambers waiting in the wings, also jim seeing you read league week, they have also unearthed a 17 year old new karmichael hunt , a young player, where do they find these guys, just love league, roll on 2008,,,,,, tamana tah who?

On top of this hunt is still only a kid himself, we lost tahu but boy, haven't they got talent in the wings,

 and now with the under 20's comp, she goes up another gear, these games are played before the main game, so will be good , when you go to watch the league you get two top games for the price of one, man thats value, should have done this years ago.?

Yeh there is plenty of talent for QLD to call on, in the back swe have the likes of tate, slater, bowen, williams, rogers, wesser etc. etc. Now think these are players that probably 'WONT' make the QLD side. Also in the halfs, we have the best 3 halfbacks in the NRL IMO, thurston, Prince and Cronk, throw in there tim smith, if he can regain some 2005 form than he will be a force in the NRL. Also a player to watch out for this year is willie tonga, i know hes been around for a while and hasn't doen much lately, but i think if he can stay injury free he can regain the kind of form that saw him make australia.

Agree with you on this under 20 comp. It will be great for the game in australia, now they are playing 2 live games a week on fox sports, i will check them out for sure.