New Zealand Warriors fans have been granted an early Christmas present, with courageous captain Tohu Harris signing a one-year contract extension.
The 31-year-old was one of the competition's most consistent players last season, making 23 appearances for the Wahs in their run to an unlikely prelim final berth.
Harris was set to come off-contract at the end of next year and was technically available to rival clubs, but has opted to prolong his stay until at least the end of 2025.
The news comes as a major boost for the Warriors, who are set to lose star front-rower Addin Fonua-Blake.
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Tohu Harris re-signs with Warriors until end of 2025
In a statement released on Monday morning, head coach Andrew Webster praised the inspirational leader and believes he can continue to lead the club forward.
“I’m a huge fan of Tohu’s. He’s an unbelievable player and person who means so much to our club,” he said.
“Without him and his leadership on and off the field we certainly wouldn’t be where we are right now.
“When I first talked to him before returning here I was so impressed by his passion and what he wants for the club.
"He proved that throughout the last season and now he has the opportunity to take the team further as we seek more improvement.”
"There's only one reason I'm playing on and that's to win a comp..." 💙💚❤️ pic.twitter.com/mfLZoSA2JG
— One NZ Warriors (@NZWarriors) December 4, 2023
Harris averaged 139 run metres and 40 tackles per game for the Warriors in their most recent campaign, becoming the workhorse leader of the forward pack on and off the field.
The club's head of recruitment Andrew McFadden lauded the extension and the commitment of Harris, especially throughout some leaner years in Auckland and abroad.
“It’s tremendous for us knowing we’ll have Tohu for another season,” he said.
“He has been so critical in helping us to where we are today, a job he started in the tough times away from home."
Tohu Harris 2023 NRL stats
| Games | 23 |
| Tries | 3 |
| Tackle Breaks | 27 |
| Offloads | 7 |
| Avg. Run Metres | 139m |
| Avg. Tackles | 40 |
| Tackle Efficiency | 94% |
