Experienced centre Blake Ayshford, standoff Ata Hingano, 2017 NRL rookie Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and halfback Mason Lino have all been re-signed by the Vodafone Warriors for next season and beyond.
Their contracts have now been officially registered while promising NYC players Lewis Soosemea and Joe Vuna have also been secured on new deals.
“These are all key signings for us as we continue to work towards settling our squad for next year,” said Vodafone Warriors recruitment and development manager Tony Iro.
The 157-game veteran Ayshford (29), who scored a double in Saturday’s 34-12 win over Gold Coast, has extended his stay until the end of the 2019 season after appearing in 33 games for the Vodafone Warriors so far.
Standoff Hingano (20) will remain with the Vodafone Warriors until the end of the 2020 NRL season after signing a three-year contract. After making his NRL debut late last season, he featured in the club’s first three games this year and scored his first career try when he made his sixth first-grade appearance off the bench in Saturday’s victory over the Titans.
Utility Nicoll Klokstad (21), the club’s 2016 Intrust Super Premiership player of the year, has been re-signed on a two-year contract. He was called up for his NRL debut against the Sydney Roosters on April 30 and appeared in each of the next three games against Penrith, St George Illawarra and Brisbane, scoring doubles against the Panthers and the Dragons.
Halfback Lino (23), who captains the ISP side, has also been secured for two seasons. He was used in three NRL games at the end of the 2016 season and continues to provide back-up to the NRL squad’s halves as an integral performer for the ISP team.
Wing Soosemea (19) and second rower Vuna (18), both signed on two-year deals, have been frontline performers for the Vodafone Junior Warriors after making their debuts in the grade as 17-year-olds.
Mangere East Hawks junior Soosemea has made 45 NYC appearances since 2015 scoring 25 tries including nine in 13 games this season. He also made his ISP debut last year and represented the Vodafone Warriors at this year’s NRL Nines as well as playing in the club’s NRL trial against Melbourne on the Sunshine Coast.
Vuna has played 36 NYC games, appearing 22 times last year and in all 14 games so far this season. He was also in the NRL Nines squad in February.
While announcing the re-signings, Iro also confirmed off-contract prop Toafofoa Sipley has decided to continue his career in Sydney after this season.
“We were keen for Toaf to stay and made a good offer but it hasn’t been enough to keep him here,” he said.
“While it’s disappointing to lose players who come through our system, we wish Toaf all the best.”
After playing for the club’s NYC and Intrust Super Premiership sides, Sipley graduated to make two NRL appearances last year.
VODAFONE WARRIORS | RE-SIGNED PLAYERS
BLAKE AYSHFORD
Born: April 15, 1988
Birthplace: Sydney, NSW
Junior Clubs: Paddington Tigers, Coogee Wombats
Position: Centre
Height: 190cm
Weight: 100kg
Rep Honours: Nil
Previous Clubs: Wests Tigers (2009-2013), Cronulla (2014-2015)
FG Debut: Wests Tigers v Brisbane, Campbelltown Sports Stadium, May 22, 2009 (Rd
11)
Club Debut: Vodafone Warriors v Wests Tigers, Campbelltown Sports Stadium, March 5, 2016 (Rd 1)
Vodafone Warriors No: 204
NRL Career: 157 appearances (2009-2017):
104 for Wests Tigers (2009-2013)
20 for Cronulla (2014-2015)
33 for Vodafone Warriors (2016-2017)
NRL Points: 180 (45 tries)
MAFOA’AEATA HINGANO
Born: March 11, 1997
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Junior Club: Pakuranga Jaguars
Position: Standoff/Halfback
Height: 183cm
Weight: 92kg
Rep Honours: Tonga (2017), Junior Kiwis (2016), NZ Residents 18s (2014-2015)
Previous Clubs: Nil
Club and FG Debut: Vodafone Warriors v North Queensland, 1300SMILES Stadium, August 20, 2016 (Rd 24)
Vodafone Warriors No: 214
NRL Career: 6 appearances (2016-2017)
NRL Points: 6 (1 try, 1 goal)
CHARNZE NICOLL-KLOKSTAD
Born: August 2, 1995
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Junior Clubs: City Newton Dragons (Auckland), Altona Roosters (Melbourne)
Position: Fullback/Centre/Wing
Height: 182cm
Weight: 86kg
Rep Honours: Cook Islands (2015-2017)
Previous Clubs: Melbourne NYC (2014-2015)
Club and FG Debut: Vodafone Warriors v Sydney Roosters, Mount Smart Stadium, April 30, 2017 (Rd 9)
Vodafone Warriors No: 218
NRL Career: 4 appearances (2017)
NRL Points: 16 (4 tries)
MASON LINO
Born: February 4, 1994
Birthplace: Apia, Samoa
Junior Club: Marist Saints
Position: Halfback
Height: 176cm
Weight: 84kg
Rep Honours: Samoa (2016), Junior Kiwis (2013)
Previous Clubs: Nil
Club & FG Debut: Vodafone Warriors v North Queensland, Mount Smart Stadium, August 22, 2015 (Rd 24)
Vodafone Warriors No: 202
NRL Career: 3 appearances (2015)
NRL Points: 0
LEWIS SOOSEMEA
Born: March 7, 1998
Birthplace: Auckland, NZ
Junior Club: Mangere East Hawks
Position: Wing
Height: 181cm
Weight: 93kg
Rep Honours: NZ Residents 16s, 18s
Previous Clubs: Nil
NYC Debut: Vodafone Junior Warriors v Parramatta, Mount Smart Stadium, March 21, 2015 (Rd 3)
NYC Career: 45 appearances (2015-2017)
NYC Points: 100 (25 tries)
ISP Debut: Vodafone Warriors v Illawarra, Mount Smart Stadium, July 9, 2016 (Rd 18)
ISP Career: 2 appearances (2016)
ISP Points: 0
JOSEPH VUNA
Born: July 31, 1998
Birthplace: Alameda County, California, US
Junior Club: Otahuhu Leopards
Position: Second Row
Height: 182cm
Weight: 99kg
Rep Honours: NZ Schoolboys
Previous Clubs: Nil
NYC Debut: Vodafone Junior Warriors v Wests Tigers, Campbelltown Sports Stadium, March 5, 2016 (Rd 1)
NYC Career: 36 appearances (2016-2017)
NYC Points: 20 (5 tries)
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