James Fisher Harris

[Woody90]

Congrats guys. Unreal signing. Very jealous.

 

[soc123_au]

Gotta admit, the well wishes from the Penrith supporters is pretty cool. Some good vibes between our clubs

Unusual really as you guys are becoming a genuine threat.

For me it comes down to a few things. Ivan getting his coaching start with you, seeing DWZ, Egan and Webster thriving over there and finally the fact that if a Man that has bled for you week in and out wants to go home, you let him go home.

Pissed I'm going to need a new avatar though. I f**kin' love this one.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Obviously this bloke fits our recruitment model. He has a hyphenated name.

As well as being our third Harris

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Dude, glass half empty much? We got him, presumably didn’t pay overs, and got him EXACTLY when we needed him. I’m really not concerned with the exact specifics outside of that. Let’s just be happy that on paper, our pack isn’t going to miss a beat going into next year. Now let’s just hope that SJ stays injury free and wants to go around for another season and our premiership window is definitely staying open.

Still very happy, and will take any win we can get, it just it seems like the prevailing posts that we got him on merit and not looking at the whole/realistic picture.
Yes he could have done a Manu and gone to union in Japan, but this is a family move it seems first and foremost. (Which had happened to us a few times, so glad to get one back).
But hey if we ever sign Nathan Clearly (still in his prime) I'll eat my words (if Daddy isn't coaching).

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Obviously this bloke fits our recruitment model. He has a hyphenated name.

Indeed... JFH in for AFB, joining DWZ, RTS, CNK, CHT and the young fella TSS.

OMFG I'm ROFL

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Unusual really as you guys are becoming a genuine threat.

For me it comes down to a few things. Ivan getting his coaching start with you, seeing DWZ, Egan and Webster thriving over there and finally the fact that if a Man that has bled for you week in and out wants to go home, you let him go home.

Pissed I'm going to need a new avatar though. I f**kin' love this one.

Lots of history between our clubs. Ivan's a massive one obviously, but goes way back to when Brandy joined as our inaugural half. I had to take some me time when that news broke.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I honestly hate this current Panthers team more than any other team in the comp so I don't know how to feel about all these vibes

 

[Rich102]

Penrith Panthers enforcer James Fisher-Harris has been granted a release from the remaining two years of his deal to join the New Zealand Warriors in a bombshell switch.

Fisher-Harris, a New Zealand international, will link up with the Warriors in 2025 on a four-year deal.

The forward was granted permission to join the Warriors after requesting a return to his home nation on compassionate grounds so he could be closer to his family.
Speaking on NRL360 on Wednesday night, The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis revealed how quickly he became a New Zealand player.

Fisher-Harris’ management reportedly reached out to the Warriors chief executive on Sunday night, prompting him to get on a flight to seal the deal on Wednesday.

“We’ve seen this situation play out so many times where there’s a fallout between the club and the player, but that didn’t happen in this situation,” Carayannis said.

“It’s a clean cut break, they haven’t asked for a transfer fee, they didn’t engage for a player swap, they didn’t ask for anything.

“They just said James Fisher-Harris, thanks for your service and good luck... I think this has been sitting with James for the last couple of weeks.

“He’s very close to Stacey Jones, the assistant coach at the Warriors and the coach of the Kiwis, he’s also close with Andrew Webster.

‘Clean break’: How bombshell NRL switch got done in 72 hours and why Panthers allowed it

‘Clean break’: How bombshell NRL switch got done in 72 hours and why Panthers allowed it

www.foxsports.com.au

“There’s no doubt there’s been informal talks between those guys to get the lay of the land... but it only evolved on Sunday when Cameron George’s phone rang.

“He was told this could be a chance of happening and it moved so fast he flew out to Sydney today, met him for the first time, signed the papers. Got back on a plane to Auckland, job done.”

Interestingly, Fisher-Harris was reportedly on top of the club’s transfer targets list after Addin Fonua-Blake revealed he wanted to return to Sydney.

The Warriors then missed out on the signature of Sharks enforcer Braden Hamlin-Uele, which allowed them to keep the salary cap space to sign their marquee recruit.

Speaking in a club statement after securing Fisher-Harris’ services, George explained he was delighted to have secured the services of the three-time NRL premiership winner.
“We’re absolutely delighted to be able to sign James,” George said.


“It’s a huge signing for us, undoubtedly one of the biggest in our club’s history.

“To be able to add a player of his calibre and standing to our squad is a tremendous boost for 2025 and beyond. He’s such a highly-respected player and leader.”

Fisher-Harris departs the Panthers as a modern legend having played a significant role in helping the club to three-straight premierships as well as a run to the grand final in 2020.

The 28-year-old’s strong form for club translated to international level as he earned the International Rugby League’s (IRL) Golden Boot award in 2023 along with New Zealand Rugby League's player of the year.

The arrival of Fisher-Harris also plugs a major hole in the Warriors’ forward pack in 2025 given they needed a replacement for Addin Fonua-Blake, who will join Cronulla.

Fisher-Harris' return to his home nation also reunites him with Warriors coach Andrew Webster, who was assistant at Penrith during the premiership-winning 2021 and 2022 seasons.


“It’s going to be fantastic having James with us,” Webster said.

“He’s one of the game’s elite players, a super tough forward who sets and demands the highest standards.

“I loved working with him at the Panthers and we really look forward to bringing him into our system from next season.

“He’ll add terrific value to our roster, to the club overall and he’ll also be invaluable as a mentor for our young players coming through.”
Fisher-Harris’ departure now leaves a gaping hole in Penrith’s forward pack as well as their leadership group.


Despite the impending loss of the New Zealand skipper, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary hailed Fisher-Harris’ impact at the club he’d been at since his debut in 2016.

“Fish has been exceptional for the Panthers, both on and off the field,” Cleary said.

“The leadership and cultural impact he has displayed since coming into first grade has been outstanding. He’s evolved into one of the game’s elite players, and coaching him has been a pleasure.

“While we would have loved him to stay at the Panthers, we wish him, his partner Natalie, and children Tahira and Deon all the best for their next chapter.”

“We’ve seen this situation play out so many times where there’s a fallout between the club and the player, but that didn’t happen in this situation,”

“It’s a clean cut break, they haven’t asked for a transfer fee, they didn’t engage for a player swap, they didn’t ask for anything.


“They just said James Fisher-Harris, thanks for your service and good luck...

‘Clean break’: How bombshell NRL switch got done in 72 hours and why Panthers allowed it

‘Clean break’: How bombshell NRL switch got done in 72 hours and why Panthers allowed it

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Chins get the wins]

I honestly hate this current Panthers team more than any other team in the comp so I don't know how to feel about all these vibes

You hate a team that built its own success the right way and actually plays by the cap?

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

You hate a team that built its own success the right way and actually plays by the cap?

"Hate" is probably too strong a word. I do tend to agree with some of the criticisms about the way the players conduct themselves (mostly on the field) but I wouldn't say that's a massive thing for me.

Honestly it's probably mostly an aesthetic/stylistic thing around the way you play and the level of excitement I get from watching, not really a sort of moral or personal "hatred". I wouldn't expect a fan of a successful team to lose any sleep over a fan of a less successful team not finding his team exciting to watch.

 

[Chins get the wins]

"Hate" is probably too strong a word. I do tend to agree with some of the criticisms about the way the players conduct themselves (mostly on the field) but I wouldn't say that's a massive thing for me.

Honestly it's probably mostly an aesthetic/stylistic thing around the way you play and the level of excitement I get from watching, not really a sort of moral or personal "hatred". I wouldn't expect a fan of a successful team to lose any sleep over a fan of a less successful team not finding his team exciting to watch.

Your side is currently trying to replicate Pantherball baby

 

[Matua]

Could just be a case of learning on the job. They’re certainly getting it all right these days in the front office.

I think it's more the perspective in this forum that George was a master, which he wasn't until the needing to abruptly find a new coach and picking Webster.

And yep, they're getting most things right, well aside from allowing the spread of that stupid saying.

 

[JJ]

I honestly hate this current Panthers team more than any other team in the comp so I don't know how to feel about all these vibes

I really don’t get that. Arguably the best team of he modern era, largely home grown, and consistently losing players through the cap…

*edit- I see someone else replied in much the same way

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Your side is currently trying to replicate Pantherball baby

yeah I know. I didn't get into the detail on this, but I also really disliked the football we played under Cleary. I liked winning though.

In an ideal world fun football would also be winning football but I guess here we are, stuck in this particular existence where meh football is winning football. Is what it is.

 

[Meth]

I think any hate towards Penrith is the kind of hate that every club wants to generate- the kind of hate that success breeds towards you.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

I really don’t get that. Arguably the best team of he modern era, largely home grown, and consistently losing players through the cap…

*edit- I see someone else replied in much the same way

I've always found it a bit weird how people will largely base their opinions on a club on stuff to do with how a club is administered, how they work their salary cap etc. I'm not the CEO, I'm a bloke watching footy on TV. I mostly base who I like and don't like on how they play their footy and whether I enjoy watching it.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

And yep, they're getting most things right, well aside from allowing the spread of that stupid saying.

Look I wasn’t a fan of “up the wahs” originally either but when something goes viral you let it run- the club wouldve just looked out of touch with the fans if they’d done anything but embrace it.

 

[sup42]

Still very happy, and will take any win we can get, it just it seems like the prevailing posts that we got him on merit and not looking at the whole/realistic picture.
Yes he could have done a Manu and gone to union in Japan, but this is a family move it seems first and foremost. (Which had happened to us a few times, so glad to get one back).
But hey if we ever sign Nathan Clearly (still in his prime) I'll eat my words (if Daddy isn't coaching).

The thing is, that we are talking about a player that wanted to be a Warrior and was rejected by Mt Smart because he was too small.
And therefore his wanting to come home to NZ only adds to the narrative that he wants to play for the Warriors, rather than the return home meaning the Warriors are an after thought option.

Also, James Fisher Harris has already declared after signing that he wants to play for New Zealand....and he wants New Zealand to win the NRL, thus saying, the Warriors are New Zealand....and this is a declaration he has made while being the Captain of the New Zealand National side.

Most of us Warriors fans believe that the Warriors are New Zealand vs the Australian NRL. And most Australian commentators call us New Zealand in the call (and not because of the Warriors name rebranding, they called the Auckland Warriors New Zealand too).

Harris is a Kiwi through and through and this signing is looking like the tipping point for Maori stars in the NRL wanting to see a similar revolution to the rise of the likes of Tonga and Samoa.

Embrace it I say. Let JFH lead the Israelite's out of Egypt's land.

 

[sup42]

Look I wasn’t a fan of “up the wahs” originally either but when something goes viral you let it run- the club wouldve just looked out of touch with the fans if they’d done anything but embrace it.

Yah....if Air NZ staff are saying up the Wahs as part of in flight messaging then you would be dumb to not get on board.

Sure it is a stupid saying, but it has become our stupid saying, and we are killing Union in NZ because our brand embraces stupid sayings and our brand has a don't kill the fun rule that is packing out Mt Smart while the rest of the NRL and competing codes in NZ scratch their arses and wonders what is in the water over here.

 

[Matua]

Look I wasn’t a fan of “up the wahs” originally either but when something goes viral you let it run- the club wouldve just looked out of touch with the fans if they’d done anything but embrace it.

I think those two guys who kicked it off are with the club (the crappy podcast), I will never embrace, I hate it, if it had started when the Warriors were their usual self I might have thrown in the towel with them.