New Zealand Warriors lock down exciting halves prospect

He was poached from the Penrith Panthers at the end of last year.

The New Zealand Warriors have locked down an exciting halves prospect as they prepare for life without Shaun Johnson, who will hang up the boots at the end of the season.

Poached from the Penrith Panthers at the end of last season, Luke Hanson has inked a contract extension with the New Zealand Warriors that will see him move to a development contract for 2025 with an option for the following season.

This comes as the club prepares for life without Shaun Johnson, who will play his final match on Saturday evening against his former team, the Cronulla Sharks.

A St Dominics College product, the promising playmaker came through the Panthers’ junior ranks since 2020 and played for the club in the Harold Matthews Cup, SG Ball Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup.

He was also a member of the famed Panthers SG Ball Cup team that won the Grand Final in 2022. Playing fullback, the team consisted of NRL players such as Jesse McLean, Keagan Russell-Smith, Isaiya Katoa and Mason Teague.

Luke Metcalf and Te Maire Martin are likely to be the first-choice halves going into next season, with Hanson contending with Chanel Harris-Tavita for the backup role.

Throughout this year in the NSW Cup, he has scored five tries, forced six drop-outs, provided eight try assists and ten line-break assists and made 1063 total running metres.