Warriors frustrated by NRL rivals' lip service on loan players

A frustrated Todd Payten has implored rival clubs to stop paying lip service to the Warriors' plight, claiming only four "first-grade standard" players have been offered for loan despite his club relocating to keep the 2020 competition going.

As the chances of landing Sonny Bill Williams or Ricky Leutele on short-term deals lengthen in a logistical sense, Payten is facing a dire selection scenario after this Saturday's clash with the Roosters.

International wingers Ken Maumalo and David Fusitu'a, along with injured prop Agnatius Paasi and rookie forward King Vuniyayawa will fly back to New Zealand following the game against the premiers.

The Warriors are one of the hardest hit of many clubs hampered by injuries.

But Payten said for all the goodwill that has followed the Warriors' season-long shift across the Tasman, many rival clubs are baulking when they have approached them about securing suitable loan players.

"I think there are several clubs and coaches that publicly will say that we're doing a great thing and would love to help us out and would do anything to do that," Payten said.

"But when it comes to the crunch they're not, so that is disappointing."

Little headway appears to have been made on reinforcing the Warriors roster when the four players depart to join teammate Leivaha Pulu in New Zealand.

Penrith's Jack Hetherington will start at prop against the Roosters as one loan player, while Poasa Faamausili is in Trent Robinson's extended reserves after playing four games during his loan stint with Payten's side.

The caretaker coach said only two other players with more than a handful of games experience have been contemplated by rival clubs since the NRL's May 28 resumption.

"When I say first-grade standard, I'm talking about more than 20 games (of experience). There are a host of other players that are either on the fringe or have played 20 or less," Payten said.

"If they're going to help us, by all means I'm willing to take them.

"But at the moment, if they're giving us players that are untested or fringe players, my thought process is that we're better off getting some experience into our younger guys for the long-term benefit of the club."

Williams is an obvious candidate with the influence and experience the Warriors desire after the dual international's Toronto Wolfpack side withdrew from Super League's 2020 season.

But Payten is hardly optimistic given the looming biosecurity and travel hurdles involved in any bid for Williams or Leutele, who played centre in Cronulla's 2016 grand final win.

"I would take Sonny if he was going to add value to our group, no doubt," Payten said.

"But there are a lot things that factor into that. Obviously he's still overseas, he's got to come back and he's got to quarantine.

"He's got to train for a couple of weeks, so essentially you probably only get four or five games out of him.

"I'm open to it. But I don't know whether he's open to it. We've made an overture towards that direction, but we haven't heard anything in response yet."

Adding further pain to the Warriors situation is Toby Rudolf's continued push to stay at Cronulla after initially agreeing to move next season.

Rudolf has since told the Warriors he can no longer commit to the lucrative three-year deal on compassionate grounds as he deals with family health issues.

"I’m confident I’ll be a Shark in 2021," Rudolf said on Wednesday.

"At the moment my management is still dealing with that whole situation.

"I’m wanting to stay at the Sharks, I want to stay in Sydney for family reasons. I’ve told that to the Warriors and they’ve been very supportive through that whole thing.

"Three years ago I was driving trucks so it’s nice to be wanted now as opposed to being on the end of a roster where no one wants you at all."