Lauitiiti and Warriors amicable in
decision

The Vodafone Warriors have announced that second-rower Ali Lauitiiti has requested the release from his contract with the club that was offered to him last week.

Following meetings between the player, his representatives and club senior management during the day, Lauitiiti?s management confirmed with the Warriors yesterday afternoon that he had agreed to the release from his obligations to the club.

Warriors? CEO, Mick Watson, was pleased that the situation had now been finalised and that the club as a whole could firmly focus on their upcoming match against the Melbourne Storm. ?We wish Ali and his wife the best of luck for their future both in Rugby League and away from the game. It was always the club?s wish that Ali be happy within himself and we sincerely hope that his decision today results in this,? Watson said.

Head Coach Daniel Anderson was also happy that Lauitiiti and the club had parted company amicably and they could both now move forward and concentrate on their immediate and long-term goals.

?Whilst it is disappointing to both the club and our fans to have a player with Ali?s natural ability move on, we are fully supportive of his decision that he felt his future lay elsewhere,? Anderson stated.

The player himself was complimentary of his time spent both at the club and under the tutelage of Anderson. ?Whilst I learnt a lot during my time at the Warriors, I believe that now is the right time for my wife and I to look at some new challenges,? Lauitiiti said.

Lauitiiti?s representatives, Peter Brown and Frank Endacott, were relieved that the release had now been confirmed. ?As a former coach of the Warriors, I can understand both sides of this situation, and I believe that it is in the best interests of both the Club and Ali that he find another club to play his football at,? Endacott said.

?A decision as to where Ali will play next will be confirmed by the end of the week,? Brown added.