Star winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has recommitted with NZ Warriors through until the end of the 2025 NRL season.
Watene-Zeleniak has inked a one-year extension to his contract, which had been due to expire at the end of 2024.
The 28-year-old is fresh off his best NRL campaign to date, finishing third overall in the competition's tryscorers en route to winning the Dally M award for the competition's best winger.
He finished the year with a total of 20 through 24 games, setting a new club record for most tries in a season.
As well as making the Dally M Team of the Year, Watene-Zelezniak was voted by his peers as one of the wingers in the RLPA’s Dream Team of the Year. He was also a finalist for the club's top indidvidual award, the Simon Mannering Medal.
"What Dallin showed to everyone is how much it meant for him and his family being back in New Zealand," said head coach Andrew Webster.
"He stood out as one of the best wingers in the competition, if not the best.
"His yardage carries were unbelievable while the tries, and the way he scored so many of them, were the icing on the cake.
"Not only that, his defence came a long way with how reliable he is, understanding where he's got to be for the team, to make the right decision."
Averaging 153 metres a game, he finished the season with 25 line breaks, four try assists and 80 tackle breaks.
In just 47 appearances for the Warriors, Watene-Zelezniak has scored 37 tries. He is now only 14 tries away from joining the NRL’s 100-try club while he will start the 2024 season 10 games short of his 200th career appearance.
Earlier his year, he credited his return to New Zealand after two COVID disrupted years for his resurgent form, as he helped power the Warriors to a top-four finish.
"I've got a really good routine at the moment, and most of it is family time with my wife and kids," he said. "I think, when I'm getting away from footy, I'm really getting away from footy.
"I'm spending quite a bit of time with my kids and my wife, and making memories. A big reason why we moved back here is because I'm from here and I wanted them to experience that.
"We're living it up and really enjoying our time, and getting a bit of gaming in, which is nice."
The former Kiwis captain has made 13 appearances for New Zealand but appears poised to switch his international allegiance to Tonga.
