Kodi Nikorima released by Brisbane Broncos and joined Warriors

Christmas arrived early for the Warriors this week, with the possibility of bringing Kodi Nikorima into their squad one year earlier than planned.

The Warriors had shown interest in signing Nikorima from 2020 and were ready to wait for the international kiwi until it was available immediately after it left Brisbane Broncos on Friday.

Nikorima will now arrive in Auckland on Saturday after signing an agreement with the Warriors until the end of 2021 and will be present for the club's match against Newcastle on Sunday at Mount Smart Stadium.

His first match as a warrior is scheduled to take place in the NRL Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

Cameron George, general manager of Warriors, said the deal had been concluded within 48 hours this week.

"Probably Wednesday morning, everything started to make us understand that things could happen pretty quickly, and in fact, on Thursday, we were reviewing the paperwork and settling it," said George.

"To be honest, the release element of his contract was not relevant to us, we were interesting next year.

"[But] we were told it might be a chance to come right now … he was really eager to come now. "

Nikorima is expected to enter the semi-finals alongside Blake Green, reinforcing the Warriors team, which has averaged 18.5 points per game so far this season.

Assistant Warrior coach Tony Iro said the Nikorima style would add another dimension to the attack.

"He's obviously a different player than Blake, so he's going to add a bit of variability to how we play," Iro said.

"He has good relations with our current Kiwi players, so I think this adjustment will be quite natural for him.

"We know what he can offer … we expect him to do a good job."

George said the Warriors had let slip a number of opportunities to appeal to playmakers in the five months following their departure for half-back Shaun Johnson and Nikorima's signing.

"There were two [halves offered to us] a week on average, whether they are NRL players or developing … but we were not moving for the sake of moving, "said George.

"We will not be spending just to spend money, but just anyone, we will do it right and if it takes us six months or a year to do it, we are proud of it.

"Getting it wrong can take five minutes, but it can take years to unravel it."

George also decided to dispel rumors that the Warriors would have paid over the market for Nikorima, who has participated in 13 tests for New Zealand and who appeared 86 times at the NRL Telstra Premiership for the Broncos.

"For those who know [recruitment manager] Peter O. Sullivan, he knows the market very well and refuses to pay, I can badure you, "George said.

"I know that what we have achieved here is certainly very good for both parties, we are both very comfortable where we are and we have a very good understanding of the current market situation. "