Nicoll-Klokstad back home on three-year deal

Vodafone Warriors CEO Cameron George today announced Canberra Raiders fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is returning to the club from next season.

The 26-year-old Nicoll-Klokstad has signed a three-year contract to bring him back to his original NRL club after spending the past four seasons with the Raiders.

“Having Charnze back with the Vodafone Warriors is going to be tremendous for us as a club and also for him personally,” said George.

“He brings undoubted qualities as one of the best fullbacks in the game as well as so much off the field as a wonderful young man.

“He’s so excited about coming back to the Vodafone Warriors, being home and being closer to his family.”

Nicoll-Klokstad made his NRL debut with the Vodafone Warriors in their 14-13 ninth-round win over the Sydney Roosters at Mount Smart Stadium in 2017. He went on to score seven tries in seven appearances in his rookie season but he didn’t add to his tally in 2018 before leaving to link up with the Raiders in 2019.

In four seasons there he has scored 23 tries in 66 matches while averaging 158 metres a game. As well as playing for the Cook Islands he played three Tests for the Kiwis in 2019 and represented the Māori All Stars in 2021.

Of Cook Islands, Māori and Norwegian descent, Nicoll-Klokstad played his junior football in Auckland before moving to Melbourne where he joined the Alatona Roosters.

Signed by the Storm he played for the club in the under-20 National Youth Competition in 2014 and 2015 before linking with the Vodafone Warriors. He was a regular for club’s New South Wales Cup side playing all 24 matches in 2016 and being named the Vodafone Warriors’ NSW player of the year. In his NRL rookie season in 2017, Nicoll-Klokstad won the Vodafone Warriors’ clubman of the year accolade.

His first season with the Raiders was a breakout year in which he scored 11 tries and appeared in the grand final, making a game-high 237 metres in his side’s 8-14 loss to the Sydney Roosters.

While announcing Nicoll-Klokstad’s signing today, George also confirmed incumbent fullback Walsh, who is contracted for 2023 with an option for 2024, had indicated his wish to stay in Australia.

“There has been a major change in Reece’s personal circumstances in the past two months which have impacted on his ability to move to Auckland with the club next season,” he said.

“We’re working through his situation and have given him permission, with some conditions, to look at options in Brisbane. It’s not the way either Reece or the club had wanted this to play out but we respect the issues he has.”

Walsh has made 30 appearances for the Vodafone Warriors since his debut last year but he missed Sunday’s homecoming after failing a Covid test.