The New Zealand Warriors appear ready to wave the white flag on Luke Metcalf's exit, with coach Andrew Webster confirming the club will not attempt to convince the halfback to stay once his move to the St George Illawarra Dragons is finalised.

Under NRL rules, players who sign with rival clubs are granted a 10-day cooling-off period, allowing them to reverse their decision and remain where they are.

The clause has famously been used in the past, most notably when David Fifita backflipped on a move to the Sydney Roosters and instead remained with the Gold Coast Titans in 2024.

The Warriors are in their final days of being able to retain Metcalf; however, they have no plans to make a last-ditch attempt to encourage a backflip, meaning the playmaker will be a part of the Red V next season.

The decision comes despite the Warriors suddenly finding themselves short on half-depth.

While Metcalf spent much of the past year sidelined through injury, Tanah Boyd emerged as the club's preferred halfback option, leaving Metcalf to explore opportunities elsewhere in search of a long-term role in his favoured position.

But Boyd's ACL injury suffered during Magic Round last weekend has since added another layer to the situation, making the Warriors' willingness to let Metcalf walk all the more notable.

Metcalf himself has endured a frustrating run with injuries over the past 12 months.

The 26-year-old ruptured his ACL in May last year before finally returning in Round 4 this season, only to suffer a hamstring injury the following week.

While the halfback is nearing a return, Webster explained why the Warriors were waiting for all paperwork surrounding Metcalf's new deal to be completed before allowing him back into full training, ensuring no injury complications could place the contract at risk.

“It's all sorted,” Webster said.

“If you sign his release, it means he's not contracted to any club. If he goes out, trains and hurts himself, then he's not contracted to a club.

"You've got to wait until the paperwork's done. There are no issues; we just needed to make sure every part of the deal was done."

The Warriors were also taking a cautious approach, given their previous experience with former playmaker Ronald Volkman.

After being released from the Warriors and signing with the Dragons, a medical examination uncovered a shoulder injury, which resulted in his deal being torn up, leaving him without a club.

Despite no longer officially holding his contract, the Warriors stepped in to fund Volkman's surgery.

Metcalf is expected to be available for the Warriors' Round 13 clash against the Penrith Panthers at the earliest, allowing him a full week of training beforehand.