Recruitment Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention Discussion​

-	Player	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029
1	Bunty Afoa	✔
2	Tom Ale	✔
3	Mitchell Barnett	✔	✔	✔
4	Rocco Berry	✔	✔
5	Tanah Boyd	✔	✔
6	Kurt Capewell	✔	✔
7	Erin Clark	✔	✔	✔
8	Jett Cleary	✔	S	S
9	Wayde Egan	✔	✔	✔
10	James Fisher-Harris	✔	✔	✔	✔
11	Jackson Ford	✔	✔	✔
12	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
13	Morgan Harper	✔
14	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
15	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
16	Edward Kosi	✔
17	Jacob Laban	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
18	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
19	Jye Linnane	✔	✔	✔	✔
20	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
21	Te Maire Martin	✔	✔
22	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
23	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔	✔
24	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
25	Adam Pompey	✔	✔	✔
26	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔	✔	✔
27	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
28	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
29	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
30	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔	✔
S1	Kayliss Fatialofa	S
S2	Kalani Going	S
S3	Luke Hanson	S
S4	Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	S	✔	✔
S5	Sio Kali	S
S6	Patrick Moimoi	S
-	Kahu Capper	T	T
-	Morgan Gannon	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Top 30 2025: 30/30
Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Top 30 2026: 27/30
Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos)
2026 Losses: Edward Kosi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper
Can negotiate with other clubs from Nov 1, 2025 (Entering final year) : Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Te Maire Martin, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[Noitall]

One of the most disappointed must be Jacob Laban. Zyon Maiu’u shifted in with his family years ago and their journey has been one that’s involved the other

 

[BlackToko88]

he was unlucky with injuries and sort of regressed back end of last season imo. That NSW cup finals clash v Panthers he was quite average. Would have gotten rid of Bunty tbh.

Down to 27 now, hopefully they have someone big incoming soon. But honestly I dont know how I feel. I feel like this will be Katoa 2.0

 

[Dannevegas]

I thought half the reason we signed Fish was to bring up our young boys, Zion would’ve been one of the most beneficial as he’s an out n out prop.
Was hoping we kept Zion, demetric and leka together

 

[Nakiproud]

he was unlucky with injuries and sort of regressed back end of last season imo. That NSW cup finals clash v Panthers he was quite average. Would have gotten rid of Bunty tbh.

Down to 27 now, hopefully they have someone big incoming soon. But honestly I dont know how I feel. I feel like this will be Katoa 2.0

Agree..but as hard as it is we have to have faith in the club making the right calls..maybe the club have said go get game time and come back in 2027??

 

[Dannevegas]

Why tf didn’t we get rid of Bunty and Kosi instead. No offence to Bunty

 

[Tookey 2.0]

I'm wondering what we have in the works...

Generally, our recruitment has been spot on in the last 2 or 3 years.

The issue for me is, who do we have a realistic chance to sign a month out from the start of the comp, who improves our team?

We've got JFH, Barnett and Vaimunga who imo will be in the front row all year, barring injury.

We then have Niukore, Ford, Ale, even Clark and Halasima who will likely see time in the front row at times this year through injury, poor form etc.

We then have Bunty, TSS and a few smokey's as baaaack up.

Imo, were stacked with 6 NRL ready middles right now, with Clark, Halasima and Bunty the Mr fix it's if needed so we really have 9 players, which is quite stacked imo.

 

[Dannevegas]

I'm wondering what we have in the works...

Generally, our recruitment has been spot on in the last 2 or 3 years.

The issue for me is, who do we have a realistic chance to sign a month out from the start of the comp, who improves our team?

We've got JFH, Barnett and Vaimunga who imo will be in the front row all year, barring injury.

We then have Niukore, Ford, Ale, even Clark and Halasima who will likely see time in the front row at times this year through injury, poor form etc.

We then have Bunty, TSS and a few smokey's as baaaack up.

Imo, were stacked with 6 NRL ready middles right now, with Clark, Halasima and Bunty the Mr fix it's if needed so we really have 9 players, which is quite stacked imo.

Halasima’s not a middle

 

[John Nick]

I'm wondering what we have in the works...

Generally, our recruitment has been spot on in the last 2 or 3 years.

The issue for me is, who do we have a realistic chance to sign a month out from the start of the comp, who improves our team?

We've got JFH, Barnett and Vaimunga who imo will be in the front row all year, barring injury.

We then have Niukore, Ford, Ale, even Clark and Halasima who will likely see time in the front row at times this year through injury, poor form etc.

We then have Bunty, TSS and a few smokey's as baaaack up.

Imo, were stacked with 6 NRL ready middles right now, with Clark, Halasima and Bunty the Mr fix it's if needed so we really have 9 players, which is quite stacked imo.

The reason they let Zyon Maiu’u go .
Makes sense

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

Why tf didn’t we get rid of Bunty and Kosi instead. No offence to Bunty

Probably because no one wanted them

 

[BlackToko88]

Yea Im assuming some forward has been signed and announced soon (Waitangi). But who knows maybe Zyon Maiu’u gets homesick and comes back

 

[Tookey 2.0]

The reason they let Zyon Maiu’u go .
Makes sense

Sounds like we were looking at another prop from Manly though? So thats what I was meaning, why would we go for another one when we have so many NRL ready middles

 

[Damo]

Not getting selected isn't Zyon Maiu’u's fault though. My point is that numbers shouldn't be the sole metric for keeping players. Aggression is something you either do or dont have and I think you could build a pack around Zyon Maiu’u in 5 years. And no, Fish's numbers don't compare to players like AFB or Haas. But as I said, he's elite for other reasons.

Where did I say JFHs numbers were elite? Both those guys put up freak numbers, whereas Fisher Harris numbers are still good at the highest level. Zyon Maiu’u can't even do it at Cup level. He's still very young so will improve but to compare him to JWH and JFH is crazy.

Got to also consider the minutes played difference between those three players.

 

[Neo]

Halasima’s not a middle

He has been training at lock and played some middle in Cup. I think he looks best on an edge but they seem to be going with the Penrith model of mobile middles

 

[snake77]

This was a bit of a shock when I read it earlier this afternoon while out and about. At that point no club was destination club was named. But if you are going to get released you will have something lined up.

A bit mixed on this one. After watching him in the NSW Cup side I was keen to see the group (Halisima, Vaimauga, Laban and Zyon Maiu’u) come through. I probably had him slightly behind the others in terms of chances of getting a lot of first grade time.

His first grade debut was promising as he provided a point of difference when he came on.

After Harris retired and there was some talk of a front rower I could see a case for that. Hopefully we see a signing come in. A big name will be unlikely unless a side has cap issues. At this time of the year it would more likely be a players struggling for game time at another club. Unless someone else in our wider squad is ready to be promoted.

A bit mixed on this as I could see some value in him. The thing is with development if guys aren't getting time in first grade and there appears to be more of an opportunity at another club they will move on. If we get our development systems sorted we will likely see more of these. It would be easier to take if we were a consistent top 8 side.

Good luck to him. I'm keen to see how he goes in a new system.

 

[Wellington Warrior]

Sounds like we were looking at another prop from Manly though? So thats what I was meaning, why would we go for another one when we have so many NRL ready middles

Tof Sipley homesick…. Or doesn’t want to be around Jazz again?

 

[BlackToko88]

Tof Sipley homesick…. Or doesn’t want to be around Jazz again?

Wouldnt be surprised with Sipley lol if its Manly. He is off contract I think?

 

[hornbybrown]

Not getting selected isn't Zyon Maiu’u's fault though. My point is that numbers shouldn't be the sole metric for keeping players. Aggression is something you either do or dont have and I think you could build a pack around Zyon Maiu’u in 5 years. And no, Fish's numbers don't compare to players like AFB or Haas. But as I said, he's elite for other reasons.

I disagree, I never really thought he stood out in NSW cup to the point he was forcing Webby to pick him

 

[Completion Rate]

Having 4 or 5 young guys on the up, you can't play them all. They're going to be drip-fed into grade and Zyon Maiu’u was likely the last on that list. In an approach from the dogs you have to do right by him getting an opportunity with more certainty. I just hope it means they're confident with the next crop coming through.
Would you keep Zyon Maiu’u if it meant losing Crosby next year?
Otherwise it's likely a decision that helps with squad balance considering the limited prospects coming through in the outside backs.

 

[Canonball]

Having 4 or 5 young guys on the up, you can't play them all. They're going to be drip-fed into grade and Zyon Maiu’u was likely the last on that list. In an approach from the dogs you have to do right by him getting an opportunity with more certainty. I just hope it means they're confident with the next crop coming through.
Would you keep Zyon Maiu’u if it meant losing Crosby next year?
Otherwise it's likely a decision that helps with squad balance considering the limited prospects coming through in the outside backs.

Yeah, that was my thinking too - I like Zyon Maiu’u as a player but this sounds more like the Dogs needed him for potential first grade appearances sooner than we do (their pack is not great) - what it gives us is the opportunity to balance the squad elsewhere - and (on a quick look) the dogs' roster is already full, not impossible we see someone coming across from there? Given we've now had a prop and an outside back go their way, someone from a different position altogether?... idk

 

[JaggedJ]

This is the new standard and I'm here for it.

He hadn't progressed and wasn't putting up great numbers in cup.

Step up or move on. Clearly others have and he hasn't.