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	Wayde Egan	✔	✔	✔
9	James Fisher-Harris	✔	✔	✔	✔
10	Jackson Ford	✔	✔	✔
11	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔
12	Morgan Harper	✔
13	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
14	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
15	Edward Kosi	✔
16	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
17	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
18	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
19	Te Maire Martin	✔
20	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
23	Adam Pompey	✔	✔	✔
24	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔
25	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
26	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
27	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
28	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
-	Jett Cleary	T	S	S
-	Morgan Gannon	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Jye Linnane	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

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

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 28/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 25/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Jye Linnane (Newcastle Knights), Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos)
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Tanner Stowers-Smith
Off Contract from 01/11/25: Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Jacob Laban, Freddy Lussick, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[Inruin]

The balance of the squad would be out of whack.

How many clubs would stock pile 4 genuine first grade halves then go ahead & sign a highly rated prospect (albeit it injured) on a multi year deal?

Aren't we in an envious position then? I would suggest its good planning. Signing a highly rated prospect who has only had a preseason of training in what will be something like 2 years I'm guessing, who hasn't played any first grade and giving him a chance to ease into football, in a new country, learn our systems, with no pressure on him and have him hopefully ready to take over for the following two years while we have great cover available.

I believe Jett is on a development contract for 2026 so not part of the 30 squad.

Given that TMM, Boyd and CHT can play various other positions it leaves us with a very versatile group of players.

 

[juju]

Aren't we in an envious position then? I would suggest its good planning. Signing a highly rated prospect who has only had a preseason of training in what will be something like 2 years I'm guessing, who hasn't played any first grade and giving him a chance to ease into football, in a new country, learn our systems, with no pressure on him and have him hopefully ready to take over for the following two years while we have great cover available.

I believe Jett is on a development contract for 2026 so not part of the 30 squad.

Given that TMM, Boyd and CHT can play various other positions it leaves us with a very versatile group of players.

TMM is unsigned and the player movement in his position seems to point his squad position is vulnerable
So the envious position is a very hypothetical.

The point is TMM might need Tannah to split early to get extended.

Maybe not given the cap and Top 30 status... 5 halves in the top 30... pretty unique.

 

[Worried2Death]

i would be forcing tanah and tmm to hang around until we are certain metcalf has grown out of his injury issues

Webby and coaching staff will be monitoring Boyd closely and working on the deficiencies in his game, getting him up to first grade standard in our systems. He's been impressive in Cup from what I've seen, good kicking game and surprising acceleration when he gaps it.

He's suffered from poor coaching imo, Webby must see his potential, just has to stay with the process until he gets his shot. Pretty amazing both Chanel and Luke have been injury free after ten rounds but it's inevitable at some stage. I wouldn't be letting him go this year, him and Te Maire could be nearly as good as our first choice halves when fortune calls.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Aren't we in an envious position then? I would suggest its good planning. Signing a highly rated prospect who has only had a preseason of training in what will be something like 2 years I'm guessing, who hasn't played any first grade and giving him a chance to ease into football, in a new country, learn our systems, with no pressure on him and have him hopefully ready to take over for the following two years while we have great cover available.

I believe Jett is on a development contract for 2026 so not part of the 30 squad.

Given that TMM, Boyd and CHT can play various other positions it leaves us with a very versatile group of players.

Is Jye Linnane on a dev contract?

 

[Inruin]

TMM is unsigned and the player movement in his position seems to point his squad position is vulnerable
So the envious position is a very hypothetical.

The point is TMM might need Tannah to split early to get extended.

Maybe not given the cap and Top 30 status... 5 halves in the top 30... pretty unique.

Yup, that is all a possibility. Which is why I said I'd be keeping both TMM and Boyd for next year and the reasons why.

At the beginning of this season CHT was considered 3rd or 4th choice, Boyd couldn't seem to get a gig anywhere and was potentially looking at Super League.

With the versatility of the players it might not strictly be that we are signing 5 halves. Could Linnane be looked at as a fullback or centre for instance. Purdue for the Cowboys is a good example of that currently.

If we did sign and have all 5 for next season I don't think it would be an issue myself.

I keep hearing there is a big shortage of halves in the NRL. Stockpiling the ones we have for 2026 doesn't seem that bad of an idea to me, particularly with their versatility and the relatively untested options and lack of experience of Linnane and Cleary. In fact, I would consider it quite prudent to be doing so. If it was the Roosters (who incidently have Townsend, Walker, Smith, Savala, Elliot, Foley, Rodwell listed as halves as well as Connor Watson who can cover there also, in there squad and development players) or Storm then posters would be up in arms - how can they afford them, the cap is a rort, how do they do it etc etc.

Regardless, if Boyds contract is in his favour, then after his Cup performances so far this season I would expect there would be a couple of NRL clubs asking about his services.

My thoughts are that if we can get both TMM and Boyd for next season then we should, for all the reasons I have submitted over the last few posts. AW and Cappy seem to have done a good job managing the development and introduction of the youth players so far and this would just be a continuation of that in my opinion.

Appreciate that you have different thoughts on this

 

[Inruin]

Is Jye Linnane on a dev contract?

From what I understand he is on an NRL contract

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

From what I understand he is on an NRL contract

Then there is no way TMM should be retained.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Yup, that is all a possibility. Which is why I said I'd be keeping both TMM and Boyd for next year and the reasons why.

At the beginning of this season CHT was considered 3rd or 4th choice, Boyd couldn't seem to get a gig anywhere and was potentially looking at Super League.

With the versatility of the players it might not strictly be that we are signing 5 halves. Could Linnane be looked at as a fullback or centre for instance. Purdue for the Cowboys is a good example of that currently.

If we did sign and have all 5 for next season I don't think it would be an issue myself.

I keep hearing there is a big shortage of halves in the NRL. Stockpiling the ones we have for 2026 doesn't seem that bad of an idea to me, particularly with their versatility and the relatively untested options of Linnane and Cleary. In fact, I would consider it quite prudent to be doing so. If it was the Roosters (who incidently have Townsend, Walker, Smith, Savala, Elliot, Foley, Rodwell listed as halves as well as Connor Watson who can cover there also, in there squad and development players) or Storm then posters would be up in arms - how can they afford them, the cap is a rort, how do they do it etc etc.

Regardless, if Boyds contract is in his favour, then after his Cup performances so far this season I would expect there would be a couple of NRL clubs asking about his services.

My thoughts are that if we can get both TMM and Boyd for next season then we should, for all the reasons I have submitted over the last few posts. AW and Cappy seem to have done a good job managing the development and introduction of the youth players so far and this would just be a continuation of that in my opinion.

Appreciate that you have different thoughts on this

If he's straight into the 30, then he must be seen as ready for NRL no? I don't know ow why but I feel like he's here on a dev contract.

This is very murky. But after reading it again it does day NRL contract, but does that mean top 30?

Anyways, if he's in the top 30 then I would be letting go of TMM.

After hearing McFadden last week, he said this kid was in the same class of Galvin and Sanders. McFadden has a high opinion of him.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Man I would love to get Fletcher Sharp here to play Fullback!

 

[Worried2Death]

Man I would love to get Fletcher Sharp here to play Fullback!

Have you heard something? You know who I wouldn't mind? Kini, the Hammer or Papenhuyzen. Do you know where I can find a genie?

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Have you heard something? You know who I wouldn't mind? Kini, the Hammer or Papenhuyzen. Do you know where I can find a genie?

No I'm just saying that I would love to see him play fullback here. No word or any other bullshit that goes along this thread.

 

[j_p]

The biggest shock for me is there hasn't been any news or rumours about other clubs offering tmm a deal with this halves shortage and all.

 

[John Nick]

The biggest shock for me is there hasn't been any news or rumours about other clubs offering tmm a deal with this halves shortage and all.

Great way to start the rumor machine.

 

[Noitall]

The biggest shock for me is there hasn't been any news or rumours about other clubs offering tmm a deal with this halves shortage and all.

There was mention of super league but yeah I agree. 💙 Mighty NSW cup admittedly but a guy playing 6 games with 4 tries, 15 try assists and 95% tackle efficiency you’d think would be getting attention

 

[Victor_Radley's_Scrotum]

Man I would love to get Fletcher Sharp here to play Fullback!

Sadly more chance of Evarn Tuimavave lacing the boots back up again.

 

[Get them onside ref!]

The balance of the squad would be out of whack.

How many clubs would stock pile 4 genuine first grade halves then go ahead & sign a highly rated prospect (albeit it injured) on a multi year deal?

Us

 

[Worried2Death]

Us

To be the best you have to have a stacked squad when you need the next man up, somehow we've ended up being the best at stockpiling halves. We've coped pretty well with losing wingers, didn't even have to play Harper.

 

[kos]

To be the best you have to have a stacked squad when you need the next man up, somehow we've ended up being the best at stockpiling halves

No
Plenty of clubs with four good halves
Broncos
Dolphins
Roosters
With out giving it too much thought

Hansen the Newcastle guy and Cleary are not going to replace Cht or Metcalf when they inevitably get injured

 

[Worried2Death]

No
Plenty of clubs with four good halves
Broncos
Dolphins
Roosters
With out giving it too much thought

Hansen the Newcastle guy and Cleary are not going to replace Cht or Metcalf when they inevitably get injured

That's why we can't let TMM and Boyd go yet, much harder replacing halves than wingers

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

To be the best you have to have a stacked squad when you need the next man up, somehow we've ended up being the best at stockpiling halves. We've coped pretty well with losing wingers, didn't even have to play Harper.

We’ve arguably had some of the best depth in the leauge over the past couple of seasons. I guess it comes down to managing our salary cap effectively and not having a couple of players on big 1mil+ contracts.