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: 26/30
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
Can negotiate with others clubs from 01/11/25 (final year) : Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[MrFrankWhite]

and we are better than those cut-throat Australian fucks.

Didn’t know the. Warriors were a charity case. The Salvos are taking donations, we are here to win comp.

 

[Noitall]

I think he would be a better 2nd rower than a prop. This is where he came to prominence through the grades of I’m right.
The transition to the middle saw his development stall in my opinion.

He looked pretty good in his debut in the middle and hit all the right output numbers that a front rower should, the team noticeably lifted too I thought when he came on. I even remember Barnett giving an interview saying Zyon Maiu’u was scary guy, which I thought was a big accolade coming from him. Potentially more than his performance as to why he’s not kicking on? He’s not putting up great numbers currently and confidence is probably low too

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

What do you think?

Can anyone make a case for offering Zyon Maiu’u a lifeline?

Nah i was being sarcastic. No fucken way he's coning back.

Unless he wants a NSW Cup deal?

 

[Five&Last]

Unless he wants a NSW Cup deal?

And block Salalilo, Crosby, Tuipulotu-Vea and Laumalili?

No thanks

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

And block Salalilo, Crosby, Tuipulotu-Vea and Laumalili?

No thanks

Agree

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

And block Salalilo, Crosby, Tuipulotu-Vea and Laumalili?

No thanks

Minimum wage train and trial?

Doesn’t perform and no loss. Outperforms the others and it’s a good problem to have?

If there’s attitude issues though, don’t bother and best to keep him away from the squad.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Now dal is injured and has been a decline this year. Should Cappy have a crack at Blake Wilson who once again is dropped to cup?

I feel like Dal need someone challenging him for the remainder of his contract.

RTS just doesn't know how to take a back step to anyone and is so competitive!

I feel like DWZ is just cruising with no one challenging him.

 

[Ref]

Now dal is injured and has been a decline this year. Should Cappy have a crack at Blake Wilson who once again is dropped to cup?

I feel like Dal need someone challenging him for the remainder of his contract.

RTS just doesn't know how to take a back step to anyone and is so competitive!

I feel like DWZ is just cruising with no one challenging him.

IMO Blake Wilson is a really good winger.
Seriously underrated.
However they are backing Kosi and TT is on the extended bench.
I think they back some of the youngsters too.
I’d bring DWZ back through Cup.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

IMO Blake Wilson is a really good winger.
Seriously underrated.
However they are backing Kosi and TT is on the extended bench.
I think they back some of the youngsters too.
I’d bring DWZ back through Cup.

Your Cappy, are you seriously considering an extension for Kosi?

 

[kos]

Your Cappy, are you seriously considering an extension for Kosi?

Your Cappy add Ale and Bunty

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Your Cappy add Ale and Bunty

Nah im not adding them.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Your Cappy, are you seriously considering an extension for Kosi?

Kosi can seal the deal with a nice little extended run here I think.
We find it hard to find good young wingers that are cheap, so if Kosi can show he can play 10+ games a year with minimal errors, a few tries and 200m+ from either wing, I think we'll offer him a good minimum wage deal as our 4th option for the next 2 years

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Kosi can seal the deal with a nice little extended run here I think.
We find it hard to find good young wingers that are cheap, so if Kosi can show he can play 10+ games a year with minimal errors, a few tries and 200m+ from either wing, I think we'll offer him a good minimum wage deal as our 4th option for the next 2 years

Agree, this stint could determine his future here or elsewhere. He needs to be more consistent with his performances and challange Dal.

I hope he plays so well he can't be dropped as soon as dal is back. It could be tricky striking up a partnership with berry.

 

[sup42]

Your Cappy, are you seriously considering an extension for Kosi?

Since we persevered with Ed so long and he is on the improve, given our shortage of Wingers, it would seem a waste of the years invested to not keep him around.

I like his second phase game, his tackling and his hit ups.

They should lean him down and make him a true Winger.

 

[Tragic]

Since we persevered with Ed so long and he is on the improve, given our shortage of Wingers, it would seem a waste of the years invested to not keep him around.

I like his second phase game, his tackling and his hit ups.

They should lean him down and make him a true Winger.

I get annoyed at his hitups. He gets to the line and stops, I don't think he understands how big he is, if he hit the line and tried to run through he would be much more dangerous.

 

[Five&Last]

Minimum wage train and trial?

Doesn’t perform and no loss. Outperforms the others and it’s a good problem to have?

If there’s attitude issues though, don’t bother and best to keep him away from the squad.

Nah why?

He's not a first grade player and he will just take minutes away from those guys which slows their development. That might the difference between someone like Salalilo becoming first grade ready end of next year vs end of 2027, or the difference between him become starter quality in 2028 vs 2030 etc. etc.

I swear everyone just wants to just sign everyone for depth as if we have 5 NSW cup teams

Everyone has seen how Morgan Harper has turned out. We now have FOUR centers with huge NRL potential lining up in Jersey Flegg which SHOULD NOT be happening at any decent development club.

Caelys Putoko
Patrick Moimoi
Nganaiaiafu Vake
Brandon Norris

All four of them are trying to be wedged into in the Flegg side (two playing out of position). They should be rotating between NSW cup appearances to advance their development but they can't because Morgan Harper is fucking around in our Cup side.

 

[Blain]

Since we persevered with Ed so long and he is on the improve, given our shortage of Wingers, it would seem a waste of the years invested to not keep him around.

I like his second phase game, his tackling and his hit ups.

They should lean him down and make him a true Winger.

Yeah, we have roster space there for him, might as well give him another year for near min wage. Harper shouldn't be getting another NRL spot with us, so hopefully we can replace him with a promising young gun or someone from outside the club. Pain in the arse that Kali and Pasikala have both fallen away this year, they are young so they might come back. But generally you can blood wingers at 19/20 into NRL, obviously not those 2.

DWZ is worrying, he's had a shit house year and isn't getting younger. Wingers who aren't big don't last much past 30 in the NRL. Alex Johnston is getting year to year contracts while scoring for fun. A little nervous about keeping him until 2027, hopefully he can put my worries to bed.

 

[sup42]

I get annoyed at his hitups. He gets to the line and stops, I don't think he understands how big he is, if he hit the line and tried to run through he would be much more dangerous.

He has been coached that way to hang onto the ball, get a standing play the ball and look for offloads (seems one of the few in our team allowed to offload which is interesting given his confidence problems).

 

[Noitall]

He has been coached that way to hang onto the ball, get a standing play the ball and look for offloads (seems one of the few in our team allowed to offload which is interesting given his confidence problems).

I’m a big fan and hope he gets an extension. Think he’s popular amongst the young guys, likely because of time together in nsw cup. Highlight definitely watching him grow in confidence in that game where he owned Mulitalo and let him know about it

 

[kos]

I’m a big fan and hope he gets an extension. Think he’s popular amongst the young guys, likely because of time together in nsw cup. Highlight definitely watching him grow in confidence in that game where he owned Mulitalo and let him know about it

He was pretty impressive in NSW cup last weekend

Yeah yeah I know it’s not Fg