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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[Milking!]

Does anyone here rate Sandon Smith? Reckon him and Metcalf could be dynamite together. Only if we could get an early release.

That’d be a sneaky good pick up.

 

[Defence]

If I'm paying 1 mil+ for any player that's not a half, then I'd be all in on Farnworth too. IMO easily the best center if not outside back in the game

I’d give Farnworth the fullback jersey no problems.

 

[Zaggo]

Surprising we don’t look for Fijian flyers, they’re just naturally fast and built like a rock

Montoya?
King Vuniyawa?
Junior Ratuva?
Kane Evans?

We've had Fijians and by and large they've been absolute spuds!

 

[Billyspleen75]

Montoya?
King Vuniyawa?
Junior Ratuva?
Kane Evans?

We've had Fijians and by and large they've been absolute spuds!

We let Selestino Ravutaumada go way too early. He turned into a gun union player

 

[Noitall]

We let Selestino Ravutaumada go way too early. He turned into a gun union player

He’d already passed the sand dune test

 

[SouthernWorrier]

The absolute mental thing about that is that it would essentially cost us 150-200k more on top of Niukore's contract if we could end up signing him.

That would easily be the best 200k we've ever spent. Image the difference in output between Niukore and what Herbie offers.

Id give him $1.1mill

Herbie for 200k - that's proper girl math Tooks!

But yes he'll win us games and give us an attacking threat to balance our grinding pack, exactly what we need. Spenny.. and I don't see much chance, but we can dream

 

[Theking267]

I doubt we target Farnworth. Paying a million dollars for a centre is not a smart move.

 

[Five&Last]

Recruitment Post in thread 'Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention'

Aug 4, 2025

My understanding if this "kid" is at Wesley College. Anyone know his age or seen him play?

• Cces

• 
• 

Looks about 6'1 at 16 standing next to Iro

Will be interesting to see him play Harold Matts next year.

Sounds like he's a front rower and plays number 8 in union

Would still rather Lucian, can’t teach 6’5

 

[Blain]

I doubt we target Farnworth. Paying a million dollars for a centre is not a smart move.

He's basically prime Joey Manu. Arguably better. This forum creamed over the thought of him coming and playing 1 for us for years, Farnworth is the english version. It's really interesting that Webby has moved CNK from 1, yes we are injury struck but a change of the spine is not a minor decision.

CNK has been pretty poor this season, he's had a blinder or 2 but on the whole he has slipped. Taine I don't think is quite up to being a top shelf NRL fullback - Which is obviously what we should be looking for. Do we have the apprentice within our system to develop into our 1 for say 2027? Or is a guy like Farnworth a target possibility. I honestly don't know, but shit I would not pass on Herbie if he was even an option.

 

[1995warriorsfan]

TMM extension now confirmed for another year.

 

[juju]

The issue with the Herbie chat is - his current club would pay up for him. The expansion clubs will pay up for him. A few other clubs would pay up for him. So what would entice him to the Warriors specifically?

 

[Damo]

The issue with the Herbie chat is - his current club would pay up for him. The expansion clubs will pay up for him. A few other clubs would pay up for him. So what would entice him to the Warriors specifically?

Terrible Auckland weather to remind him of home.

 

[JustVisiting82]

The issue with the Herbie chat is - his current club would pay up for him. The expansion clubs will pay up for him. A few other clubs would pay up for him. So what would entice him to the Warriors specifically?

If he had a desire to play fullback and the Warriors saw him as someone who could be elite in that position then we could offer him the chance to play fullback in a team that has been pretty successful over the last three years (2024 not withstanding) under a coach who probably has a good reputation at present. We would still have to stump up good coin but potentially not more than expansion clubs/unsuccessful clubs, and potentially not more than the Dolphins if he does want to play fullback as his path there is blocked by Hammer.

If he is settled where he is and doesn't want to move his family that might be an obstacle, but still could be worth the club having a conversation with his manager at least.

 

[juju]

If he had a desire to play fullback and the Warriors saw him as someone who could be elite in that position then we could offer him the chance to play fullback in a team that has been pretty successful over the last three years (2024 not withstanding) under a coach who probably has a good reputation at present. We would still have to stump up good coin but potentially not more than expansion clubs/unsuccessful clubs, and potentially not more than the Dolphins if he does want to play fullback as his path there is blocked by Hammer.

If he is settled where he is and doesn't want to move his family that might be an obstacle, but still could be worth the club having a conversation with his manager at least.

It's a bit like trying to date a super model when you're an average bloke.

But yeah if you don't ask you don't get a date.

 

[Falcon]

How the team finish this season could be the difference of getting a recruit over the line or not - in particular a more high profile/ in demand player.

 

[Warriors55]

The halves and backs are most definitely the priority for recruitment. I think our pack is good enough to win a premiership if all fit.

With Metcalf and Cleary (provided he stays) we could be set for a long time in the half's. I really hope the powers that be see how good those two will be together. Metcalf at 6, Cleary at 7 probably.

But we are seriously lacking in the backs. Farnworth would be a great pickup for us but as mentioned above the chances are low.

What I DONT want to keep seeing is us signing more forwards. Please get some good fast skillful backs on board. We can win a premiership with that missing piece of the puzzle. They don't even have to be big name signings, some promising youngsters is still fine. One big name signing at full back, centre, or wing would be nice though. Preferably full back.

 

[Akkerz]

The halves and backs are most definitely the priority for recruitment. I think our pack is good enough to win a premiership if all fit.

With Metcalf and Cleary (provided he stays) we could be set for a long time in the half's. I really hope the powers that be see how good those two will be together. Metcalf at 6, Cleary at 7 probably.

But we are seriously lacking in the backs. Farnworth would be a great pickup for us but as mentioned above the chances are low.

What I DONT want to keep seeing is us signing more forwards. Please get some good fast skillful backs on board. We can win a premiership with that missing piece of the puzzle. They don't even have to be big name signings, some promising youngsters is still fine. One big name signing at full back, centre, or wing would be nice though. Preferably full back.

Will Kennedy ????

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

The issue with the Herbie chat is - his current club would pay up for him. The expansion clubs will pay up for him. A few other clubs would pay up for him. So what would entice him to the Warriors specifically?

The way he was looking at the presenter here who normally does the TAB odds in NZ would be one way.

Herbie Farnworth: "They're a physical side, and we're going to try to match them"

Herbie Farnworth: "They're a physical side, and we're going to try to match them"

www.nrl.com

 

[Viking]

Looks about 6'1 at 16 standing next to Iro

Will be interesting to see him play Harold Matts next year.

Sounds like he's a front rower and plays number 8 in union

Would still rather Lucian, can’t teach 6’5

I think he turns 18 next year so playing SG Ball. I heard he did at least one training session with the Matt’s squad this year.

Mikaele twins signed to Dolphins a few weeks ago on a 4 year contract which must mean that they’re being promised pro money in 28 and 29. It was on the SVM fb page.

 

[Warriors55]

Will Kennedy ????

Hmmm while he is not the first name that comes to mind (and the Sharks forum can't wait to get rid of him) he is probably better than what we currently have. I wouldn't pay 1m for him or anything like that. I think he is on $500k at the Sharks and they are offering him 300k to stay. For $500-600k and at 28 years old I would maybe sign him on a short term deal unless we landed someone better.