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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[BangBro's (still banging)]

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.

I wouldn't say CNK has been poor, thats a stretch. Yes hes had games he could have done better, but when we were winning, he and egan were up there with RTS, Clark, and Barnett.

I get the feeling hes playing injured again now though, he hasn't been the same since that knee injury.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Will Kennedy ????

Nooooooooooooo!

 

[Cces]

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.

I saw a guy who I think is a recruiter for that company, Richard White, say he turns 17 next April

 

[Ever Hopeful]

I wouldn't say CNK has been poor, thats a stretch. Yes hes had games he could have done better, but when we were winning, he and egan were up there with RTS, Clark, and Barnett.

I get the feeling hes playing injured again now though, he hasn't been the same since that knee injury.

I think he is like a lot of the team. He is pretty bog standard with great commitment and a winning attitude. When the team is going well with our stars in play he is a useful player (better than that on defence), and when the team is short on numbers and he is one of an over-concentration of average players, he looks poor.

I think CNK is a fantastic member of our squad, as are a few other players that aren't necessarily gifted. Our issue is this over-saturation of these players. We just need to add quality in a couple of positions and the others will become assets again. That said, fullback is a crucial position offensively.

What we don't want to do is to throw the baby out with the bathwater and get rid of all of our reliable, committed stock and end up with enigmatic youth as we have been guilty of in the past. There is a balance.

 

[Theking267]

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.

The difference is Farnworth isn’t a Kiwi international The Warriors are more likely to target middle tier players and back their pathways to produce superstars, like Leka has looked this year and spend on them to potentially become marquee players.

 

[france]

Will Kennedy ????

he goes AWOL alot

 

[Canonball]

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

Tongue literally hanging out... awooga

 

[Akkerz]

he goes AWOL alot

So do I

 

[Ref]

Will Kennedy ????

He is not as good as Taine.

 

[Chchfanatic]

Malakai Havealeta is not even playing 1st XV for Wesley college. He can’t be that good if he’s in the development team at 16, probably in year 12.

 

[Cces]

Malakai Havealeta is not even playing 1st XV for Wesley college. He can’t be that good if he’s in the development team at 16, probably in year 12.

Must be a decent League prospect though considering the Rabbitohs offered him a deal to go develop at Keebra Park. I spot his name in Wesley's 1st XV squad btw

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Must be a decent League prospect though considering the Rabbitohs offered him a deal to go develop at Keebra Park. I spot his name in Wesley's 1st XV squad btwView attachment 14139

Again eith these youngsters, we will see how good he is when he pushes his case for the cup team.

 

[tajhay]

Must be a decent League prospect though considering the Rabbitohs offered him a deal to go develop at Keebra Park. I spot his name in Wesley's 1st XV squad btwView attachment 14139

Anyone know anything about Kava Vainikolo? seems to be Lesley Vainokolo's son

 

[Makasene]

The difference is Farnworth isn’t a Kiwi international The Warriors are more likely to target middle tier players and back their pathways to produce superstars, like Leka has looked this year and spend on them to potentially become marquee players.

Yea I thought it was pretty obvious that we were holding coin to back youth.

A lot of talk about SJ & Tohu retirement freeing up immediate coin. Complaints about not signing anyone...

Ali, Demi, Halasima, Laban, TSS all been extended long-term. That's where the money goes!

Warriors recruitment has been steadily praised throughout the NRL community on Reddit. Our abilty to sign fringe players (Metcalf, Healey, Egan, Ford, TT, Lussick, Boyd etc) and improve them is highly respected.

 

[Makasene]

Malakai Havealeta is not even playing 1st XV for Wesley college. He can’t be that good if he’s in the development team at 16, probably in year 12.

My understanding is there is more to it than just current performance.

It's development after all, all these kids will have a ton of stuff to improve.

 

[Cces]

It might not be 1st XV, but an U16 player getting a hatrick in a U18 grade ain't a bad effort.
@Chchfanatic, Bishop Neal was in the St Thomas' 2nd XV when U16 so it's probably not the best yardstick

 

[Tookey 2.0]

View attachment 14141

Jeeze absolute dynamite first minute for Wesley College....

 

[Noitall]

Jeeze absolute dynamite first minute for Wesley College....

Game was over before it got started

 

[Five&Last]

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.

Yeah they'll be turning 21 in the final year of that contract so there would have to be a top 30 guarantee in the final year of that deal at least

Hard to compete with that for a 17 year old so understand the club letting them go now.

Especially if they see themselves as a package deal when D'Angelo might not ever be a first grade level prospect.

I wonder if we've given Bishop any top 30 guarantees at the end of his new deal?

 

[Five&Last]

Malakai Havealeta is not even playing 1st XV for Wesley college. He can’t be that good if he’s in the development team at 16, probably in year 12.

The above comment says he turns 17 next April. So that would put him year 11.

You have to be pretty special to be playing regular first XV in year 11, plus he looks extremely raw in some of the youtube game footage I saw.

He's obviously an athletic freak, but probably way behind the mark on technical skills and game awareness coming from over there