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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[MrFrankWhite]

Seeing Daine Laurie's name in NSW cup had me thinking.. Is he worth a play? He plays fb, 5/8 but pref 5/8. Been playing fb for Penriff 1st grade and NSW cup sides with pretty good looking stat line. Would have top be an upgrade on CHT... And..

Unsigned for next year

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

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
View attachment 14141

Why didn't we sign the maggot from pukekohe!?

 

[CWC]

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?

Send our hottest chick to knock him up and make him pay child support or play for us

 

[Makasene]

Seeing Daine Laurie's name in NSW cup had me thinking.. Is he worth a play? He plays fb, 5/8 but pref 5/8. Been playing fb for Penriff 1st grade and NSW cup sides with pretty good looking stat line. Would have top be an upgrade on CHT... And..

Unsigned for next year

For the right coin maybe.

 

[Dippa]

https://www.zerotackle.com/new-zeal...t-to-be-on-the-lookout-for-a-new-club-225451/

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

https://www.zerotackle.com/new-zeal...t-to-be-on-the-lookout-for-a-new-club-225451/

His time has come. Good luck to him.

 

[Kav1]

Seeing Daine Laurie's name in NSW cup had me thinking.. Is he worth a play? He plays fb, 5/8 but pref 5/8. Been playing fb for Penriff 1st grade and NSW cup sides with pretty good looking stat line. Would have top be an upgrade on CHT... And..

Unsigned for next year

Also Bailey Simonson -father is a kiwi.

 

[Noitall]

https://www.zerotackle.com/new-zeal...t-to-be-on-the-lookout-for-a-new-club-225451/

Wonder if there’s a possibility of Ale getting another contract? TMM earned another one late in the picture, though has been playing first grade. He’s played prop, lock and second row in nsw cup but hasn’t been called upon at times that it seemed like we could have used him with all the injuries we’ve sustained

 

[Cces]

Wonder if there’s a possibility of Ale getting another contract? TMM earned another one late in the picture, though has been playing first grade. He’s played prop, lock and second row in nsw cup but hasn’t been called upon at times that it seemed like we could have used him with all the injuries we’ve sustained

It's hard to see. Gannon coming and EIT's upgrade has essentially taken Afoa & Ale's spots. Carrying an extra half in Linnane means there isn't really room to accommodate another forward unless someone under contract for '26 leaves early

 

[BlackToko88]

I wish Ale was able to get a crack this year. I know we had re signed TSS but just felt we could have done with Ale who IMO right now offers something a bit more in terms of footwork.

I dont see how he sticks around, bur will be good value for whatever club he goes to

 

[Noitall]

It's hard to see. Gannon coming and EIT's upgrade has essentially taken Afoa & Ale's spots. Carrying an extra half in Linnane means there isn't really room to accommodate another forward unless someone under contract for '26 leaves early

I wouldn’t be surprised to see one or two released. Really feel like we’re a solid middle forward from competing with the top packs, and that’s even when we’re fit. We lost JFH early against storm but were well beaten in the middle and raiders too took it to us with some other teams. Think Niukore plays strictly middle forward, but feels like we need even more?

 

[3rdstriker]

https://www.zerotackle.com/new-zeal...t-to-be-on-the-lookout-for-a-new-club-225451/

Good to move on certain players to open fresh doors!

 

[roguei]

https://www.zerotackle.com/new-zeal...t-to-be-on-the-lookout-for-a-new-club-225451/

Id hope that if there is no room for him as a player at the club, there would be another role offered to him within the club. He's not only been here forever, he also seems to be a major part of the culture in the NSW cup side.

 

[Cces]

Id hope that if there is no room for him as a player at the club, there would be another role offered to him within the club. He's not only been here forever, he also seems to be a major part of the culture in the NSW cup side.

He's 28 years old, for a few more days at least, surely he gets a gig at another NRL club

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

 

[roguei]

He's 28 years old, for a few more days at least, surely he gets a gig at another NRL club

Don't get me wrong he 100% could be a fringe 1st grade prop at another club. But even recently players like Shaun Lane have also decided to just move on from playing and set themselves up in a more permanent spot in a field they have a lot of domain knowledge on.

 

[JaggedJ]

This place would have exploded if we lost Fatialofa to Penrith of all places.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

This place would have exploded if we lost Fatialofa to Penrith of all places.

If Penrith are after him you know he is quality. Glad we kept him.

 

[peewee]

If Penrith are after him you know he is quality. Glad we kept him.

Almost lost him.
So now get the wheels in motion to make him feel wanted.
Question...... Why was he even looking at leaving.

 

[kos]

Don't get me wrong he 100% could be a fringe 1st grade prop at another club. But even recently players like Shaun Lane have also decided to just move on from playing and set themselves up in a more permanent spot in a field they have a lot of domain knowledge on.

Just read an article on Shaun lane
His body was telling him it had had enough his form had dropped Ryles was going for a smaller more mobile type player plus Shaun had studied and set himself himself up for a job off the field