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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[Naynay]

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

Bit of a log jam with 2nd rowers, Halasima and Laban seem to be the favourites going forward so would expect them to get the starting roles.

Then EIT has been chosen on the bench now. Might have been told if he can get a start they would let him go

 

[Dannevegas]

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

Agree, how did we even get to that point. We obviously low balled him initially. Would’ve been a real bad move letting him go as I think he’ll be our long term centre and a gun one

 

[snake77]

Getting Fatialofa to backflip on Penrith is good vote of confidence in the club.

Penrith their success the last few years would be attractive for any young player. All of their systems at the moment are on point and they have one of the best players in the game guiding them around the field.

As their development systems are working they also are pretty targeted in their recruitment.

 

[Noitall]

Getting Fatialofa to backflip on Penrith is good vote of confidence in the club.

Penrith their success the last few years would be attractive for any young player. All of their systems at the moment are on point and they have one of the best players in the game guiding them around the field.

As their development systems are working they also are pretty targeted in their recruitment.

Hearing that David Tangata Toa feeds Webster with information of players that are close to first grade from nsw cup, I think you can read that from the extended team picked each week and Fatialofa has been amongst those for weeks now. EIT was 18th man for weeks before he debuted

 

[snake77]

Afoa moving on isn't unexpected. We need spots in the top 30 to promote guys who are ready or recruit.

He has been a good clubman. I was at one of the NSW Cup games. He was there watching the team. First grade players being their isn't unusual. But the first grade side had played in Australia earlier that weekend. It was one of the games he played this year. I thought it was pretty impressive he was there so soon after getting back to NZ.

 

[Cces]

Trying to peice together this timeline. 15 days ago Cameron George said we had 28/29 spots filled for 2026 and then settled on 29. Did Fatialofa sign then renege with Penrith after that interview?

 

[Tookey 2.0]

We could do a lot worse than Thomas Jenkins as a winger with the ability to fill in at centre.

He's another guy who is effort on effort, and seems to compete for everything. A real Webby kinda player imo. Decent pace and fairly elusive, and is only 24.
Contracted to the end of nek year, I hope we're considering him

 

[Noitall]

We could do a lot worse than Thomas Jenkins as a winger with the ability to fill in at centre.

He's another guy who is effort on effort, and seems to compete for everything. A real Webby kinda player imo. Decent pace and fairly elusive, and is only 24.
Contracted to the end of nek year, I hope we're considering him

Crazy that he went to knights and couldn’t get a look in

 

[WHB]

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

King was still on the rise.
Been going well in ESL.
Naholo would be a go.
Big body,goes looking for work.
Great finisher.
The Naki dont need him.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Crazy that he went to knights and couldn’t get a look in

We lose Rog at the end of nek year, Dallin the year after and Kosi this year, on top of our all ready thin wing stocks and injury prone centres. I reckon he'd find his way into the team most weeks from 2027

 

[3rdstriker]

View attachment 14148

Well done, McFadden needed to keep him locked up for sure.

 

[CWC]

They could move Laban to the middle and the second row would be Leka+EIT and Fats on the bench or if we release Marata to buy a back next year Fats would be 18th man like EIT this year

 

[Warriorsfan92]

I would’ve lost my shit if Penrith stole kayliss. He’s very similar to leka, game breaking, dynamic ball runner with explosive speed & power. Modern day edge or centre. We’re going to lose some eventually but this is why the recruitment of fish was so critical. He’ll be in their ears about pride in the nz warriors jersey. He’ll get a shot next year, and there’s always injuries. Can’t imagine Niukore or Capewell hang around past next year, leaving Leka and Laban as our edges, with EIT off the bench, and kayliss next cab off the rank.

 

[Five&Last]

Trying to peice together this timeline. 15 days ago Cameron George said we had 28/29 spots filled for 2026 and then settled on 29. Did Fatialofa sign then renege with Penrith after that interview?

Fatialofa, Kali and EIT are locks for top 30 next year. Always were.

We have one spot left in the top 30 after the TMM re-signing (29 signed)

Its always good to have one spot free going into the season .

So I think we're done making moves unless we agree to a release of Lussick or someone.

Basically means Afoa and Ale are definitely leaving. I expect our supplementary/development list to be very prop heavy, given the lack of depth in the top 30 (i.e. Crosby, Salalilo, Tuipulotu-Vea)

 

[Five&Last]

Agree, how did we even get to that point. We obviously low balled him initially. Would’ve been a real bad move letting him go as I think he’ll be our long term centre and a gun one

How do Penrith even get a look in.

Its not uncommon for players to test the market so they know how much they are worth and can go back to their club with a dollar figure but the fact that he actually signed the Penrith contract is very concerning.

McFadden needs to sort his shit out asap.

Wonder if McFadden being asleep at the wheel let Dolphins swoop in and get Lucian from under our noses.

Kayliss has a good shot at being a first choice center by end of next year. Berry can't stay fit / Ali also cant stay fit and isn't really improving atm / Pompey is in cruise control again

 

[Noitall]

How do Penrith even get a look in.

Its not uncommon for players to test the market so they know how much they are worth and can go back to their club with a dollar figure but the fact that he actually signed the Penrith contract is very concerning.

McFadden needs to sort his shit out asap.

Wonder if McFadden being asleep at the wheel let Dolphins swoop in and get Lucian from under our noses.

Kayliss has a good shot at being a first choice center by end of next year. Berry can't stay fit / Ali also cant stay fit and isn't really improving atm / Pompey is in cruise control again

Do you reckon now that they’ve secured him, they’ll give him some time at centre? Thought they would have put him there by now in nsw cup if centre was the intention? Setu Tu has been getting a run at centre

 

[Falcon]

Do you reckon now that they’ve secured him, they’ll give him some time at centre? Thought they would have put him there by now in nsw cup if centre was the intention? Setu Tu has been getting a run at centre

Surprising they haven’t been running him there considering how lean the options have been to fill at centre, and him playing the position in junior rep sides.
From the outside looking in it’s the spot he could fill and a problem area for the club.

 

[Blain]

Trying to peice together this timeline. 15 days ago Cameron George said we had 28/29 spots filled for 2026 and then settled on 29. Did Fatialofa sign then renege with Penrith after that interview?

From memory he said there is 1 or 2 spots available for next season. Talked about recruiting some pace. From all we know, he's talking a couple spots off 28/29. No team runs a full top 30 from round 1, they generally leave a couple spots open for upgrades and mid season buys. I don't think we have ever run a top 30 from start of season.

They have probably thought about it and prioritized holding Fatialofa over Afoa, with the news he's gone coming in the same week. So I would say it doesn't change our numbers from what they have been thinking over the past few months.

 

[Five&Last]

Do you reckon now that they’ve secured him, they’ll give him some time at centre? Thought they would have put him there by now in nsw cup if centre was the intention? Setu Tu has been getting a run at centre

It’s where he’ll get most run next year.

Same as in 2024 in NSW cup. There was an opportunity to play centre through injuries etc and he took it. Now he’s back in second row.

It’s just what’s gonna get him first grade appearances most quickly.

Once he’s in the door then who knows. He could switch back to second row.

It’s possible that he’s seen as a Morgan Harper replacement next year and then a Marata Niukore replacement the year after that (at which point we have another outside back to come through like Putoko, Vake or Norris)

 

[3rdstriker]

How do Penrith even get a look in.

Its not uncommon for players to test the market so they know how much they are worth and can go back to their club with a dollar figure but the fact that he actually signed the Penrith contract is very concerning.

McFadden needs to sort his shit out asap.

Wonder if McFadden being asleep at the wheel let Dolphins swoop in and get Lucian from under our noses.

Kayliss has a good shot at being a first choice center by end of next year. Berry can't stay fit / Ali also cant stay fit and isn't really improving atm / Pompey is in cruise control again

McFadden resigned him I'm happy he didn't get poached, the vultures will always circle around those valuable players like Katoa and fatialofa.