Recruitment Warriors 2026/2027 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2026/2027 Recruitment and Retention Discussion​

Player	2026​	2027​	2028​	2029​	2030​
Mitchell Barnett	✔​	✔​
Rocco Berry	✔​
Tanah Boyd	✔​
Kurt Capewell	✔​
Erin Clark	✔​	✔​
Wayde Egan	✔​	✔​
Kayliss Fatialofa	✔​	✔​
James Fisher-Harris	✔​	✔​	✔​
Jackson Ford	✔​	✔​
Morgan Gannon	✔​	✔​	✔​
Leka Halasima	✔​	✔​	✔​	✔​
Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔​
Sam Healey	✔​	✔​
Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	✔​	✔​
Alofiana Khan-Pereira	✔​	✔​	✔​
Jacob Laban	✔​	✔​	✔​	✔​
Ali Leiataua	✔​	✔​
Jye Linnane	✔​	✔​	✔​
Freddy Lussick	✔​
Te Maire Martin	✔​
Haizyn Mellars	✔​	✔​	✔​
Luke Metcalf	✔​
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔​	✔​
Marata Niukore	✔​
Adam Pompey	✔​	✔​
Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔​	✔​	✔​
Taine Tuaupiki	✔​
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔​
Demitric Vaimauga	✔​	✔​	✔​
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔​	✔​
Jett Cleary	S​	U​
Sio Kali	U​
Braelan Marsh	U​	U​	U​
Motu Pasikala	U​	U​

✔ = Signed to Top 30, C = Club option, M = Mutual Option, P = Player option, S = Signed to supplementary list, U = Unclear

2026 Top 30: 30/30
2026 Supplementary: 1/6

2027 Top 30: 20/30
2027 Supplementary: 0/6

2027 Gains: Nil
2027 Losses: Nil

Off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2027: Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Te Maire Martin, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Will be off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2028 from November 1st, 2026: Mitchell Barnett, Erin Clark, Jett Cleary, Wayde Egan, Kayliss Fatialofa, Jackson Ford, Sam Healey, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Ali Leiataua, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Motu Pasikala, Adam Pompey, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

 

[Canonball]

Boyds general kicking game was far superior to Metcalfs, 100 percent Metcalf is better at clutch moments but give Boyd a pre season and confidence before he gets written off.

nah - completely disagree - go back and look : metcalf's was better and more accurate - boyd's in first grade was often short or long, metcalf's placing in general play was verging on elite

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

nah - completely disagree - go back and look : metcalf's was better and more accurate - boyd's in first grade was often short or long, metcalf's placing in general play was verging on elite

I agree 100%. And even if you say Boyd was better, to claim that he was far superior is verging on ridiculous.

 

[roguei]

He was thrown in in the deep end and pressure got to him (understandably).His goal kicking and general field kicking surpassed Luke. Let's reserve judgement after a full pre-season under his belt.

It's a hard one because he has had 78 games now at full grade. It's not as if it should be spooked by it. Although I've got to give the benefit of the doubt around some very bad training at the titans and went into a new team. Which you do see with any new half who is moved to a team with a totally different structure.

But he is far from some young gun who is green to first grade. Compared to Metcalf with just 41 games (which is still a major concern. At least Boyd can play full seasons).

 

[kiwileaguefan]

I am pretty confident Metcalf is gone....just a gut feeling especially with a young family and the lure of moving back home. He will be sought after by at least two maybe three NRL Clubs chasing him and will get a good pay day. Can't blame him at all for what he is doing, especially with a history of long term injuries.

It's always a risk when signing young australian players, they will always have to head home eventually.

In all our history, we have probably only ever signed one or maybe two marquee halves off the top of my head.

 

[Falcon]

I think Metcalf is prepared to re-sign for a bit less with the view it’s his best chance to win a premiership and n the next two years than it is with the Dragons or Bears.
As it’s a 2 year deal on the table with the Wahs - he has to think if it’s not working I can then go to the market and negotiate another deal come Nov 1 next 2027 for the 29 season with every chance he could negotiate an early release and cash in on that contract.
He is leaving only for silly money and nothing else.

 

[3rdstriker]

Short kicking game I give to Boyd. Plus his red zone bombs seemed to get better results. But Metcalf would consistently get the ball on the 10m line from far out with enough height to give chasers time to get there. They can both kick a 40-20. Boyd a better goal kicker if pressure isn’t an issue. Metcalf better in the clutch. On balance I’ll take Metcalf.

I wouldnt take him until he strings 16 completed games together, At least not for ridiculous money, until that 1st seasons completed what he has is "potential"! If Metcalf does a hammy or another Acl thats his career possibly.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Now it makes sense

It was more me passing the baton to Rocco, after I barked up that same tree.

He can go fight that fight now

 

[WAH MAN]

Boyds general kicking game was far superior to Metcalfs, 100 percent Metcalf is better at clutch moments but give Boyd a pre season and confidence before he gets written off.

You make a good point but he had 60 odd games at Gold Coast as a point of first grade tempo reference.

But I'll yield a full off season (which I thought he just had).

 

[Neo]

Also if you are basing the halves off of NSW Cup form, then TMM would be the first picked. He was almost untouchable earlier in the year when he played there. It just shows how big the difference in the quality of opposition is

 

[CWC]

Metcalf probably fielding offers for Warriors to match ie someone offers him 3 years, probably why we are still supposedly the favorite even when it looks like he’s hitting the market. Might be another case of ton of speculation ending with a boring breaking re-sign news

We are probably lowballing him a little post ACL and he’s gathering evidence to support his counter offer? Many club people showing up at wedding probably not a sign of brownie-gate

Dragons had the healthy chocolate shoulder exam hoax and Bears is another unknown far from Sydney…

 

[Noitall]

Also if you are basing the halves off of NSW Cup form, then TMM would be the first picked. He was almost untouchable earlier in the year when he played there. It just shows how big the difference in the quality of opposition is

Also though I thought it was interesting how when panthers rested all their players against bulldogs and it was largely panthers nsw cup players, 28-6 was the result which I thought flattered the bulldogs. Many nsw cup players for us last year when we got over panthers last year too

 

[CWC]

Also though I thought it was interesting how when panthers rested all their players against bulldogs and it was largely panthers nsw cup players, 28-6 was the result which I thought flattered the bulldogs. Many nsw cup players for us last year when we got over panthers last year too

The panthers didnt even try to attack, get to their own 40m then grubber it out at the opposite 20m

 

[Noitall]

The panthers didnt even try to attack, get to their own 40m then grubber it out at the opposite 20m

Top 4 team against a largely nsw cup team, 28-6 was a great effort I thought. Think there’s a gulf between first grade and nsw cup but I don’t think it’s huge

 

[Inruin]

I don't know if there will actually be many clubs lining up for Metcalf to play 7. I think they will find out quite quickly if they do that he is a 6 and move him there. I think AW will stick with him at 7 if he stays with us and I can see us having more performances like we had in his last two games before his injury than any good, dominant ones.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I don't know if there will actually be many clubs lining up for Metcalf to play 7. I think they will find quite out quite quickly if they do that he is a 6 and move him there. I think AW will stick with him at 7 if he stays with us and I can see us having more performances like we had in his last two games before his injury than any good, dominant ones.

Big call saying he is going to regress. After your steadfast TMM > Metcalf position, I’d though you would be a little more reserved about death riding him.

 

[WAH MAN]

I don't know if there will actually be many clubs lining up for Metcalf to play 7. I think they will find quite out quite quickly if they do that he is a 6 and move him there. I think AW will stick with him at 7 if he stays with us and I can see us having more performances like we had in his last two games before his injury than any good, dominant ones.

We will know soon

 

[Inruin]

Big call saying he is going to regress. After your steadfast TMM > Metcalf position, I’d though you would be a little more reserved about death riding him.

I don't think he is going to regress. I just don't see him as a 7 and I think that showed this season, particularly with our organization and attack. I still believe TMM would be a better option at 7. Metcalf is a 6 and could actually be elite in that position if he could stay injury free. TMM 7 and LM 6 has been my preferred halves pairing and that still remains the case. I think if he moves to another club, particularly if it's a Sydney one, he will be scrutinized a hell of a lot more than he has been here and his organizing and game management will be picked apart.

 

[John Nick]

I don't think he is going to regress. I just don't see him as a 7 and I think that showed this season, particularly with our organization and attack. I still believe TMM would be a better option at 7. Metcalf is a 6 and could actually be elite in that position if he could stay injury free. TMM 7 and LM 6 has been my preferred halves pairing and that still remains the case. I think if he moves to another club, particularly if it's a Sydney one, he will be scrutinized a hell of a lot more than he has been here and his organizing and game management will be picked apart.

Please explain your reasoning as I don't think that TMM would have been leading the Dally M awards at any point in time or in any position .

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Casey just casually carrying big Junior on his back all the way to the tryline is impressive

 

[hornbybrown]

A quote from the Foxsports article about Metcalf hitting the open market:

"The Warriors are the favourites to sign Metcalf after tabling a two-year extension, with a host of his teammates on hand at his wedding in New Zealand last weekend."

Yeah I actually took him getting married in New Zealand as a very good sign that he loves it here