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: 21/30
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

 

[Five&Last]

Wouldn't take Riki over Leka, Laban, EIT, Kayliss or Bishop.

Leave him in Brissy, we are good.

Recruit experience cheaply in other positions, we don't have to go out and get a like for like replacement for Capewell/Niukore

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Also, just throwing it out there if Riki were to come to us, I don't think we'd see much change out of Marata's contract.

If - and I don't think we even need to - we're looking at buying an edge, I'd be interested in Fifita for around the same money after Titans paying a bit of freight.

This would be a 'buy low, sell high' sitch

 

[sydneywarrior92]

We have way too many second rowers as it is. Not the position we need to be looking to be bolstering. He doesn't offer anything that we don't already have. All energy needs to be expended on getting a marquee back signing not another forward where we should just be backing our junior pipeline.

 

[Noitall]

Also, just throwing it out there if Riki were to come to us, I don't think we'd see much change out of Marata's contract.

If - and I don't think we even need to - we're looking at buying an edge, I'd be interested in Fifita for around the same money after Titans paying a bit of freight.

This would be a 'buy low, sell high' sitch

I could see benefits with Riki being an 80 minute back rower and Capewell is the only other edge we’ve got currently that offers that. Probably would have heard something by now though if it had legs

 

[The Undertaker]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Marata release with another external signing. Pulling out of cooks is….. interesting.

He won’t get another contract with us so I suspect he may be released this off season…

Bring on a marquee.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

I’ve been a CNK to fullback advocate for years, but watching Roger last night muddied the waters. What we get from cnk is effort on effort, yardage & pretty decent defence at the back. Roger’s numbers last night:

Metres: 276m
Post contact metres: 80m
Tackle breaks: 6

Yes he needs to develop his passing game, but if we’re comparing to CNK who also doesn’t have a strong passing game, they’re actually very alike. Where I see the difference is Roger’s ability to break the game open & create fast play the balls off the back of late footwork and finding his front. Roger is borderline in career best form imo, and I’m now looking at it like Roger in the same player as CNK, with attacking upside.

The issue is we didn’t really have a wing option for Roger, unless we were to move a Pompey there. Now we’ve got AKP, mellers & Kali all pushing for first grade. If there’s ever a time to move Roger to the back it’s now, with cnk sliding to centre/wing, where he can continue to be the low upside, yardage style player.

Again, I’m not sold on the move yet but watching him last night did have me think they’re essentially the same player but Roger has higher upside. Just some thoughts anyway

 

[Warriors55]

I’ve been a CNK to fullback advocate for years, but watching Roger last night muddied the waters. What we get from cnk is effort on effort, yardage & pretty decent defence at the back. Roger’s numbers last night:

Metres: 276m
Post contact metres: 80m
Tackle breaks: 6

Yes he needs to develop his passing game, but if we’re comparing to CNK who also doesn’t have a strong passing game, they’re actually very alike. Where I see the difference is Roger’s ability to break the game open & create fast play the balls off the back of late footwork and finding his front. Roger is borderline in career best form imo, and I’m now looking at it like Roger in the same player as CNK, with attacking upside.

The issue is we didn’t really have a wing option for Roger, unless we were to move a Pompey there. Now we’ve got AKP, mellers & Kali all pushing for first grade. If there’s ever a time to move Roger to the back it’s now, with cnk sliding to centre/wing, where he can continue to be the low upside, yardage style player.

Again, I’m not sold on the move yet but watching him last night did have me think they’re essentially the same player but Roger has higher upside. Just some thoughts anyway

Out of the two Roger has greater attacking skills. If Webby doesn't see TT as our full back we need to select RTS at the back next season not CNK. Both CNK and RTS are short term options but Roger is the better option and probably always was.

 

[Kav1]

Major career twist for Jett Cleary as Warriors in danger of losing two star halves

Nathan Cleary's younger brother Jett could profit from the Warriors situation. More here.

au.news.yahoo.com

Pretty speculative but does give the impression of Cleary at least becoming a depth halve from 2027 with him joining the top 30. Perhaps that’s a holdup with Metcalf that it was mentioned that he wants 3 years but we think that might be too long and others ready that may be blocked?

A bit more speculative but interesting that both Nathan Cleary (currently with the Aust. Kangaroos) and his girlfriend, Mary Fowler, will be reunited on the last two tests of the Ashes series. with Cleary staying over after the series is ended. Although both are contracted with their respective clubs until season 2027, is there a chance of Nathan gaining a release on compassionate (romantic) grounds by the Panthers to join the Super League? This would leave Ivan the opportunity to come back to the Warriors (where he played and coached with much success before being unceremoniously dumped by our club bosses prior to creating his own legacy at Penrith.) This would allow both parents to keep a keen eye on son, Jett, who has just re-signed a new contract until 2028. Ivan has probably achieved enough as a coach but would accept a mentoring role at the Warriors. (he has admitted that Auckland was like a second home for him more than once in his book/press conferences.)
Now, wouldn't that set the NRL (and our club) alight!

 

[Cces]

Ivan the opportunity to come back to the Warriors (where he played and coached with much success before being unceremoniously dumped by our club

* couldn't agree to terms

 

[Noitall]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Marata release with another external signing. Pulling out of cooks is….. interesting.

He won’t get another contract with us so I suspect he may be released this off season…

Bring on a marquee.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Rocco Berry in a similar position coming off contract end of 2026 like Niukore and not offered another contract? Really big time for him because it would require the club to have a lot of faith that he can overcome injuries and other clubs could be interested come November 1? I think he could likely earn an extension if he comes back and has a strong period and stays healthy but I’m not sure they’d stand in his way for a better opportunity?

 

[Kav1]

What makes you think that his potential is that high?
He only got a combined 21 minutes, all in garbage time, across the 3 most important NSW Cup team games of the season & had one of the lowest win percentages in the entire squad

Bloodlines

 

[Wrighty]

Out of the two Roger has greater attacking skills. If Webby doesn't see TT as our full back we need to select RTS at the back next season not CNK. Both CNK and RTS are short term options but Roger is the better option and probably always was.

It should be TT in my opinion for his goal kicking. I am over Metcalf as a goal kicker. I said all along I am prepared to play a B+ player in the 13 if they can goal kick well.

In first grade, small sample size warning, he has kicked 4 from 4 at 100%
He also has a tackle efficiency of 84% which is good for a fullback.

If RTS goes to fullback then I want to see the goal kicking handed to Pompey (once Metcalf starts playing)

In terms of RTS vs CNK, then sure RTS is better with wing options of Dallin, AKP and Mellars. Mellars is ready for first grade now and will become a fan favourite as soon as he plays.

I don't think CNK wants to play centre though, he didn't throw toys, but from his body language he wasn't thrilled in the games he had to play centre..

 

[Kav1]

* couldn't agree to terms

Subsequent results indicate that his request was not unduly over the top

 

[Noitall]

A bit more speculative but interesting that both Nathan Cleary (currently with the Aust. Kangaroos) and his girlfriend, Mary Fowler, will be reunited on the last two tests of the Ashes series. with Cleary staying over after the series is ended. Although both are contracted with their respective clubs until season 2027, is there a chance of Nathan gaining a release on compassionate (romantic) grounds by the Panthers to join the Super League? This would leave Ivan the opportunity to come back to the Warriors (where he played and coached with much success before being unceremoniously dumped by our club bosses prior to creating his own legacy at Penrith.) This would allow both parents to keep a keen eye on son, Jett, who has just re-signed a new contract until 2028. Ivan has probably achieved enough as a coach but would accept a mentoring role at the Warriors. (he has admitted that Auckland was like a second home for him more than once in his book/press conferences.)
Now, wouldn't that set the NRL (and our club) alight!

It was 10 years to the day only a couple of days ago that panthers sacked Cleary and he reunited, I really think what you’re saying could eventuate

 

[Cces]

Subsequent results indicate that his request was not unduly over the top

Very true. Unceremoniously dumped sounds like he was shown the door early though

 

[Kav1]

Very true. Unceremoniously dumped sounds like he was shown the door early though

His book makes very interesting reading. Appears that he wanted an extra year on his contract but was denied.

 

[Kav1]

My response to where Boyd fits after 2026

I see us not re-signing TMM

So our 2027 halves become

Metcalf
CHT
Boyd
Linnane
Cleary
With one of those playing a 14 utility role.

Without Boyd there would not be enough first grade experience in the group beyond Metcalf and CHT, provided my assumption is correct that we don't re-sign TMM. It was a hard year for TMM to show his wares and build momentum into his season as he had to come off the bench.

I found your statistical comparison to CHT interesting. Maybe they are very roughly about as good as each other. Back in the day we used to regard Chad Townsend as being the benchmark for an NRL standard half. Both of them are there or there abouts of being NRL standard although CHT had clearly the better year out of the two of them.

You pointed out Boyd is a weak defender. I don't tend to judge halves too much on defence as long as they are reasonable.

I agree SJ was not selected for his defence.

 

[Milking!]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Marata release with another external signing. Pulling out of cooks is….. interesting.

He won’t get another contract with us so I suspect he may be released this off season…

Bring on a marquee.

I would be shocked if that happened. Played every game last season, plus if he were released, he’d need a contract to go to, or we pay a tonne of freight for one year for him to play elsewhere. We can’t just release him and not pay the man.
Ideally sees out this contract, then I don’t hate him re-upping for a year or two on a reduced contract as a middle.

 

[Milking!]

I agree SJ was not selected for his defence.

Comparing Boyd to SJ is like comparing a Ferrari to a Suzuki Jimmy.
if he can’t make tackles, then you’ve basically got him there as a specialist kicker, which odds an absolute waste at halfback

 

[Cces]

I would be shocked if that happened. Played every game last season, plus if he were released, he’d need a contract to go to, or we pay a tonne of freight for one year for him to play elsewhere. We can’t just release him and not pay the man.
Ideally sees out this contract, then I don’t hate him re-upping for a year or two on a reduced contract as a middle.

What type of $ would you offer a guy who, based on 2025, currently provides about 57 mins per game, 72m, 24 tackles, 2.5 missed tackles pg and 1.3 Ineffective Tackles?