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

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

It's a great conversation to open up though, lots of positives and negatives regarding dumping Webby for Ivan, always good to see what everyones thoughts are.

Is there any coach you would dump Webby for?

Exactly!

Well when you talk about the premier coaches of the NRL, Bennett, Bellamy, Robinson and Cleary.

None of them have the ties to the warriors like Ivan Cleary does. You have to have the conversation, because premier coaches are not readily available, and if the scenario was, I want to coach Jett then does Mohawk and co turn down one of the best coaches in the NRL with a potential star halfback?

They have done this once, will they do it again?

This is as intriguing as anything ive seen at this club.

Ps: Ivan would be the only one I would make way for, but I fucken love Webby. Its not an easy one for me because I love both.

 

[Theking267]

Ivan and Nathan have had lifetime deals on the table for a couple of years now and haven’t signed them at Penrith, perhaps they both holding out to gain ownership of the club? Haven’t seen much to suggest Webster is anything but committed to the Warriors so I’m not sure I’m seeing what you’re seeing unless you’ve got an inside scoop here?

Just feels like Webster has a better relationship with Ivan than Ciraldo. Obviously I don’t think this will be happen anytime soon but I think Ivan would want to be involve in the person who takes over from him at the Panthers.

 

[Noitall]

Just feels like Webster has a better relationship with Ivan than Ciraldo. Obviously I don’t think this will be happen anytime soon but I think Ivan would want to be involve in the person who takes over from him at the Panthers.

I noticed when panthers beat both Warriors and bulldogs in the finals that Cleary made mention of a bright future ahead for us, and didn’t have the same praise for bulldogs. It could well be on the cards that Jett goes back to panthers, but I just don’t think it would be a scenario where the club has no knowledge, for the reasons being I don’t think Ivan would do that to the club, and surely it would have been a scenario that Warriors contemplated could happen and all parties are on the same page? I personally think if there was a club that Webster could potentially go to one day, it would be tigers. I’m pretty sure that’s the club he came through? You could make the same argument that Ben Gardiner, another assistant there who won a title, going to Perth as an assistant and Samoan coach was just as likely to be next in line over at panthers?

 

[Cces]

It’s more likely Webby will take over at Penrith when Ivan retires & Slade Griffin will take over at the Warriors seeing that he’s a bit younger than Tangatatoa

Realistically there's probably no succession plan in place for a Webster exit, but apart from his age, why would you want to appoint Griffin if he hasn't coached at any other club outside our system before?
Tangata-Toa ain't exactly old at 44 & has runs on the board

 

[Theking267]

Realistically there's probably no succession plan in place for a Webster exit, but apart from his age, why would you want to appoint Griffin if he hasn't coached at any other club outside our system before?
Tangata-Toa ain't exactly old at 44 & has runs on the board

I guess you would want a continuation plan. Due to the fact we are system based. But this is assuming that Cleary wants to coach to at least he’s 70 similarly to Bellamy.

 

[Wrighty]

@Wrighty , @BangBro's (still banging) has raised a topic of replacing Webby with Ivan.

What are we thinking?

I think importance would be rated extremely high, allowing for high-levels of passion.


View attachment 14941

Great posting LOL. Best posts of 2025 !!!

I have lived to regret my first post that started this meme !! LOL !

 

[maddog]

It's hard to compare a guy with less than 80 games in charge to guys with 300+ games like Stuart & Robinson but since Webster became our coach both Stuart & Robinson have more regular season wins than him. Robinson has more post season wins too.
Why would you take Webster before Maguire?

For the Warriors 100% yes, Maguire would not be a good fit here also Reece Walsh made him look very good this year and on paper Brisbane should be winning the comp every year.

He is the type of coach that does well with a stacked team but trying to build a team and develop youngsters not so much - Tigers case in point.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

For the Warriors 100% yes, Maguire would not be a good fit here also Reece Walsh made him look very good this year and on paper Brisbane should be winning the comp every year.

He is the type of coach that does well with a stacked team but trying to build a team and develop youngsters not so much - Tigers case in point.

Agree.

And Robinson / Roosters buy success. Not convinced he’s actually an elite level coach.

 

[BrisbaneWarrior]

Just feels like Webster has a better relationship with Ivan than Ciraldo. Obviously I don’t think this will be happen anytime soon but I think Ivan would want to be involve in the person who takes over from him at the Panthers.

Probably didn’t help st Ciraldo idea of building the dogs was to fill the team with panthers players. Webster didn’t raid the panthers

 

[Makasene]

Probably didn’t help st Ciraldo idea of building the dogs was to fill the team with panthers players. Webster didn’t raid the panthers

While it may appear like that there is also the fortunate postion the Bulldogs found themselves in.

After years of austerity they were finally in a position to spend. Simultaneously the salary cap meant Penrith needed to shed players.

Add in the connection of Gus and Ciraldo and you can see how it can happen.

 

[BabylonPink]

Probably didn’t help st Ciraldo idea of building the dogs was to fill the team with panthers players. Webster didn’t raid the panthers

Gus working there probably sours it too

 

[mrblonde]

Well, does Andrew want to create a legacy/dynasty or continue one?
BTW, I agreed with Ivan when he said the dynasty wasn't over just because they weren't going to be in the GF. In the same way I don't believe a team's dark days are over just because after 4 Wooden Spoons they finished one above last place this season.

For the Warriors 100% yes, Maguire would not be a good fit here also Reece Walsh made him look very good this year and on paper Brisbane should be winning the comp every year.

He is the type of coach that does well with a stacked team but trying to build a team and develop youngsters not so much - Tigers case in point.

Exactly the same observation a few people had about Brian McClennan in late 2011 when he was unveiled as Ivan's replacement. Given he didn't even last the entire 2012 season, maybe they had a point...

 

[Makasene]

Plot twist:

Webby becomes Ivan's coaching director.

Stranger things have happened

 

[Makasene]

Poetic you say? A Peta Haiku


In the start
John Hart
was good for you
passing his skills
learning the drills
and giving all he knew
now it’s your time
to come back in your prime
to the same role
all with the goal
to make us the powerhouse we deserve to be
and your son is here


Ode to Ivan

I liked this one that did the rounds a few years after Cleary left.

I can see Cleary now that Wayne has gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright, bright, bright sun shiny day

I think I can make it now that Wayne has gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Doyle's the leader we've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright, bright, bright sun shiny day

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Plot twist:

Webby becomes Ivan's coaching director.

Stranger things have happened

Here's another one, Stacey Jones Einstein the world cup and he then becomes head coach of the warriors.

 

[Brightman]

All the fantasies of Ivan coming to the Warriors when we have Webster are short sighted, Ivan AND Jett should both head up a new Sth Island franchise based in Christchurch in 2030..

 

[Falcon]

Realistically there's probably no succession plan in place for a Webster exit, but apart from his age, why would you want to appoint Griffin if he hasn't coached at any other club outside our system before?
Tangata-Toa ain't exactly old at 44 & has runs on the board

I think at the minute David Tangata Toa would be a strong candidate for any ChCh based expansion side.

 

[Noitall]

Thats a great watch! If he can turn AKP in a weapon

Good to see Ponga with his arm around Barnett at Lachlan Fitzgibbon’s wedding a few days ago in those slides

 

[sydneywarrior92]

If I read it right the question was meant to be an off season hypothetical to get people engaging, rather than a serious question.

Didn't read that way to me. Back Webby period. I firmly believe he will be the coach when the trophy finally heads over here.

 

[The Undertaker]

Plot twist:

Webby becomes Ivan's coaching director.

Stranger things have happened

I see Ivan only replacing Cappy and/or CG if they decide to move on, working alongside Webby as coach. He has x 4 premierships. There’s not much more he can achieve at club level.

I see him coming back and coaching SOO for a while then maybe coaching Australia as well.

But his heart is with us. I suspect Nathan will go to be with Mary and Ivan may come home.

It feels like we need to have an SJ/CG moment with Ivan and acknowledge we made a huge mistake by letting him go.

It will be cathartic to make that right.