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	✔​	✔​	✔​
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: 29/30
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

 

[Horriors2013]

Cowboys have said they are keeping Drinkwater for 2026.
They are prepared to let him go when his contract expires for the 2027 season. He will turn 30 in May of 2027 and will be too old to use his speed to burn people like he does now. Drinkwater is a hard pass for me. Let him go to Perth.

I don't think he's going to lose much speed in 12 months. It's not like he's a geriatric. I' d take him for a couple of years until Jeremiah Le Mana comes through. I'd release Taine to go get a FG position in Superleague.

 

[shuffle]

I still find that hilarious even though it kind of worked in cup this year.

Didn’t he score a hat trick playing prop too?? lol

 

[Noitall]

I thought the condition was Eels get the final say in who he signs with, not that he can't sign with another NRL club?
I could be mistaken.

One condition I saw was that he couldn’t play against eels until his contract with them would have been through, you could be right though, there were definitely conditions

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Didn’t he score a hat trick playing prop too?? lol

I think it was up against Canberra too. Even in cup the green machine are monsters.

 

[Noitall]

Didn’t he score a hat trick playing prop too?? lol

I really think he could do well there. Astute pickups from the panthers all of them they’ve recruited from us, they all have some growth in them in terms of kicking on and prospering in that system. Nothing guaranteed but Lussick is a hard worker, tough and fit so really offers a lot

 

[Inruin]

I really think he could do well there. Astute pickups from the panthers all of them they’ve recruited from us, they all have some growth in them in terms of kicking on and prospering in that system. Nothing guaranteed but Lussick is a hard worker, tough and fit so really offers a lot

I think he is underrated by many here. Not a superstar but better than given credit for. He will be a good backup or even a bench spot maybe

 

[Noitall]

I think he is underrated by many here. Not a superstar but better than given credit for. He will be a good backup or even a bench spot maybe

As a dummy half it’s mainly been his pass he’s been criticised for and Mitch Kenny doesn’t have the greatest at times either. They remind me of each other a bit in terms of toughness but if he can work on a few areas he could surprise?

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

if we were in the shoes of the panthers, stacking the back end of our top 30 with reserve graders all from the same club, we'd be asking what is going on, where is the giant junior base?

 

[Theking267]

if we were in the shoes of the panthers, stacking the back end of our top 30 with reserve graders all from the same club, we'd be asking what is going on, where is there giant junior base?

It’s been poached. Katoa at the Dolphins. Even at the junior levels with Halagahu, Ah Kee, Attard, Lemoto ,Decourcy all gone from the Panthers junior system

 

[Blain]

if we were in the shoes of the panthers, stacking the back end of our top 30 with reserve graders all from the same club, we'd be asking what is going on, where is there giant junior base?

They are a victim of their own success. They have plenty of juniors being poached by clubs, and guys who have out performed expectation and demand more money/higher spots in their rosters.

That leads the top 30 at the Panthers to need an over supply of guys who are minimum wage, like Lussick, Going and Ale to balance out a McLean who is needing to double his contract value, somewhat unexpectedly. Guys who will play 3-4 games over origin period, and can plug 20 minutes off the bench when they get a couple of injuries. They also offer experience for good value, you can't have a bunch of back ups who are young, you need balance.