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	✔​	✔​
Connor Bowden	U​	U​	✔​
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: 2/6

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

 

[Wrighty]

defensive stats (as long as the defence is up to nrl standard).

It's not up to NRL standard. He is a jersey grabber at the moment and getting brushed aside and giving up line breaks every game that Fish would never ever give up. But he is new. It is ok for him to be on a learning curve so I am prepared to be patient with him and he should be getting better with every extra pre-season training. I am sure Webster does intensive coaching on defence during pre-season. So they will regard TSS as a player with potential at the moment rather than the finished product. He turns 22 in March next year. Still young for a prop.

 

[Noitall]

It's not up to NRL standard. He is a jersey grabber at the moment and getting brushed aside and giving up line breaks every game that Fish would never ever give up. But he is new. It is ok for him to be on a learning curve so I am prepared to be patient with him and he should be getting better with every extra pre-season training. I am sure Webster does intensive coaching on defence during pre-season. So they will regard TSS as a player with potential at the moment rather than the finished product. He turns 22 in March next year. Still young for a prop.

Yet he’s signed until 2028 and Toby Crosby is gone. We’ll see who has the better eye for talent, you or the Warriors staff

 

[Playdaball]

TSS needs minimum 1 season to develop properly in NSW Cup

 

[Neo]

It's not up to NRL standard. He is a jersey grabber at the moment and getting brushed aside and giving up line breaks every game that Fish would never ever give up. But he is new. It is ok for him to be on a learning curve so I am prepared to be patient with him and he should be getting better with every extra pre-season training. I am sure Webster does intensive coaching on defence during pre-season. So they will regard TSS as a player with potential at the moment rather than the finished product. He turns 22 in March next year. Still young for a prop.

I think there is a bit of hyperbole in there Wrighty. Yeah he had a bad miss for a Tino try but was generally very tidy around the ruck. Whilst a player like Bunty had good tackle stats, he was constantly targeted around the ruck and struggled to cover the space, resulting in a staggered line.
I don’t think he would have played a finals game if he was a big defensive liability

 

[Muddogz]

I see a lot of Sam Rapira about TSS in the way he plays (and the bald dome). Slightly undersized, good quick play the ball and seems to be an intelligent player. Couple of defensive lapses but it’s a big step up from playing in a dominant team in NSW Cup

He will have learnt a fair bit from last season and should get an opportunity to build on it this season.

 

[Dannevegas]

Hopefully Brandon Norris gets a crack next year. Or elevated to top 30 at least. Those saying he’s too young, look at Jackson Purdue, Norris could be on par or even better.
Cutting a couple of old, slow backs and Adding Norris and Kali would be a good roster move.

 

[Wrighty]

Yet he’s signed until 2028 and Toby Crosby is gone. We’ll see who has the better eye for talent, you or the Warriors staff

I would rate the warriors coaching staff over my opinions any day of the week. I would also rate their opinions over any poster on this message board.

 

[Noitall]

I would rate the warriors coaching staff over my opinions any day of the week. I would also rate their opinions over any poster on this message board.

You might end up being on the money Wrighty but to be locked in until 2028 gives me the impression they really rate him

 

[Five&Last]

If EIT has unmatchable height and athleticism, Palaliii’s superpower was his power to weight.

Papalii ceiling was still limited by size. EIT can get in the gym and add strength, Papalii can't add inches to his height.

Plus I don't actually think being a master in power lifting is that valuable on a rugby league pitch.

 

[Playdaball]

Papalii ceiling was still limited by size. EIT can get in the gym and add strength, Papalii can't add inches to his height.

Plus I don't actually think being a master in power lifting is that valuable on a rugby league pitch.

Papal’ii is doing very well by someone who is limited by size and a powerlifting master.
One of the Kiwis best in the recent series .

 

[Boats n Hoes]

Papal’ii is doing very well by someone who is limited by size and a powerlifting master.
One of the Kiwis best in the recent series .

Took him a bit to find his feet with Penrith but once he did thought he finished their season really strong. Looked their best forward. Then he backed that up with a really strong Pacific Cup for the Kiwis.

 

[Horriors2013]

Papalii ceiling was still limited by size. EIT can get in the gym and add strength, Papalii can't add inches to his height.

Plus I don't actually think being a master in power lifting is that valuable on a rugby league pitch.

It obviously is of value be cause as said, someone that small wouldn't even make first grade if they didn't have impact. He was the Eels best in the lost GF. He was stronger in the second half because he had the best conditioning. He was still strong in minute 80. It's in breaking tackles in minute 80 that you see how powerlifting helped him. Most strong players are on the bench or petre out by the end of the game. Papali'i keeps breaking tackles because he has better muscle conditioning.

 

[Noitall]

I’ve watched that straight up episode a few times now and a few things stuck out to me. First was Barnett talking about belief and I think it’s something we’re starting to see in the club and individuals that they belong and are good enough to win this competition. Another was the different approaches from two different recruits. Gannon mentions how defence is first and foremost whereas AKP mentions how he wants to concentrate on his attacking game. He may take a while to learn that defence is key to Webster’s heart with this being an area where he’s considered vulnerable, though his attacking prowess is obviously what the club has identified. Lastly is how impressive Niukore looks to me, could be that its contract season but looks so strong in the wrestling footage and I reckon he’s in for a big season

 

[MrFrankWhite]

He may take a while to learn that defence is key to Webster’s heart

Unless you are DWZ of course

 

[Noitall]

Unless you are DWZ of course

I hope they’ve identified what’s happening over on that edge because I’m not convinced he’s the sole problem? He’s making a decision to jam in and leaving a heap of space outside him, I think that’s on him. Hopefully AKP joining makes DWZ work hard on what’s going wrong but also hearing AKP not mention at all that defence is a work on makes me think he’ll be in nsw cup until injury or he makes a huge impression in preseason? Think DWZ gets first shot

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I hope they’ve identified what’s happening over on that edge because I’m not convinced he’s the sole problem? He’s making a decision to jam in and leaving a heap of space outside him, I think that’s on him. Hopefully AKP joining makes DWZ work hard on what’s going wrong but also hearing AKP not mention at all that defence is a work on makes me think he’ll be in nsw cup until injury or he makes a huge impression in preseason? Think DWZ gets first shot

Pretty sure the first thing AKP said was about defence? Am I imagining things? EDiT yes I was

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I hope they’ve identified what’s happening over on that edge because I’m not convinced he’s the sole problem? He’s making a decision to jam in and leaving a heap of space outside him, I think that’s on him. Hopefully AKP joining makes DWZ work hard on what’s going wrong but also hearing AKP not mention at all that defence is a work on makes me think he’ll be in nsw cup until injury or he makes a huge impression in preseason? Think DWZ gets first shot

Rewatched it again and your right, I was thinking of another video.

I did think there was something unsaid in the video. Stacey came across weird.

 

[Noitall]

Rewatched it again and your right, I was thinking of another video.

I did think there was something unsaid in the video. Stacey came across weird.

Just an observation and nothing to it really, just seems it’s there that the work could be necessary rather than attack? Though again I’m sure they would have mentioned when they put the pitch to come over was the attacking threat he possesses was what they were after

 

[mrblonde]

I hope they’ve identified what’s happening over on that edge because I’m not convinced he’s the sole problem? He’s making a decision to jam in and leaving a heap of space outside him, I think that’s on him. Hopefully AKP joining makes DWZ work hard on what’s going wrong but also hearing AKP not mention at all that defence is a work on makes me think he’ll be in nsw cup until injury or he makes a huge impression in preseason? Think DWZ gets first shot

DWZ's just doing what The Master MV did - jamming in. I sometimes think at the Warriors it's a requirement when you're one of the centre-wing pairings that one of them has to have either a wing that doesn't trust his centre's defence - rightly or wrongly - or a centre that doesn't tell his wing when he's fine.

 

[Naynay]

. Gannon mentions how defence is first and foremost whereas AKP mentions how he wants to concentrate on his attacking game. He may take a while to learn that defence is key to Webster’s heart with this being an area where he’s considered

Probably what concerned me was mostly that me mentioned wanting to play for a finals team. Like I get that obviously that all players want to play for the team to win the comp but odd attitude to have. And then contrasted with Gannon saying he wants to push himself.