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

 

[Noitall]

Sounds more like a grid iron player.

True. I hadn’t thought of that. Totally does

 

[Tragic]

The best centres are lanky like Crichton, Inglis and Toopi, then there is a tier of more direct guys like Staggs, Timoko.
If you accept that then Leka is unlikely to be a top tier Centre unless he totally changes his shape. So probably more risk that you totally mess up his progression if you try change him.

 

[Noitall]

Create your own team formation

I was reading the Panthers forum the other day. There was a sighting of him pulling children from a burning building before rescuing a cat who had got itself stuck in a tree.

Didn't even need to leave the ground. He simply shook the tree before breaking the sound barrier to catch the kitty before it could hit the ground.

The kids were in awe - the cat didn't care and went about its day.

Just while I see you still there, I miss your posts about messiah Rocco Berry, is he going to earn an extension do you reckon?

 

[SouthernWorrier]

Leiataua needs a big season. He still needs to do more in first grade to prove he's not just a size bully that's come through the ranks outplaying other outside backs because he's bigger than them, then struggles against first graders where he doesn't have that advantage. Showed a little bit of skill in NSW cup towards the back end of the season. Needs to build on that. But these young guys coming through in Putoko, Norris, Kali and Pasikala have speed and electric running games.

Leiataua, Berry, Charnze and Pompey doesn't scream a lot of try scoring ability.

Agree completely Ali needs to step it up, but for mine he is as but a prospect as Leka if he can deliver on his potential, whether that's attitude as well as injury I have no idea. Injury and form must have been a little humbling in 2024, let's hope he realises he has something to prove and comes into the year with renewed focus. The ga,e (and warriors in particular) is full of 'might have beens'.

Leka, hard no at Centre for me. An instinctive dynamic runner, good on him for helping out but woefully out of water as an actual centre (positionally and passing) and I'd rather we didn't divert his progress trying to fit a square peg in a round hold. He can be a match winner in his actual position, why fuckerize with that just because we lack depth elsewhere & he looked amazing in broken play well wide of the ruck a couple of times? yes to 'wide running back rower'. Still not a centre.

 

[WAH MAN]

Dallins best spot is now in super league!

Until that happens.....as above

 

[Noitall]

Agree completely Ali needs to step it up, but for mine he is as but a prospect as Leka if he can deliver on his potential, whether that's attitude as well as injury I have no idea. Injury and form must have been a little humbling in 2024, let's hope he realises he has something to prove and comes into the year with renewed focus. The ga,e (and warriors in particular) is full of 'might have beens'.

Leka, hard no at Centre for me. An instinctive dynamic runner, good on him for helping out but woefully out of water as an actual centre (positionally and passing) and I'd rather we didn't divert his progress trying to fit a square peg in a round hold. He can be a match winner in his actual position, why fuckerize with that just because we lack depth elsewhere & he looked amazing in broken play well wide of the ruck a couple of times? yes to 'wide running back rower'. Still not a centre.

Reckon we’ll see if Leiataua is a lip dropper? When our development line starts kicking in, everyone will be watching over their shoulder

 

[Playdaball]

I listened to the Warriorholic on Martin Devlin’s Podcast and he made some interesting points around our depth .
He stated that we were short on fullbacks - only CNK and TT. You could also include DWZ and TMM - both played FB, 1st grade.
Short on wingers - only 3 players in that position -RTS, DWZ and AKP.
Short on centres - RB, AP and AL ( 2 of those are injury prone) .
All fair assumptions.
I still think we’re short on a big prop, Warriorholic thinks we’re covered with Demetric and Erin.
He also mentioned that if we had an attacking Fullback such as Ponga, we’d be a better side .
Interesting ….

 

[Cces]

I listened to the Warriorholic on Martin Devlin’s Podcast and he made some interesting points around our depth .
He stated that we were short on fullbacks - only CNK and TT. You could also include DWZ and TMM - both played FB, 1st grade.
Short on wingers - only 3 players in that position -RTS, DWZ and AKP.
Short on centres - RB, AP and AL ( 2 of those are injury prone) .
All fair assumptions.
I still think we’re short on a big prop, Warriorholic thinks we’re covered with Demetric and Erin.
He also mentioned that if we had an attacking Fullback such as Ponga, we’d be a better side .
Interesting ….

Mellars is another Wing option.
It's easy to say we lack depth when you consider everyone a specialist, like it appears he does based on your overview of what he said.
You rightly point out that TMM & DWZ can cover Fullback. Tuaupiki played more NRL on the Wing in 2025, Webster has picked Pompey on the Wing before too & has picked CNK at Centre as well

 

[Noitall]

He also mentioned that if we had an attacking Fullback such as Ponga, we’d be a better side .
Interesting ….

I’d love to know who Sione Faumuina was dirty on for leaking the pictures to media when he set that event up and speculation started and Ponga was speaking to McFadden? Or CG depending on the angle?

 

[SouthernWorrier]

Reckon we’ll see if Leiataua is a lip dropper? When our development line starts kicking in, everyone will be watching over their shoulder

we should know wither way this year. I'm hoping not. Good depth means you keep pushing for that extra 1%... in fitness, strength, decision making under pressure. We haven't had that at centre. But it's coming through from the juniors if nothing else, and Ali and Berry are going to have to stay on the field. Berry, fit is 100% a first grader. Ali has shown magic glimpses but still has to earn those stripes.

The 'low grade bully, first grade bust' cycle isn't such a thing with the pathway we have now, but a strong NSW side is crucial as that's where these lads test themselves against grown men and fringe first graders. I have high hopes for Neal, but let's assess over 10 x NSW games before we get too excited.

The 'space' created by Penrith's raid will be useful for this but I suspect they'll miss Going's leadership on and off the field.

 

[Noitall]

we should know wither way this year. I'm hoping not. Good depth means you keep pushing for that extra 1%... in fitness, strength, decision making under pressure. We haven't had that at centre. But it's coming through from the juniors if nothing else, and Ali and Berry are going to have to stay on the field. Berry, fit is 100% a first grader. Ali has shown magic glimpses but still has to earn those stripes.

The 'low grade bully, first grade bust' cycle isn't such a thing with the pathway we have now, but a strong NSW side is crucial as that's where these lads test themselves against grown men and fringe first graders. I have high hopes for Neal, but let's assess over 10 x NSW games before we get too excited.

The 'space' created by Penrith's raid will be useful for this but I suspect they'll miss Going's leadership on and off the field.

I reckon Berry is an injury away from his Warriors career over, which would be devastating because he is nrl quality but the games he’s managed since debut is too few. Leiataua I thought was interesting how they shifted him from right centre to left before he made his way out of first grade. Pompey’s biggest asset is his ability to stay healthy, to which I hope I haven’t just cursed him. I believe he’s our best centre at setting his winger up with Berry following and both our best defensive centres

 

[Rick O’Shay]

I’d love to know who Sione Faumuina was dirty on for leaking the pictures to media when he set that event up and speculation started and Ponga was speaking to McFadden? Or CG depending on the angle?

Thought he seemed to imply it was Ponga's old man. Soon be last years news and I'm old and senile

 

[Tookey 2.0]

All conversations are worthy on a forum, don’t worry about it brother. I don’t put too much weight in the poster you’re talking abouts view when they decided Montoya was a shocking recruit before he got here and CHT wasn’t worth a puddle of piss under their old username. Playing Halasima there in an elimination final is reason enough for the conversation

Lol was a drunken salty text last night after a few too many South Island brews. Not Speights tho, that shits horrendous

 

[Noitall]

Thought he seemed to imply it was Ponga's old man. Soon be last years news and I'm old and senile

If that’s who it was I totally think there’s some fire that he wants out of the knights and in at the Warriors? Same old dilemma though, salary too high even if it was a possibility?

 

[sup42]

The best centres are lanky like Crichton, Inglis and Toopi, then there is a tier of more direct guys like Staggs, Timoko.
If you accept that then Leka is unlikely to be a top tier Centre unless he totally changes his shape. So probably more risk that you totally mess up his progression if you try change him.

I get what you are saying although Ruben Wiki was built and traded on being a forward like build.

Ruben looked like a back rower his whole career physically and I distinctly remember thinking he is in the wrong position when he came on the scene but I was wrong, he was fine, straight hard running player.

The thing that we need to remember is that Leka is a unique case.

There is no player like him, no backrower type guy with a step like his, the pace, the power, and a decent motor, and an emerging defensive player that is on par with the standard for a genuine forward.

Actually.....I have found a player....after months of not seeing one from zillions over billions of years of watching league....there was one guy like Leka in the 80's....Ellery Hanley (they are not exactly a perfect comparison but both subjects are just so unusual).

Hanley had way better ball skills and vision than Leka as a genuine back, but became a lethal running forward and ripped the Winfield cup to shreds his first season.

The point I am making, is that I guarantee you if they went that way, that Leka would be a killer center, he has the defence, the pace, the footwork, the fend, what they would need to school him on is the pass....or at least a passable offload. But hey, when you are that dangerous short passing will do.

One on one vs a fullback in the open, Halasima is going to win more often than not eh....we have seen that twice now...boom step...step gorne.

By the way I am not advocating for Leka to go to the Centers (same reason as you, the jeopardy with messing a guy up moving them around).

I just think he could piss on it with a two seasons exposure and some help at training from probably Mr Wiki.

Probably play Leka on Metcalfs side and get those two becoming training twins 24/7/365.

 

[Zarjaz]

If there was a vote on which 2nd rower to convert to a centre for 26, for me it would be EIT all the way.

 

[watcher]

If there was a vote on which 2nd rower to convert to a centre for 26, for me it would be EIT all the way.

Cant happen now but if those times are correct from Penrith it could have been Crosby.

 

[Wrighty]

If there was a vote on which 2nd rower to convert to a centre for 26, for me it would be EIT all the way.

I agree. There is a lot of buzz about how he went in the middle in first grade this year but I personally thought he didn't stand out either in a good or bad way yet instead he shone in pre-season at centre.

 

[SJ2k]

Squad is extremely meh on paper. We're absolutely a marquee player short, probably 2. Can't blame the recruitment, all their signings are sharp. Just no one wants to come here when they can stay in Aus, apart from when we're lucky. Webby's doing fantastic things with very average squads.

Real question is why are none of the kiwi backs (apart from the worst one by far CNK, no offense to him he's just cooked) play for us. A bunch of young stars playing for other teams. I'm sure the club is doing everything it can to mitigate it, but there is plenty of kiwi talent not playing for us.

 

[Ref]

Squad is extremely meh on paper. We're absolutely a marquee player short, probably 2. Can't blame the recruitment, all their signings are sharp. Just no one wants to come here when they can stay in Aus, apart from when we're lucky. Webby's doing fantastic things with very average squads.

Real question is why are none of the kiwi backs (apart from the worst one by far CNK, no offense to him he's just cooked) play for us. A bunch of young stars playing for other teams. I'm sure the club is doing everything it can to mitigate it, but there is plenty of kiwi talent not playing for us.

We’ve kept almost all of the forwards we wanted to.
We’ve lost numerous backs pre the Andrews Brothers.
But we seem to have kept most of the best of them thereafter.