Recruitment Warriors 2026/2027 Recruitment & Retention

Wrighty · 2026-01-15T17:25:31+1300

Naynay said:
Its cause he isnt flashy, but with Metcalf we kind of just need a toiler who puts numbers like that and doesn’t really overplay.

And who is good at defence and offers a kicking game. CHT does both. TMM as well to be fair although would probably not kick at all if he partnered Metcalf.

NZWarriors.com

Ever Hopeful · 2026-01-15T17:26:10+1300

Wrighty said:
That's not true according to my understanding and the article I have cut and pasted. It states the $2M is a two year contract ending in 2028. So it is for 2027 and 2028 and not 2026.
However I am not going to die in a ditch over this so if you want to believe your view I am ok with that.

So you think Metcalf is going to play happily this year on 500k, when he could have gained a compassionate release and been paid 1.1 million by the Dragons right now?

Incumbent clubs have huge advantages when retaining players due to the extra options they have with contract structure, which is how it should be. Clubs can front load a contract if a new deal is signed.

Thanks for your permission for me to believe my own view.

tajhay · 2026-01-15T17:37:18+1300

Canonball said:
what a weird way to report that - 'Jett stalled at Wah, cos incumbent half extended'

Because Yahoo is an aggregator of content. None of their 'editors' are journalists or have any idea. They just try to reword existing reporting into their own way so they can bypass copied content penalties imposed for SEO by Google etc. You will see 'reportedly', 'believed' etc a lot in those 'articles'. Add some sprinkles of clickbait potential to go with that.

Essentially its like reading zerotackle and claiming it to be something worthy of being shared.

NZWarriors.com

Wrighty · 2026-01-15T17:43:30+1300

Ever Hopeful said:
Thanks for your permission for me to believe my own view.

I didn't mean my comment snarkily and didn't mean for it to read that way. I just don't want to die in a ditch, I am fine with the whole forum believing your view and not mine. It is not a concern for me.

Inruin · 2026-01-15T18:05:40+1300

From memory I thought the package was worth around $2m.

Something like $850k - $900k for 2027 and 2028 and an upgrade for next year of $200k ish?

I can't see any articles to back that up though

tajhay · 2026-01-15T18:17:34+1300

Michael Carayannis reported the following:

https://archive.md/lj4CM

The Warriors offered the 26-year-old a two year deal worth a little less than a million dollars a season. It is almost double what he stands to earn next year in the final year of his contract.

NZWarriors.com

wizard of Tauranga · 2026-01-15T18:19:04+1300

Wrighty said:
CODE SPORTS NRL RICH LIST 2025 TOP 100 PLAYERS WHO ARE WARRIORS

Wayde Egan #95 $600K
Kurt Capewell #93 $600K
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck #83 $650K
Mitch Barnett #50 $750K
Marata Niukore #48 $775K
James Fisher Harris #19 $950K

Seems lower heavy. We either have a bulk in the mid range or have space for a 1-17 player!

Cces · 2026-01-15T19:56:37+1300

Noitall said:
It was interesting listening to that Warriorholic saying he thinks he plays to much sideways

Probably recency bias towards CHT after getting bundled out when attempting to score against someone (Panthers??) late in the season.
Got to love the Holic's passion but his takes are often inaccurate. His recent claim that Jett Cleary "had shown a real ability to perform under pressure" lacks any evidence. We lost the only playoff game he started, he got garbage time minutes in the others & he played in 3 drawn matches in which he missed field goals &/or penalties to win.
Appreciate his content all the same

Noitall · 2026-01-15T20:01:00+1300

Cces said:
Probably recency bias towards CHT after getting bundled out when attempting to score against someone (Panthers??) late in the season.
Got to love the Holic's passion but his takes are often inaccurate. His recent claim that Jett Cleary "had shown a real ability to perform under pressure" lacks any evidence. We lost the only playoff game he started, he got garbage time minutes in the others & he played in 3 drawn matches which he missed field goals or penalties to win.
Appreciate his content all the same

Luke Hanson is substantially in front of Cleary I reckon, but he’s a five eighth. CHT a great foil for an explosive halfback like Metcalf

NZWarriors.com

Warriorsfan92 · 2026-01-15T21:01:47+1300

Would you rather pay the player who was leading dally m prior to injury, in the most important position on the field $1million dollars, or release him & go back to drawing board, and not win anything for another 3 years minimum?

By releasing him, you don’t just suffer yourselves, you give another team a massive leg up. And there’s fuck all 7s on the market, they’re all locked up. That’s why the moment he was off contract, 3-4 clubs came knocking. If we’ve got the cap, spend it.

It’s not as if players are jumping at the chance to come to nz, especially young, freakish 7s with the world at their feet. Pay him what he wants, we need him.

sup42 · 2026-01-15T21:18:56+1300

The Cleary click bait gets on my tits, so much so I sometimes wonder whether having him here will prove more of a distraction than it is worth.

Certainly the Games media and fringe amateur commentators are already chasing this ridiculous un substantiated, unrealistic, unproven delusion that he is the next Nathan or Andrew Johns.

Being held back by Metcalf, Jesus wept, CLeary isn't even out of his NRL nappies yet, barely lost his Junior training wheels.

Well if nothing else it proves that getting the kid out of Sydney and Penrith before he succeeds or fails was a good idea.

I still think he is here to prep for playing for Ivan once he proves he can play.

UpTheWahs · 2026-01-15T21:27:38+1300

Theking267 said:
CHT contract must be one of the best in terms of value. If you look at Jayden Campbell making a million 9 TA to CHT 18, 7tries to CHT’s 8

Stats don't always tell the story mate. Jayden Campbell has been one of the more exciting players in an otherwise shit Titans team. If he was playing behind our pack he'd probably have way better stats too. He's got pace and X factor. Two things CHT doesn't possess. Which is why other clubs are ready to throw a million at JC and not CHT.

NZWarriors.com

Naynay · 2026-01-15T22:02:01+1300

UpTheWahs said:
Stats don't always tell the story mate. Jayden Campbell has been one of the more exciting players in an otherwise shit Titans team. If he was playing behind our pack he'd probably have way better stats too. He's got pace and X factor. Two things CHT doesn't possess. Which is why other clubs are ready to throw a million at JC and not CHT.

I mean titans are full of x factor and pace and it doesnt help them so i would say the fact people are looking at throwing 1 mill at Campbell is more inline to how desperate they are then his ability or possible future.

kos · 2026-01-15T23:17:51+1300

Wrighty said:
CODE SPORTS NRL RICH LIST 2025 TOP 100 PLAYERS WHO ARE WARRIORS

Wayde Egan #95 $600K
Kurt Capewell #93 $600K
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck #83 $650K
Mitch Barnett #50 $750K
Marata Niukore #48 $775K
James Fisher Harris #19 $950K

Aussie or Kiwi dollars?

Five&Last · 2026-01-15T23:20:09+1300

Noitall said:
Luke Hanson is substantially in front of Cleary I reckon, but he’s a five eighth. CHT a great foil for an explosive halfback like Metcalf

He's been drawing massive wraps this offseason too from what I've heard.

I dont know for sure, but almost sounds like he's a guarantee to be one of the starting NSW cup halves round 1

Which would mean either Linnane or Cleary will be playing Flegg. Or both once Boyd drops back down.

NZWarriors.com

kos · 2026-01-15T23:22:30+1300

sup42 said:
The Cleary click bait gets on my tits, so much so I sometimes wonder whether having him here will prove more of a distraction than it is worth.

Certainly the Games media and fringe amateur commentators are already chasing this ridiculous un substantiated, unrealistic, unproven delusion that he is the next Nathan or Andrew Johns.

Being held back by Metcalf, Jesus wept, CLeary isn't even out of his NRL nappies yet, barely lost his Junior training wheels.

Well if nothing else it proves that getting the kid out of Sydney and Penrith before he succeeds or fails was a good idea.

I still think he is here to prep for playing for Ivan once he proves he can play.

While the commentary on Jett is a wankfest and ott
I thought in 25
He improved as the year went on
Showed some really good touches
And has undoubted potential
We ll see how much potential this year and next
He s certainly not ready for first grade
At this stage
By the end of 26 if he keeps on improving
Well we will find out

Wrighty · 2026-01-16T06:33:53+1300

kos said:
Aussie or Kiwi dollars?

They will be aussie dollars as the NZ players are ranked against players based in Australia.

Blain · 2026-01-16T08:10:04+1300

Five&Last said:
He's been drawing massive wraps this offseason too from what I've heard.

I dont know for sure, but almost sounds like he's a guarantee to be one of the starting NSW cup halves round 1

Which would mean either Linnane or Cleary will be playing Flegg. Or both once Boyd drops back down.

Awesome. I sort of expect Boyd to be gone by mid season TBH, but the only way that would happen is if these young boys put their hands up.

Feels rough to say that about Boyd, but it's coming from a positive thought process.. I can see a team offering him a multi year deal with an early release. Seems to good to be in NSW cup, I'm picking the Cows to come back knocking once Metcalf establishes himself.

NZWarriors.com

Fizurg · 2026-01-16T08:36:31+1300

Ever Hopeful said:
So you think Metcalf is going to play happily this year on 500k, when he could have gained a compassionate release and been paid 1.1 million by the Dragons right now?

Incumbent clubs have huge advantages when retaining players due to the extra options they have with contract structure, which is how it should be. Clubs can front load a contract if a new deal is signed.

Thanks for your permission for me to believe my own view.

It doesn't work like that. You cant leave one contract to get paid more at a new one. Same thing happened with Walsh. Hes also got a busted ACL too so that's likely to drop his 2026 value to other teams
Personally i would have thought it would be nuts for both Metcalf and the Warriors to not renegotiate his 2026 contract as part of his contract extension. Its a way for the team to preload the salary cap and he gets his money earlier. Its a win win
As far as the actual contract values no one ever really knows. You can try to use the published figures but they are often educated guesses or figures released by agents that may or may not be true to try and create a narrative. Often these questionable figures are repeated until they feel like facts. Its fun to use them to debate players values and team decisions but no real weight can every be put on them.

Player	2026	2027	2028	2029
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

Recruitment Warriors 2026/2027 Recruitment & Retention

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