Recruitment Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention Discussion​

-	Player	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029
1	Bunty Afoa	✔
2	Tom Ale	✔
3	Mitchell Barnett	✔	✔	✔
4	Rocco Berry	✔	✔
5	Tanah Boyd	✔	✔
6	Kurt Capewell	✔	✔
7	Erin Clark	✔	✔	✔
8	Wayde Egan	✔	✔	✔
9	James Fisher-Harris	✔	✔	✔	✔
10	Jackson Ford	✔	✔	✔
11	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔
12	Morgan Harper	✔
13	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
14	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
15	Edward Kosi	✔
16	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
17	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
18	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
19	Te Maire Martin	✔
20	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
23	Adam Pompey	✔	✔	✔
24	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔
25	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
26	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
27	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
28	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔	✔
S1	Kayliss Fatialofa	S
S2	Kalani Going	S
S3	Luke Hanson	S
S4	Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	S	✔	✔
S5	Sio Kali	S
S6	Patrick Moimoi	S
-	Kahu Capper	T	T
-	Jett Cleary	T	S	S
-	Morgan Gannon	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Jye Linnane	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 28/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 25/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Jye Linnane (Newcastle Knights), Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos)
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Tanner Stowers-Smith
Off Contract from 01/11/25: Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Jacob Laban, Freddy Lussick, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[Lance155]

Bunty has been great, very under rated defensively.
He is almost essential against big packs as he can slow momentum.
Great value for money signing too.

I don't understand the plan with Bunty? Does he ever play more than 20 minutes in first grade or cup? It can't be good for his fitness, also if that is all he is truly capable of (at a high level) then he isn't worth it for me.

 

[Cces]

I don't understand the plan with Bunty? Does he ever play more than 20 minutes in first grade or cup?

He averaged 48 mins in Cup before his recall once Walker gapped it.
Webster has only played him for more than 40 mins of 4 occassions out of the 34 games he's coached him.
Minimum contract going forward, which I can understand if he'd decline

 

[Warriorshopeful]

We should offer Lussick to Dolphins they look like they need a dummy half.

 

[Damo]

We should offer Lussick to Dolphins they look like they need a dummy half.

Trade for Isaako, sounds fair to me.

 

[Inruin]

He averaged 48 mins in Cup before his recall once Walker gapped it.
Webster has only played him for more than 40 mins of 4 occassions out of the 34 games he's coached him.
Minimum contract going forward, which I can understand if he'd decline

Afoa is a very good depth player that doesn't cost a lot. I think he is a no frills, solid player we need that balances the cap, experience and depth. Virtually zero risk re-signing him

 

[kos]

Afoa is a very good depth player that doesn't cost a lot. I think he is a no frills, solid player we need that balances the cap, experience and depth. Virtually zero risk re-signing him

I have watched closely over his last few first grade games where coach AW has players him for 13/20 minutes approximately over 2/3 stints.
His defence is very very good.
He is not flashy and will never pull a surprise in attack really just plays as you would expect from a big guy. He can pass the ball but I dont think coach AW allows this.
I though props started coming into top form later in their career . He is 28.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I'd actually keep Afoa. He's great in small stints off the bench, both defensively and offensively. I think Bunty wants to stay anyway and his outside options are limited: there aren't many nrl clubs that would give him a starting spot in my view.

 

[Lance155]

I'd actually keep Afoa. He's great in small stints off the bench, both defensively and offensively. I think Bunty wants to stay anyway and his outside options are limited: there aren't many nrl clubs that would give him a starting spot in my view.

Yea I don't mind him as a player. But my issue is with HIA impacting games frequently it feels like is only half a bench spot in terms of minutes he covers.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

We should offer Lussick to Dolphins they look like they need a dummy half.

Or the Cowboys!

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

I'd actually keep Afoa. He's great in small stints off the bench, both defensively and offensively. I think Bunty wants to stay anyway and his outside options are limited: there aren't many nrl clubs that would give him a starting spot in my view.

We could get more impact from Ale in that spot though and Ale can cover backrow also.

 

[kos]

Yea I don't mind him as a player. But my issue is with HIA impacting games frequently it feels like is only half a bench spot in terms of minutes he covers.

Yeah but that is the coach limiting his minutes
As cces pointed out Bunty averages 48 mins in 💙 Mighty NSW cup
Maybe Bunty served up burnt sausages to AW at the bbq

 

[kos]

We could get more impact from Ale in that spot though and Ale can cover backrow also.

I like Ale as well
But Buntys defence is just top class
Ale I m not sure his defence is as good

 

[Boston Boy]

I like Ale as well
But Buntys defence is just top class
Ale I m not sure his defence is as good

I think that's a good comparison. Bunty's d is very good while Ale has better feet at the line. We have a smaller pack so against the big packs we need Bunty's D. That's why he's on the bench for mine. He changes the middle and slows it down and absorbs the big men of the other teams.

 

[Riz]

Be interesting who gets resigned out of
Bunty Afoa
Tom Ale
Tanner Stowers-Smith

All of them please.

 

[CWC]

We should offer Lussick to Dolphins they look like they need a dummy half.

We should get The Hammer in return, we need a speedster outside back

 

[CWC]

This is turning into a Bunty appreciation thread, but he’s also damaging with his kamakazi runs to hurt the opposition pack, which seems to be one of our objectives this year with Fish as the co-leader

 

[Playdaball]

We should get The Hammer in return, we need a speedster outside back

I think we’d get a can of baked beans in return

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

We should get The Hammer in return, we need a speedster outside back

send his partner over as well for our nrlw team. For inspiration purposes only .

 

[cock_o]

Has AFB gone backwards after we didn't retain him?

 

[Five&Last]

Afoa is a very good depth player that doesn't cost a lot. I think he is a no frills, solid player we need that balances the cap, experience and depth. Virtually zero risk re-signing him

Over who?

His cost isn't the issue. It's that we have limited spots.