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	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
13	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
14	Edward Kosi	✔
15	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
16	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
17	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
18	Zyon Maiu’u	✔	✔
19	Te Maire Martin	✔
20	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
23	Adam Pompey	✔
24	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
25	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
26	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
27	Dylan Walker	✔
28	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔	✔
S1	Kayliss Faitialofa	S
S2	Kalani Going	S
S3	Luke Hanson	S
S4	Sio Kali	S
S5	Patrick Moimoi	S
S6	Tanner Stowers-Smith	S
-	Kahu Capper	T	T
-	Jett Cleary	T	S	S
-	Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	?
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract (Formerly, Development), T = Train & Trial contract, ? = Wtf is up with Motu Pasikala

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 28/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6
Unconfirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Unconfirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 22/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Adam Pompey, Dylan Walker

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[WA Warrior]

Genuine question, have we got the weakest backline in the comp?

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Genuine question, have we got the weakest backline in the comp?

We are likely in competition with the Dragons for that honour.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Genuine question, have we got the weakest backline in the comp?

Is it weaker than our 2nd row?

 

[The Warrior Waka]

cock_o Forgot he has left us

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Is it weaker than our 2nd row?

I tihnk Halasima, Laban , Sifakula, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava have enormous potential?

 

[WA Warrior]

Is it weaker than our 2nd row?

Yeah I believe so but I get your sentiment.
Capewell came good near the end of the year. Halasima hopefully can kick on but yeah, all potential at the minute.
Our backline is bleak, I hope CNK can get 2023s form back and Metcalf can step up. RTS, hoping he can make a comeback but it’s basically fingers crossed hoping for the best with the backline.

 

[MurrayTD]

Genuine question, have we got the weakest backline in the comp?

Most likely.
Big if, but if Ali Leiataua and Metcalf form an outstanding partnership and deliver on promise, maybe not…..massive if, but potential is there thankfully.

 

[Noitall]

Genuine question, have we got the weakest backline in the comp?

Really think it’s so hard to know with so many variables. We were the 4th best team in the comp last year with many of the same players and were running some great shapes but fell away this season. Think it’s easy to forget too that with better kicking we scrape into the top 8 this season, though wouldn’t be confident we go any further if we did. You mentioned To’o’s value to panthers earlier and I think RTS could offer similar. Not saying RTS is as stronger winger than To’o but 190+ average metres to 180+ respectively is close, though RTS’s is across centre, wing and fullback. We’ve got changes in the halves too but with the sample of our best period this season to go by, there’s a hope it could work out?

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Looking at some of the other clubs predicted line ups for next year really makes u wonder where all our moneys being spent? Some of these sides are stacked af.

Well, when we're paying around 1.4 mil for RTS (600k) and Dallin (800k) for 2025, and as far as I'm aware we haven't spent SJs 600k for nek year so there's a sweet sweet 2 mill right there.

That really hurt to type

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Really think it’s so hard to know with so many variables. We were the 4th best team in the comp last year with many of the same players and were running some great shapes but fell away this season. Think it’s easy to forget too that with better kicking we scrape into the top 8 this season, though wouldn’t be confident we go any further if we did. You mentioned To’o’s value to panthers earlier and I think RTS could offer similar. Not saying RTS is as stronger winger than To’o but 190+ average metres to 180+ respectively is close, though RTS’s is across centre, wing and fullback. We’ve got changes in the halves too but with the sample of our best period this season to go by, there’s a hope it could work out?

I re-watched the game against the Rabbitohs where RTS played right wing. He had a really good game and looked way more comfortable there than Centre. If he has to play hopefully it is at wing because Centre wasn't a good position for him this year.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Yeah mate, looking at the majority of the teams who made the 8 this year, most teams had 4 genuine props in their 17.
Bulldogs and Knights didn't, and we're bundled out in the first week.
Ironically Penrith didn't, and won the whole thing. But that's what happens when you have arguably one of the best players to have ever play leading you around.

With Mitch, Fish, Sifakula and Clark, imo were about a half a body short. Maybe Tohu takes some of that heat off, but yeah we just seem a tad on the smaller side.

Our forwards have been our biggest strength for the last 2 years, making meters for fun. Just wondering what that's gunna look like moving forward

According to the “league live” app.

Penrith GF bench;
14. Schneider: 184 cm and 88kg
15. Smith: 194cm and 106kg
16. Henry: 190cm and 105kg
17. Garner: 190cm and 94kg

Not huge but not small. They also used a lot Eisenhuth: 197cm and 111kg. Had Sorensen not played he would’ve.

Compare that with Warriors (potential) bench.
14. Walker: 181cm and 98kg
15. Clark: 180cm and 98kg
16. Niukore: 188cm and 106kg
17. Lussick: 180cm and 84kg.

That’s pathetic……
But at least we’ll have “line speed”, “foot speed”, whatever other speed.
IMO, we need to risk the no Hooker cover.

Tohu coming right, IMO. Is the make or break for getting into the 8 this year. Without him taking up the extra workload that AFB leaves, this may as well be exclusively a development year. (I’m 50/50 he does come right, fingers crossed)
Especially with our young stars being so young lol.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Hasn't the DWZ $800k figure been debunked?

 

[Noitall]

According to the “league live” app.

Penrith GF bench;
14. Schneider: 184 cm and 88kg
15. Smith: 194cm and 106kg
16. Henry: 190cm and 105kg
17. Garner: 190cm and 94kg

Not huge but not small. They also used a lot Eisenhuth: 197cm and 111kg. Had Sorensen not played he would’ve.

Compare that with Warriors (potential) bench.
14. Walker: 181cm and 98kg
15. Clark: 180cm and 98kg
16. Niukore: 188cm and 106kg
17. Lussick: 180cm and 84kg.

That’s pathetic……
But at least we’ll have “line speed”, “foot speed”, whatever other speed.
IMO, we need to risk the no Hooker cover.

Tohu coming right, IMO. Is the make or break for getting into the 8 this year. Without him taking up the extra workload that AFB leaves, this may as well be exclusively a development year. (I’m 50/50 he does come right, fingers crossed)
Especially with our young stars being so young lol.

Panthers certainly like height. 3 of the 4 6 foot 2 or taller

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

According to the “league live” app.

Penrith GF bench;
14. Schneider: 184 cm and 88kg
15. Smith: 194cm and 106kg
16. Henry: 190cm and 105kg
17. Garner: 190cm and 94kg

Not huge but not small. They also used a lot Eisenhuth: 197cm and 111kg. Had Sorensen not played he would’ve.

Compare that with Warriors (potential) bench.
14. Walker: 181cm and 98kg
15. Clark: 180cm and 98kg
16. Niukore: 188cm and 106kg
17. Lussick: 180cm and 84kg.

That’s pathetic……
But at least we’ll have “line speed”, “foot speed”, whatever other speed.
IMO, we need to risk the no Hooker cover.

Tohu coming right, IMO. Is the make or break for getting into the 8 this year. Without him taking up the extra workload that AFB leaves, this may as well be exclusively a development year. (I’m 50/50 he does come right, fingers crossed)
Especially with our young stars being so young lol.

I am hoping that some of our young forwards are putting their hands up in the preseason. That is if Webster is actually looking at them. If you swapped out Clark or Lussick with Laban who is over 190 and 110kgs or Demitric who would be pushing 110kgs then the bench size becomes much better.

 

[Noitall]

I am hoping that some of our young forwards are putting their hands up in the preseason. That is if Webster is actually looking at them. If you swapped out Clark or Lussick with Laban who is over 190 and 110kgs or Demitric who would be pushing 110kgs then the bench size becomes much better.

I can’t recall what he said but under a picture of Vaimauga on the instagram page of him passing the ball showing the muscle he’s adding, Dylan Walker made a comment that gave he the impression he’s killing it

 

[WA Warrior]

I can’t recall what he said but under a picture of Vaimauga on the instagram page of him passing the ball showing the muscle he’s adding, Dylan Walker made a comment that gave he the impression he’s killing it

I have to get used to that name, I’m always like who?

 

[Noitall]

I have to get used to that name, I’m always like who?

Yeah true. Demitric is probably the name we all know straight away who it is

 

[Inruin]

I have to get used to that name, I’m always like who?

The new Prince of Penrose? The player formally known as.....

 

[Noitall]

The new Prince of Penrose? The player formally known as.....

Think this guy is going to be a star. From what I understand he’s got a bad temper, or did at school at least apparently? As long as he can keep that in check I reckon the skies the limit

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

I am hoping that some of our young forwards are putting their hands up in the preseason. That is if Webster is actually looking at them. If you swapped out Clark or Lussick with Laban who is over 190 and 110kgs or Demitric who would be pushing 110kgs then the bench size becomes much better.

I want Laban and Halasima to share that starting right edge backrower spot over the next couple of years. (Although I believe Halasima is actually a left edge backrower)
Move Niukore in the middle then move him on.
What to do with Jackson Ford is the interesting question. He’s one of Webby’s favourites from what I can tell.