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	Tohu Harris	✔
13	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
14	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
15	Edward Kosi	✔
16	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
17	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
18	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
19	Zyon Maiu’u	✔	✔
20	Te Maire Martin	✔
21	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
22	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
23	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
24	Adam Pompey	✔
25	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
26	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
27	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
28	Dylan Walker	✔
29	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
T1	Daeon Amituanai	T
T2	Jaydee Auloa	T
T3	Kahu Capper	T	T
T4	Jett Cleary	T	S	S
T5	Augustino Filipo	T
T6	Etuane Fukofuka	T
T7	Moala Graham-Taufa	T
T8	Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	?
T9	Brandon Norris	T
T10	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?
T10	Jason Salalilo	T
T11	Makaia Taufa	T
T12	Rodney Vea	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: 29/30
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, Tohu Harris, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Adam Pompey, Dylan Walker

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[Five&Last]

Can’t blame us we had CHT coming through lol

It was after that.

They chose Paul Turner over Dylan Brown.

Its pretty widely known. They were in the same age grade sides all the way down to Hikurangi Stags and Northern Swords.

We hear all the stories of NZ players still salty over not getting picked by the Warriors as juniors. This is the only one I kind of understand.

 

[Dannevegas]

It was after that.

They chose Paul Turner over Dylan Brown.

Its pretty widely known. They were in the same age grade sides all the way down to Hikurangi Stags and Northern Swords.

We hear all the stories of NZ players still salty over not getting picked by the Warriors as juniors. This is the only one I kind of understand.

Bruh

 

[Tookey 2.0]

My Barber is Dylan Browns cousin.
I was saying to him he should come home to the warriors and he was telling me the warriors approached him last time he was off contact and Dylan turned them down because when he was younger living in NZ the warriors didn't want a bar of him so that's why he went over to the eels for a opportunity.
Apparently he hasn't forgotten that the warriors didn't want him when he was younger so not interested in coming to the warriors.

I mean, the bro would have been 22, just played in a grand final for Parra and ended up resigning in December for over a mill a year. I don't blame him for telling any club - no less the club who turned him down as a young fulla - to bugger off.

He's a little older now, has played for his country and has also had a few lean years at Paramatta, and if they have another shit year the noise will start to get louder at the Eels. Things can change very quickly in the game of rugby league.

I think we'll probably sign him towards the end of his 20's - somewhere around 27/28 where we'll give him a 4 year contract at a mill a year

 

[tajhay]

I mean, the bro would have been 22, just played in a grand final for Parra and ended up resigning in December for over a mill a year. I don't blame him for telling any club - no less the club who turned him down as a young fulla - to bugger off.

He's a little older now, has played for his country and has also had a few lean years at Paramatta, and if they have another shit year the noise will start to get louder at the Eels. Things can change very quickly in the game of rugby league.

I think we'll probably sign him towards the end of his 20's - somewhere around 27/28 where we'll give him a 4 year contract at a mill a year

He moved to Aus when he was 15. He went to high school in Sydney. His family moved over to Australia whilst he was a teen. Whilst he would have an affinity with NZ, i would think he now considers Aus "home". Similar to Jahrome hughes who moved to Aus at 18. Hes stated a couple of times that home is "Qld" which is where he attended high school. I dont think either of these would move to nz for "home" reasons. If they are older and want their kids to experience the nz upbringinging and closer to their culture, that would be a different story.

Dylan Brown personally doesnt strike me as a person that woukd be missing NZ. If he did ever sign for tge Warriors, it woukd be a Kodi Nikorima type signing who is only coming back for money. But that he can already get well above his output level with the contract he signed.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Jahrome Hughes’ manager is quoted saying the he almost came here. As it was “Time to go home”.

He further explains had it not been for COVID and if the Warriors had of shown him “more love” he’d be a Warrior.

Ok, he didn’t come in the end…..
But with better management and a stronger squad (which we have comparatively) who knows…..

Google “Jahrome Hughes NZ Warriors”.
It’s all there.
If it’s actually true or not. That’s a separate issue. They are supposedly direct quotes from his manager though.

 

[tajhay]

Jahrome Hughes’ manager is quoted saying the he almost came here. As it was “Time to go home”.

He further explains had it not been for COVID and if the Warriors had of shown him “more love” he’d be a Warrior.

Ok, he didn’t come in the end…..
But with better management and a stronger squad (which we have comparatively) who knows…..

Google “Jahrome Hughes NZ Warriors”.
It’s all there.
If it’s actually true or not. That’s a separate issue. They are supposedly direct quotes from his manager though.

He was talking about queensland when he was talking about "home". Jahrome himself clarified this since.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

He was talking about queensland when he was talking about "home". Jahrome himself clarified this since.

Aw ok, fair enough. Makes sense.
Brandon Smith on a recent podcast with James Graham referred to Hughes as a “Goldy Boy”. And it’s fairly well known his family is in Queensland.

Did he deny his supposed interest in coming here? Genuinely asking.

 

[tajhay]

Aw ok, fair enough. Makes sense.
Brandon Smith on a recent podcast with James Graham referred to Hughes as a “Goldy Boy”. And it’s fairly well known his family is in Queensland.

Did he deny his supposed interest in coming here? Genuinely asking.

He said he did not know where the rumours started that he wanted to return "home" to qld as he considers melbourne his "home" now. Nz wasnt even mentioned.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

He said he did not know where the rumours started that he wanted to return "home" to qld as he considers melbourne his "home" now. Nz wasnt even mentioned.

Interesting. So he neither confirmed nor denied his interest, so there’s still hope lol.

The “rumour” started from his manager lol. However, the way his manager is quoted (if it even is him) it’s pretty hard to not differentiate the difference between NZ and Queensland. Especially when he says the Warriors and Jahrome talked via Zoom. Strange…..

In fairness, him considering Queensland and/or Melbourne “home”. And him “almost signing” with the Warriors are two separate things really.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Noitall]

Interesting. So he neither confirmed nor denied his interest, so there’s still hope lol.

The “rumour” started from his manager lol. However, the way his manager is quoted (if it even is him) it’s pretty hard to not differentiate the difference between NZ and Queensland. Especially when he says the Warriors and Jahrome talked via Zoom. Strange…..

In fairness, him considering Queensland and/or Melbourne “home”. And him “almost signing” with the Warriors are two separate things really.

Thanks anyway.

Really nice footage on his instagram page of an emotional catch up with his old man a few years back in Wellington. Looks at least like he’s got close family here or whether his Dad is still here, I’m not sure? Queensland might be home, but a million a season for a few years might see him willing to take a detour first?