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	The Greatest of All-Time	✔	✔
5	Kurt Capewell	✔	✔
6	Erin Clark	✔	✔	✔
7	Wayde Egan	✔	✔	✔
8	James Fisher-Harris	✔	✔	✔	✔
9	Jackson Ford	✔
10	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔
11	Tohu Harris	✔
12	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	M
13	Edward Kosi	✔
14	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
15	Ali Leiataua	✔
16	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
17	Zyon Maiu’u	✔	✔
18	Te Maire Martin	✔
19	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
20	Marcelo Montoya	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
23	Motu Pasikala	✔	✔	✔
24	Adam Pompey	✔
25	Demitric Sifakula	✔	C
26	Taine Tuaupiki	✔
27	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
28	Dylan Walker	✔
29	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔
D1	Kalani Going	D
D2	Tanner Stowers-Smith	D
T1	Jett Cleary	T	D	D

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, D = Development contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Confirmed Development 2025: 2/6
Unconfirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Unconfirmed Development 2025: 3/6 (Luke Hanson, per Zero Tackle)

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 13/30
Confirmed Development 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Jackson Ford, Tohu Harris, Ed Kosi, Ali Leiataua, Te Maire Martin, Marcelo Montoya, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Adam Pompey, Taine Tuaupiki, Dylan Walker, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Kalani Going (D), Tanner Stowers-Smith (D), Chanel Harris-Tavita (M), Demitric Sifakula (C)

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[Noitall]

Dreams are free I guess.

I'd keep Tohu away from an edge personally, only a middle these days.

I could think of worse to fill a gap if in game injuries occurred at second row. Doesn’t mean I’d start him there with other options. I personally think a fit and firing Tohu has a lot to offer, especially with drop of salary

 

[Playdaball]

Fus has been released by Leeds and looking for a new club ... I'd rather go for a younger speedster.

 

[juju]

Fus has been released by Leeds and looking for a new club ... I'd rather go for a younger speedster.

It's really not worked out for him or Ken eh?

 

[Teets]

Still a fan of old mate Siliva Havilli

Is he the last of the NYC era Warriors still running around in the NRL?

It's really not worked out for him or Ken eh?

A rare case of astute cap management from the club? Got the prime years for outside backs 21-26 out of them then let them walk.

Should be the formula for wingers, local juniors on cheap hometown deals, release when they get older/too expensive, repeat.

 

[snake77]

It is good to have the Clark signing confirmed.

Webster mentioned we had a few signings confirmed but not announced. It might be a case of waiting for their current team's season to finish before they are announced. I know that doesn't really matter too much but some guys may want to concentrate on their season and leave the questions on their future until their season has finished.

We may not hear much about their plans for Clark until the pre-season. The interviews will probably dry up a bit until the coaching staff return to work for the pre-season.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

If he plays in that role all season and performs similarly to that, we would all be stoked.
500k is peanuts in todays cap, around 4.5% of it.

Of course. I just think the likelihood of that happening is low. All for the grand return of 1 year. I think investing in youth for a tilt at the prem in 2026 is a wiser option than thinking we'll get a shot next year. But I certainly dont dislike the bloke or think that he cant play when he was at his best.

 

[Spence]

Is he the last of the NYC era Warriors still running around in the NRL?

From the final 2017 team: CHT, Kayal Iro, Isiah Papalii and Preston Riki played NRL this year.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

For balance I think Marata is a waste of $$ as well

I agree but we got to find a way to use him best and that's middle cart it up.

I like the Clark signing if we are losing Harris or Walker, but if we have three, then we will be carrying a small bench again which is wrong for me.

If it's between Ale and Sifakula then I go sifakulas way because of his presence on the field.

 

[Aman 2.0]

From the final 2017 team: CHT, Kayal Iro, Isiah Papalii and Preston Riki played NRL this year.

Damn, and we kept the worst one!

 

[tajhay]

Damn, and we kept the worst one!

Pretty sure Preston Riki plays for the Panthers.

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

Pretty sure Preston Riki plays for the Panthers.

Definitely does, he played against us in the NSW Cup finals.

 

[CWC]

I’d have him as a bench prop/second row/lock option for his final season and recruit Leo Thompson to replace him in 2026. Thompson would probably be there starting prop then, and Barnett drops to bench

Great timing to get Thompson bros for 2026 if it works out, Leo to be the spearhead entering his prime, Barney and JFH starting to come down from their alpha peak so can be amazing supporting players, Sifakula/Zyon Maiu’u etc got 2025 another year of development to become regular FGers in 2026

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

For balance I think Marata is a waste of $$ as well

Whether or not you're serious, I'm starting to think this.

Bit of a fairweather player, I'd guess. Huge impact last year, cruised this year.

 

[france]

I just struggle to see teams fearing a bench with Lussick on it, but yes needing two hookers is a problem without a utility who can slot in.

just get Clark to cover hooker

 

[Kav1]

Erin is the same weight at Jazz 98Kgs and only 1 inch taller. But looks an order of magnitude bigger than Jazz to the eye. I think some of Jazz's 98kgs was ineffective.

No I am not saying recruitment is influenced by the owner. I think we go for shiny toys in the backs is what I am saying.

This might have been already advised but I would like know if Jazz has picked up a new club.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

I like the Clark signing. It’s not amazing, just good.

I along with many others have been critical of Andrew Websters’ use of the bench. Erin is a good signing in the sense that he’ll get more than 15-20 minutes. Or at least you’d think so. I wouldn’t be surprised if they announced Walker leaving in the coming weeks.

I still have faith in Tohu Harris, he’ll have a long off season so that should be able to get him through next year.

The players I’m worried about are JFH and Mitch Barnett, especially Barnett. Andrew Webster runs his starting middles ragged.

I’ve mentioned loads of times that JFH is not like AFB. His minutes are heavily fluctuated at Penrith. I don’t think he can pump out 60+ minutes a game every week. And play for the kiwis and play finals, season after season as a prop. It’s just too much.

Tapine was my dream signing to replace AFB. I’d still rather have signed Tapine over JFH. To be clear I am very happy with JFH.

Which brings me to Mitch Barnett. He was clearly slowing down in those last couple of games. By rights he should win Dally M prop of the year. I fear that’s going to force his selection into the Kangaroo squad. (And rightly so). I predict he burns out around the 2/3 mark of the season. It’s just too much.

Tohu provides a bit of front row relief, he still pumps out a good workload. I’d still start him at 13, at least at the start of the season. But there’s no way he’s an 80 minute player anymore. Around 50ish. Hopefully that gives up a lot more minutes for Sifakula and Halasima.

IMO, the only other alternative is to give Halasima and Laban a shared starting position on that right edge, and move Niukore as a bench prop. That way the lads hopefully won’t burn out.

 

[Brightman]

The players I’m worried about are JFH and Mitch Barnett, especially Barnett. Andrew Webster runs his starting middles ragged.

I reckon Barnett should play in the 2nd row with Capewell and Laban on the bench. JFH and Niukore to start games with Tohu and Sifakula coming off the bench..

 

[CWC]

Sifakula/Ale needs more minutes off the bench, and Clark propping if Walker is taking over Tohu after 30min

JFH 25min start and finish last 25min
Clark starts at hooker, moves to prop for JFH for the next 30min (plays 55min altogether), Egan comes on at 25min mark
Barney 30min start, finish last 20min.
Sifakula for Barney 10min before HT, 20min after HT

So JFH 50min, Barney 50min, Egan 50min, Clark 55min (25 at hooker), Tohu 30min, Walker 50min, Sifakula 30min, Marata/Halasima 50/30 split.

 

[Warriorshopeful]

I like the Clark signing but not sure if it'll move the needle much, seems like he might just be a small improvement on Jazz. He looks threatening at the line and with his carries though, couple of games this year where he scored with 3-4 defenders on him.

 

[CWC]

I like the Clark signing but not sure if it'll move the needle much, seems like he might just be a small improvement on Jazz. He looks threatening at the line and with his carries though, couple of games this year where he scored with 3-4 defenders on him.

That's a huge improvement from Jazz if he can carry 3-4 defenders over the line without dropping the ball