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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[Damo]

Did you watch much of Brown in 2024? He was generally pretty poor. Moses was out for an extended period of time, and ex Warrior minimum wager Asi was more prominent than the star number 6 in most games. The issue with Brown is he often doesn't step up when it counts, has a poor kicking game (when he does kick, which isn't that often), can go missing, all the while baiting the Eels most years with out clauses on a massive contract that only desperate clubs will entertain taking. That's why Eels fans aren't fond of the guy.

He has upside, a good running 6 with X factor. But he isn't a halfback, he's the icing on the cake. Him paired next to say TMM or Tanah Boyd would not be worth the money. Next to Mitchell Moses, Adam Reynolds or Cleary? That works. I sort of see Metcalf in the same style as Brown, if he can stay on the park.

Agree with this totally. Brown is not the guy we need when we have a plethora of five-eighths at the club already. We would be banking on him turning into the game manager type down the line, but I can't see it in the near future, especially as he doesn't need to be next to Mitch Moses.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Cleary, Hughes, Reynolds and Moses have been the only 7’s in the grand final for the last 5 years.

An elite 7 is everything! Target Hughes with $1.2m for 3 seasons.

Brown is great… if we want to target 7th spot. Hughes is necessary if we want to target top 4.

 

[Noitall]

Agree with this totally. Brown is not the guy we need when we have a plethora of five-eighths at the club already. We would be banking on him turning into the game manager type down the line, but I can't see it in the near future, especially as he doesn't need to be next to Mitch Moses.

We could play with two five eighths who’s first instinct is to run, but don’t have the strong long kicking game compared to other game managers and play with an organising fullback. It’s something I’ve noticed a lot of Tuaupiki doing in nsw cup, even kicking from back there at times for position. We would have the forwards and bigger outside backs to generate metres

 

[Noitall]

Cleary, Hughes, Reynolds and Moses have been the only 7’s in the grand final for the last 5 years.

An elite 7 is everything! Target Hughes with $1.2m for 3 seasons.

Brown is great… if we want to target 7th spot. Hughes is necessary if we want to target top 4.

And only one of them has won it over the others. He’s a generational talent because he’s a five eighth and halfback rolled into one. When the panthers got over the broncos in the final and Luai went off injured, it was Cleary switching to five eighth that won it for them, Jack Cogger came on as the other halve and he can’t even make the knights team since heading there. The panthers are a well oiled machine admittedly but even we got over them under strength with them only missing Cleary. He’s the difference for them when it matters

 

[MrFrankWhite]

What do you reckon we offer him? If at all

Release

 

[SouthernWorrier]

Release

Harsh.
Like him or not, Niukore has the physicality that stacks up against every opposition. He can damage and intimidate like few others in our team. After a great 23 we were short of props and tried to make him one. The extra beef slowed him down. We've paid a premium for a strong edge forward... maybe use him there and stop trying to convert our edge forwards to middles. Work up a strong combo with Niukore and Metcalf/Boyd instead.
I get that we need some flexibility in the squad, but I hope for less players out of position this year. Specifically MN & RTS. I'd be working up a strong combo with Niukore and Metcalf/Boyd instead to help lift our piss poor record in the attacking 20...

 

[Warriorsfan92]

What do you reckon we offer him? If at all

Release or under 400k. I can’t see him being under huge demand. He signed on a huge contract, massive 4 year deal and hasn’t given back to us with regular suspensions, injuries & not being in condition. We dont owe him anything

 

[Inruin]

Release

Happy ending?

 

[peewee]

Release

Who we talking about

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

We could play with two five eighths who’s first instinct is to run, but don’t have the strong long kicking game compared to other game managers and play with an organising fullback. It’s something I’ve noticed a lot of Tuaupiki doing in nsw cup, even kicking from back there at times for position. We would have the forwards and bigger outside backs to generate metres

Have to be 2 onto it players for that to work.

The controlling half needs to know what to do on tackles 1-5; what to do in different field positions; what to do at different times in the game; how to pick apart the defensive systems inside the 20m.

Not impossible to do with 2 playmakers but easier with one dominant half with a huge footy IQ.

 

[Noitall]

Have to be 2 onto it players for that to work.

The controlling half needs to know what to do on tackles 1-5; what to do in different field positions; what to do at different times in the game; how to pick apart the defensive systems inside the 20m.

Not impossible to do with 2 playmakers but easier with one dominant half with a huge footy IQ.

But then on the flip side, SJ as the dominant halve didn’t really work because the five eighth was pretty much non existent with everything going through him, so there needs a balance and to be fair there was a time in SJ’s career where everyone said he’s never going to be a controlling halve but he made the adjustments, mostly due to injury and the loss of a major weapon in his speed. I agree if Hughes is on the table, it’s a no brainer with what he’s producing that I’d take him. But I’m also considerate of having Hughes for a few years and having a red hot crack at a title, and how much better Brown has the potential to be at 24 currently with what he’s already producing. To be fair I’d take either in a heartbeat, but they both have their advantages and disadvantages to weigh up

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Harsh.
Like him or not, Niukore has the physicality that stacks up against every opposition. He can damage and intimidate like few others in our team. After a great 23 we were short of props and tried to make him one. The extra beef slowed him down. We've paid a premium for a strong edge forward... maybe use him there and stop trying to convert our edge forwards to middles. Work up a strong combo with Niukore and Metcalf/Boyd instead.
I get that we need some flexibility in the squad, but I hope for less players out of position this year. Specifically MN & RTS. I'd be working up a strong combo with Niukore and Metcalf/Boyd instead to help lift our piss poor record in the attacking 20...

Cant argue with any of that. Problem is, winning is everything and Marata hasnt helped us. Whether that's his fault or ours is immaterial, hoping he suddenly morphs into some player he never really was to begin with is a bit unrealistic, worse if we have to pay a further premium for that.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Who we talking about

Marata

 

[Damo]

But then on the flip side, SJ as the dominant halve didn’t really work because the five eighth was pretty much non existent with everything going through him, so there needs a balance and to be fair there was a time in SJ’s career where everyone said he’s never going to be a controlling halve but he made the adjustments, mostly due to injury and the loss of a major weapon in his speed. I agree if Hughes is on the table, it’s a no brainer with what he’s producing that I’d take him. But I’m also considerate of having Hughes for a few years and having a red hot crack at a title, and how much better Brown has the potential to be at 24 currently with what he’s already producing. To be fair I’d take either in a heartbeat, but they both have their advantages and disadvantages to weigh up

Cleary and Luai produced similar numbers to SJ and every half he played with. Look at Luais numbers, most of the time he was a passenger next to Cleary. It's a model that works, just didn't work with a geriatric half dealing with multiple injuries last season.


However, I hope we move away from that system as we no longer have Shaun Johnson and instead balance the playmaking between both halves.

 

[Noitall]

Cleary and Luai produced similar numbers to SJ and every half he played with. Look at Luais numbers, most of the time he was a passenger next to Cleary. It's a model that works, just didn't work with a geriatric half dealing with multiple injuries last season.

View attachment 10794
However, I hope we move away from that system as we no longer have Shaun Johnson and instead balance the playmaking between both halves.

Round 2 against the storm had massive potential, but that broke them by the looks? After that our best periods of the season were with TMM at halfback, and in my view because it spread the load and opposition weren’t focused knowing it definitely was going a certain way. Round 11 when TMM was halfback was our best period, then he was played at five eighth for the disastrous titans game and another loss to storm with SJ brought back, then played at halfback again with some victories and some narrow games we could have won. There were glimpses in the rabbits victory where SJ and TMM looked like a combo could prosper but that was it. With TMM viewed as a five eighth, we were operating through these periods with two five eighths with either Metcalf or CHT with him and it’s been our best period. Had we carried on that titans and storm games with a team that was growing some confidence after some great victories could have seen a different outcome? Hard to say it would have changed a 60 point scoreline, but something felt like there was an unhappiness with SJ just walking back into the team after they’d built a good period against the odds?

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

But then on the flip side, SJ as the dominant halve didn’t really work because the five eighth was pretty much non existent with everything going through him, so there needs a balance and to be fair there was a time in SJ’s career where everyone said he’s never going to be a controlling halve but he made the adjustments, mostly due to injury and the loss of a major weapon in his speed. I agree if Hughes is on the table, it’s a no brainer with what he’s producing that I’d take him. But I’m also considerate of having Hughes for a few years and having a red hot crack at a title, and how much better Brown has the potential to be at 24 currently with what he’s already producing. To be fair I’d take either in a heartbeat, but they both have their advantages and disadvantages to weigh up

I see dominant as 60/40. I think in 2023 it worked, although we were the most lopsided team in the NRL at favouring one half - something like 80/20. And then it was exposed in 24 where the opposition just rushed SJ because we became predictable. You can share the load while still being dominant.

The second half needs to chip in as well but the dominant half needs to be able to pick the important times where they take control. Win the key moments and control the teams game-plan - even though that might be going to the other half a couple of times in the set.

 

[CWC]

Round 2 against the storm had massive potential, but that broke them by the looks? After that our best periods of the season were with TMM at halfback, and in my view because it spread the load and opposition weren’t focused knowing it definitely was going a certain way. Round 11 when TMM was halfback was our best period, then he was played at five eighth for the disastrous titans game and another loss to storm with SJ brought back, then played at halfback again with some victories and some narrow games we could have won. There were glimpses in the rabbits victory where SJ and TMM looked like a combo could prosper but that was it. With TMM viewed as a five eighth, we were operating through these periods with two five eighths with either Metcalf or CHT with him and it’s been our best period. Had we carried on that titans and storm games with a team that was growing some confidence after some great victories could have seen a different outcome? Hard to say it would have changed a 60 point scoreline, but something felt like there was an unhappiness with SJ just walking back into the team after they’d built a good period against the odds?

I think it just didn't work with SJ at 6, yes he was wearing No.7 but for those Storm/Titans games TMM was effectively playing halfback. Maybe those 2 just don't work as a combo.

 

[Inruin]

I think it just didn't work with SJ at 6, yes he was wearing No.7 but for those Storm/Titans games TMM was effectively playing halfback. Maybe those 2 just don't work as a combo.

For that Storm game we restructured quite a bit and initially it worked with TMM handling the ball a lot and continuing his recent form then slowly SJ started to take over and we looked robotic again. Then we fell apart for 120 minutes with SJ back on the right doing the controlling

 

[Noitall]

I see dominant as 60/40. I think in 2023 it worked, although we were the most lopsided team in the NRL at favouring one half - something like 80/20. And then it was exposed in 24 where the opposition just rushed SJ because we became predictable. You can share the load while still being dominant.

The second half needs to chip in as well but the dominant half needs to be able to pick the important times where they take control. Win the key moments and control the teams game-plan - even though that might be going to the other half a couple of times in the set.

Think it also worked in 2023 because CNK was such a threat from the back, especially the combo that he and DWZ struck up chiming in from fullback and I think that’s where the fullback has potential to be an important controlling factor in the spine too

 

[Noitall]

I think it just didn't work with SJ at 6, yes he was wearing No.7 but for those Storm/Titans games TMM was effectively playing halfback. Maybe those 2 just don't work as a combo.

Hard to say because it went alright in 2023 and again that rabbits win showed some promise. That titans game though was a game where something was off attitude wise for whatever reason