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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[Wrighty]

i could make a case that Shaun Johnson, despite starting his NRL career as a 7, was more naturally suited to 6 and had to acquire the skills to be a 7. If he can learn then surely Brown can. He doesn't turn 25 until June of this year.

Here are some stats for those who like Stats.

Dylan Brown
Games played at Halfback 10. (8 in 2024 and 2 in 2023)
Try Assists 8
Line Break Assists 7
Tries 2
Line Breaks 5
Kicking Metres 229.4 per game
Average Fantasy points per game 60.5
Forced Drop Outs 4
Won 2 Lost 8
His 6s in those matches were:
2023 Asi Loss vs Sydney
2023 Asi Win vs Penroth
2024 Talagi Loss Wests
2024 Talagi Loss Canberra
2024 Asi Win North Queensland
2024 Asi Loss Dolphins
2024 Ethan Sanders Loss Manly
2024 Ethan Sanders Loss Brisbane
2024 Asi Loss Melbourne
2024 Asi Loss Souths

When he is at halfback he needs someone at least as good as Asi hopefully better to have a chance at winning.

 

[Damo]

i could make a case that Shaun Johnson, despite starting his NRL career as a 7, was more naturally suited to 6 and had to acquire the skills to be a 7. If he can learn then surely Brown can. He doesn't turn 25 until June of this year.

Here are some stats for those who like Stats.

Dylan Brown
Games played at Halfback 10. (8 in 2024 and 2 in 2023)
Try Assists 8
Line Break Assists 7
Tries 2
Line Breaks 5
Kicking Metres 229.4 per game
Average Fantasy points per game 60.5
Forced Drop Outs 4
Won 2 Lost 8
His 6s in those matches were:
2023 Asi Loss vs Sydney
2023 Asi Win vs Penroth
2024 Talagi Loss Wests
2024 Talagi Loss Canberra
2024 Asi Win North Queensland
2024 Asi Loss Dolphins
2024 Ethan Sanders Loss Manly
2024 Ethan Sanders Loss Brisbane
2024 Asi Loss Melbourne
2024 Asi Loss Souths

When he is at halfback he needs someone at least as good as Asi hopefully better to have a chance at winning.

Counter point to that is he doesn't need to learn to be a #7 if he's going to be next to Moses.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Warriors should be lactose intolerant. No Cheese.

And holiday destination intolerant as well.

No Lodge.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

I don't get the whole 'Browns not what we need' narrative.

Yes, if we had the pick of the crop he's not what you'd be going after looking at our current roster, but the reality is we don't, and have never had the pick of the crop.

He's not a game manager. He's also only 24. How many players in the last 10 years have been game managers at 24? Aside from Reynolds, DCE and Cleary who are the exceptions, most aren't.

At the end of the day, if there's a chance to sign a marquee man like Brown, generally you take it.

I know you can't simply pick out players and replace them with another players stats, but despite having a shit of a year last year, the Wahs lost 7 games by 6 points or less, and one draw.

Brown had 5 tries and 18 try assists himself where as our 3 6's last year has 8 tries and 8 try assists combined. Those 7 or 8 tries that Brown scored more than our lot likely would have won us a few more games and likely put us in the 8

So while he might not be the best target our there, I think some need to realize that if he becomes a realistic option for us at any time, I'm pretty sure we'd sign him

 

[Blain]

i could make a case that Shaun Johnson, despite starting his NRL career as a 7, was more naturally suited to 6 and had to acquire the skills to be a 7. If he can learn then surely Brown can. He doesn't turn 25 until June of this year.

Here are some stats for those who like Stats.

Dylan Brown
Games played at Halfback 10. (8 in 2024 and 2 in 2023)
Try Assists 8
Line Break Assists 7
Tries 2
Line Breaks 5
Kicking Metres 229.4 per game
Average Fantasy points per game 60.5
Forced Drop Outs 4
Won 2 Lost 8
His 6s in those matches were:
2023 Asi Loss vs Sydney
2023 Asi Win vs Penroth
2024 Talagi Loss Wests
2024 Talagi Loss Canberra
2024 Asi Win North Queensland
2024 Asi Loss Dolphins
2024 Ethan Sanders Loss Manly
2024 Ethan Sanders Loss Brisbane
2024 Asi Loss Melbourne
2024 Asi Loss Souths

When he is at halfback he needs someone at least as good as Asi hopefully better to have a chance at winning.

Johnson basically was a 6 who could kick. That was always his criticism in his first stint at the Warriors, and the key reason we were never a great team. His 2nd year at the Sharks and 2023 were standouts where he truly took control as halfback.

Brown is very much a reluctant kicker, SJ always had a decent boot on him. Brown is an out and out 6, we already have 3 at the club.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Brown is an out and out 6, we already have 3 at the club.

q is do we have 1 decent one?

 

[Wrighty]

Brown is very much a reluctant kicker, SJ always had a decent boot on him. Brown is an out and out 6, we already have 3 at the club.

In my memory I used to recall circa 2020 when Brown first appeared he had a mega tron up an under Not quite as big as Burton's but bigger than Moses.

 

[defensivebomb]

We have a very ordinary spine at present:

Egan is very good, but often broken
CNK can be good but was out of form all year
TMM is fair
Metcalf is unproven
Boyd is average
CHT is below average

Scratch below that level and the pool is shallow

We have underinvested in halves and have gotten away with it due to SJ’s desire to be here. However at some stage we need to spend a bit of coin on quality in the halves and rebalance the books.

Re Niukore, his contract hasn’t paid off but if you look at him + Barnett + Ford, there are swings and roundabouts, particularly with Barnett

 

[Damo]

Brown had 5 tries and 18 try assists himself where as our 3 6's last year has 8 tries and 8 try assists combined. Those 7 or 8 tries that Brown scored more than our lot likely would have won us a few more games and likely put us in the 8

Bit of a redundant argument when the majority of the time our sixes were playing with SJ who was the dominant playmaker.
Brown got 3 of those tries and 12 of those try assists as the senior playmaker whereas our five-eighths were mainly playing second fiddle, of course Browns stats are going to look better on paper without any context.

He's not a game manager. He's also only 24. How many players in the last 10 years have been game managers at 24? Aside from Reynolds, DCE and Cleary who are the exceptions, most aren't.

How many run first halves have turned into a game manager? Not many. Shaun Johnson and to an extent Benji did at the back end of his career. Usually the exception rather than a given.

 

[Leon Black]

We have a very ordinary spine at present:

Egan is very good, but often broken
CNK can be good but was out of form all year
TMM is fair
Metcalf is unproven
Boyd is average
CHT is below average

Scratch below that level and the pool is shallow

We have underinvested in halves and have gotten away with it due to SJ’s desire to be here. However at some stage we need to spend a bit of coin on quality in the halves and rebalance the books.

Re Niukore, his contract hasn’t paid off but if you look at him + Barnett + Ford, there are swings and roundabouts, particularly with Barnett

I don’t get the Boyd hype train… if he starts I ain’t gonna watch, guy is bang average. I saw him kick ball out on full, shocking last tackle bombs, countless times.

Anyone who references he played Australia Schoolboys forgets 1,000 of others did too who never ever made a 1st grade or NSW Cup debut. For every Brad Fittler there are a thousand Royston Lightning’s.

And yet some say we don’t need Dyl Brown Blow that whistle ref (or whatever Thomas Keneally said in the most un-Rugby League ad ever made)

P.S. I banned the old man from that Facebook thread re Josh King. He hit me with, we signed Klemmer 48 hrs later!!!

 

[Damo]

I don’t get the Boyd hype train… if he starts I ain’t gonna watch, guy is bang average. Anyone who references he played Australia Schoolboys forgets 1,000 of others did too who never ever made a 1st grade or NSW Cup debut.

And yet some say we don’t need Dyl Brown Blow that whistle ref (or whatever Thomas Keneally said in the most un-Rugby League ad ever made)

P.S. I banned the old man from that Facebook thread re Josh King. He hit me with, we signed Klemmer 48 hrs later!!!

How is saying Boyd is average a hype train!?

I genuinely don't think we need Dylan Brown but he is probably the best and likeliest option we will get.

 

[Vancent]

I don’t get the Boyd hype train… if he starts I ain’t gonna watch, guy is bang average. Anyone who references he played Australia Schoolboys forgets 1,000 of others did too who never ever made a 1st grade or NSW Cup debut.

And yet some say we don’t need Dyl Brown Blow that whistle ref (or whatever Thomas Keneally said in the most un-Rugby League ad ever made)

P.S. I banned the old man from that Facebook thread re Josh King. He hit me with, we signed Klemmer 48 hrs later!!!

I get why you’d take that approach, I was tempted to do similar.

I’ve since convinced myself not to confuse Boyd under the GC Coaching regime with Boyd under Webster.

I’m a neutral to somewhat favourable supporter of him as starting 7 along side Metcalf.

Walker in at 13 and TMM at 14 to start the season and then review. Healy will come into contention at some stage for 14 (assuming Walker does start at 13), however need to have a look at him in NSW Cup learning the systems first.

 

[Wrighty]

I genuinely don't think we need Dylan Brown but he is probably the best and likeliest option we will get.

This part of your sentence "he is probably the best and likeliest option we will get." is where the Dlylan proponents are coming from. Although yes we got JFH and seems like a dream come true; Jahrome Hughes is unlikely. The other shape to throw into the mixer is say we sign him on a 4 year deal where he is a half back and Metcalf/TMM play 6 and we do get middling results where we finish anywhere from 6th to 12th in the first two years. Another thought is that he can always revert to stand off should one of our green shoot prospects come through the pathways.

 

[Sam Wahpira]

Hughes turns 31 in October. Surely he has 3-4 great years left minimum. Pay him 1.4 mill and make him the highest paid player we have. You need a start quarterback and he is it. Cmon Cappy + Webby you can do it.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Bit of a redundant argument when the majority of the time our sixes were playing with SJ who was the dominant playmaker.
Brown got 3 of those tries and 12 of those try assists as the senior playmaker whereas our five-eighths were mainly playing second fiddle, of course Browns stats are going to look better on paper without any context.

How many run first halves have turned into a game manager? Not many. Shaun Johnson and to an extent Benji did at the back end of his career. Usually the exception rather than a given.

Happy to look at 2023 and 2022 too then? 16 try assists and 3 tries in 2023, and 16 try assists and 11 tries in 2022. Not too bad for a 21/22 year old...

While I appreciate hes not a game manager...do we need him to be? Yes, we need one but the reality is, we can't not sign decent players because they don't have everything.

I really want to see how Metcalf turns out as I have high hopes for him, but if someone offered a swap - essentially Metcalf for 500k to Dylans Brown on a mill, it's a bit of a no brainer right?

 

[MurrayTD]

I don’t get the Boyd hype train… if he starts I ain’t gonna watch, guy is bang average. I saw him kick ball out on full, shocking last tackle bombs, countless times.

Anyone who references he played Australia Schoolboys forgets 1,000 of others did too who never ever made a 1st grade or NSW Cup debut. For every Brad Fittler there are a thousand Royston Lightning’s.

And yet some say we don’t need Dyl Brown Blow that whistle ref (or whatever Thomas Keneally said in the most un-Rugby League ad ever made)

P.S. I banned the old man from that Facebook thread re Josh King. He hit me with, we signed Klemmer 48 hrs later!!!

Completely agree Leon.

Tannah Boyd's signing really is a average at best, I get everyone is trying to be positive, but for me it was hugely disappointing.. fingers crossed TMM and Metcalfe form an outstanding partnership, because for me if Tannah Boyd plays regular first grade this year we are fucked!

 

[Wrighty]

Happy to look at 2023 and 2022 too then? 16 try assists and 3 tries in 2023, and 16 try assists and 11 tries in 2022. Not too bad for a 21/22 year old...

While I appreciate hes not a game manager...do we need him to be? Yes, we need one but the reality is, we can't not sign decent players because they don't have everything.

I really want to see how Metcalf turns out as I have high hopes for him, but if someone offered a swap - essentially Metcalf for 500k to Dylans Brown on a mill, it's a bit of a no brainer right?

I think if this comes down to wheeling and dealing we try to keep Metcalf and offer CHT or TMM or Boyd. We could thrown in CNK if they want fullback depth now Gutho is gone.

 

[Damo]

Happy to look at 2023 and 2022 too then? 16 try assists and 3 tries in 2023, and 16 try assists and 11 tries in 2022. Not too bad for a 21/22 year old...

Can't argue with that!

 

[WA Warrior]

I don’t get the Boyd hype train… if he starts I ain’t gonna watch, guy is bang average. I saw him kick ball out on full, shocking last tackle bombs, countless times.

Anyone who references he played Australia Schoolboys forgets 1,000 of others did too who never ever made a 1st grade or NSW Cup debut. For every Brad Fittler there are a thousand Royston Lightning’s.

And yet some say we don’t need Dyl Brown Blow that whistle ref (or whatever Thomas Keneally said in the most un-Rugby League ad ever made)

P.S. I banned the old man from that Facebook thread re Josh King. He hit me with, we signed Klemmer 48 hrs later!!!

Don’t watch then no one’s got a gun to your head.

 

[JaggedJ]

I find both Brown and Hughes to be highly unlikely even if they leave their current clubs.

It's pretty obvious what we're trying to do in regards to halves (paying big money is an option but not the main plan), just not sure it will work out.