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]

We can sign Cooper Cronk for $200K!

He's listed 6 fricking times !!!!!

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Running with your theme that Brown comes here as a 6 and we make do with TMM or Metcalf at 7 - here is a list of the 7s who won a grandfinal since 2000. Would some one more knowledgeable than me be able to comment on if any of these guys TMM or Metcalf would compare ok against?

Here's the list of halfbacks (number 7s) from NRL Grand Final winning teams since 2000:

• 2000: Brisbane Broncos - Ben Ikin
• 2001: Newcastle Knights - Andrew Johns
• 2002: Sydney Roosters - Craig Wing
• 2003: Penrith Panthers - Craig Gower
• 2004: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs - Brent Sherwin
• 2005: Wests Tigers - Scott Prince
• 2006: Brisbane Broncos - Shane Perry
• 2007: Melbourne Storm - Cooper Cronk
• 2008: Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles - Matt Orford
• 2009: Melbourne Storm - Cooper Cronk
• 2010: St George Illawarra Dragons - Ben Hornby
• 2011: Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles - Daly Cherry-Evans
• 2012: Melbourne Storm - Cooper Cronk
• 2013: Sydney Roosters - Mitchell Pearce
• 2014: South Sydney Rabbitohs - Adam Reynolds
• 2015: North Queensland Cowboys - Johnathan Thurston
• 2016: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks - Chad Townsend
• 2017: Melbourne Storm - Cooper Cronk
• 2018: Sydney Roosters - Cooper Cronk
• 2019: Sydney Roosters - Cooper Cronk
• 2020: Melbourne Storm - Jahrome Hughes
• 2021: Penrith Panthers - Nathan Cleary
• 2022: Penrith Panthers - Nathan Cleary
• 2023: Penrith Panthers - Nathan Cleary
• 20124 Penrith Panthers - Nathan Cleary

Blame CHAT GPT if any errors in the list

• Tanah Boyd 2025

 

[Wrighty]

Here are some stats

in their careers together which is over 2023 and 2024 the following is observed for Dylan Brown when playing with Daejarn Asi

When Brown is Half Back and Asi Stand off - 2 wins in 7 games = 28% winning record
When Brown is stand off and Asi Half Back - 5 wins in 15 game = 33% winning record

Not enough of a difference to think that playing Brown at 6 over 7, when paired with a mediocre half like Asi, leads to better results.

 

[Teets]

Running with your theme that Brown comes here as a 6 and we make do with TMM or Metcalf at 7 - here is a list of the 7s who won a grandfinal since 2000. Would some one more knowledgeable than me be able to comment on if any of these guys TMM or Metcalf would compare ok against?

Here's the list of halfbacks (number 7s) from NRL Grand Final winning teams since 2000:


Blame CHAT GPT if any errors in the list

Shane Perry was very much a journeyman.

Townsend pretty meat and potatoes.

Craig Wing a genuinely great utility player but only played a small part of his career at 7.

Helped they had Lockyer, Maloney, & Fittler as generational 5/8s beside them and stacked teams.

Ikin is interesting, played Origin but in a weak QLD era. I never rated him as elite but he won a comp and played rep footy, my memory had Kevvie wearing the 7 in 2000 for some reason.

Plug Metcalf into some of those situations (esp those stacked Bronx sides) and he'd be fine I reckon.

 

[Wrighty]

Shane Perry was very much a journeyman.

Townsend pretty meat and potatoes.

Craig Wing a genuinely great utility player but only played a small part of his career at 7.

Helped they had Lockyer, Maloney, & Fittler as generational 5/8s beside them and stacked teams.

Ikin is interesting, played Origin but in a weak QLD era. I never rated him as elite but he won a comp and played rep footy, my memory had Kevvie wearing the 7 in 2000 for some reason.

Plug Metcalf into some of those situations (esp those stacked Bronx sides) and he'd be fine I reckon.

That's brilliant - how do you rate Orford and Pearce?

 

[CWC]

Here are some stats

in their careers together which is over 2023 and 2024 the following is observed for Dylan Brown when playing with Daejarn Asi

When Brown is Half Back and Asi Stand off - 2 wins in 7 games = 28% winning record
When Brown is stand off and Asi Half Back - 5 wins in 15 game = 33% winning record

Not enough of a difference to think that playing Brown at 6 over 7, when paired with a mediocre half like Asi, leads to better results.

Surely TMM and Metcalf are already better players than Asi

 

[tajhay]

When Brown is Half Back and Asi Stand off - 2 wins in 7 games = 28% winning record
When Brown is stand off and Asi Half Back - 5 wins in 15 game = 33% winning record

Not sure where these stats are coming from, but i doubt Asi and Brown have played as much together as stated above.

Just checked RLP, and for example Asi has only played halfback 10 times for Eels for example, and the one example i checked Brown wasnt even the standoff. Those numbers you have quoted do not look right.

Use RLP, Use the Custom Match List parameters if you want accurate numbers.

 

[Wrighty]

Not sure where these stats are coming from, but i doubt Asi and Brown have played as much together as stated above.

Just checked RLP, and for example Asi has only played halfback 10 times for Eels for example, and the one example i checked Brown wasnt even the standoff. Those numbers you have quoted do not look right.

Use RLP, Use the Custom Match List parameters if you want accurate numbers.

I listed all the games they were in together on www.footystatistics.com

The problem may be that Asi was a centre or fullback or bench in some of those games by the way I did the query - I will take a closer look and reinspect.

 

[CWC]

Wrighty sounds like one of those ai chatbot that write stories, "I apologize for my mistakes, please give me a new scenario for the next response that fit the storyline"

 

[Wrighty]

Not sure where these stats are coming from, but i doubt Asi and Brown have played as much together as stated above.

Just checked RLP, and for example Asi has only played halfback 10 times for Eels for example, and the one example i checked Brown wasnt even the standoff. Those numbers you have quoted do not look right.

Use RLP, Use the Custom Match List parameters if you want accurate numbers.

I guess that feature of "played with" doesn't work well on footystatistics. Thanks for catching me here.

Corrected stats below based on rugby league projects

Brown at Half Back and Asi at Stand off - 2 wins and 4 losses = 33% winning record
Asi at Half back and Brown at stand off - 3 wins and 5 losses = 37.5% winning record

 

[Inruin]

Wrighty sounds like one of those ai chatbot that write stories, "I apologize for my mistakes, please give me a new scenario for the next response that fit the storyline"

Thank you for correcting me. Dejun Asi is an All Black that played for the Parramatta Sharks in the Australian NHL

 

[Hughes2026]

He's listed 6 fricking times !!!!!

I'd be happy to bet a 41 year old Cronk isn't that far off current TMM/Boyd/CHT.

 

[Defence]

Ikin is interesting, played Origin but in a weak QLD era. I never rated him as elite but he won a comp and played rep footy, my memory had Kevvie wearing the 7 in 2000 for some reason.

Plug Metcalf into some of those situations (esp those stacked Bronx sides) and he'd be fine I reckon.

Your memory is correct- Walters was the 7.
But tannah Boyd couldve won a comp with this team anyway- have a go at it-



It is interesting looking at wrightys list though- there were some pretty average 7s early in the century but the last 8 years only Cronk, Hughes and Cleary have lifted the trophy and they’ve all elite.
Is that because the way the game is played now or a result of an increasing salary cap? Idk.
Looking at it as a whole- u don’t necessary need an elite halfback but it sure fucken helps.

 

[Inruin]

Your memory is correct- Walters was the 7.
But tannah Boyd couldve won a comp with this team anyway- have a go at it-

View attachment 10800

It is interesting looking at wrightys list though- there were some pretty average 7s early in the century but the last 8 years only Cronk, Hughes and Cleary have lifted the trophy and they’ve all elite.
Is that because the way the game is played now or a result of an increasing salary cap? Idk.
Looking at it as a whole- u don’t necessary need an elite halfback but it sure fucken helps.

Helps having a great team and a great coach too by the look of it

 

[Noitall]

Your memory is correct- Walters was the 7.
But tannah Boyd couldve won a comp with this team anyway- have a go at it-

View attachment 10800

It is interesting looking at wrightys list though- there were some pretty average 7s early in the century but the last 8 years only Cronk, Hughes and Cleary have lifted the trophy and they’ve all elite.
Is that because the way the game is played now or a result of an increasing salary cap? Idk.
Looking at it as a whole- u don’t necessary need an elite halfback but it sure fucken helps.

What a team

 

[Teets]

It is interesting looking at wrightys list though- there were some pretty average 7s early in the century but the last 8 years only Cronk, Hughes and Cleary have lifted the trophy and they’ve all elite.

Also interesting that there's very few established week in, week out 7s in that list that won titles as import players bought in free agency.

Two thirds of the list are one club players at the time of winning which makes sense as clubs aren't in the business of letting prem level 7s they've developed walk.

Of the imports, only Orford and Cronk were established top 7s by my count.

Prince was semi established but injury plagued at the Broncs. Townsend established but as a 6 and not considered elite.

Wing was makeshift, Perry a journeyman who kinda fell into the starting 7 role, Hughes not even a half, and Thurston an astute buy on potential but still somewhat of a punt.

So seems your odds are as likely to win with an import 7 brought in on potential as landing an established gun to lead you there.

 

[defensivebomb]

So seems your odds are as likely to win with an import 7 brought in on potential as landing an established gun to lead you there.

No doubt having a home-grown half would also help with the quality of the rest of the squad as the club wouldn’t have to dust megabucks on attracting a half from elsewhere on the open market, reducing the club’s ability to retain other players