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

---

This thread is solely for Warriors recruitment and retention discussion. Any posts not related to the above will be deleted.

Repeat offenders could have their access to this page limited.

Please be mindful of what you are posting in this thread before clicking the reply button.

 

[Billyspleen75]

Might need to cut someone for a 2026 half signing. CHT maybe an option at lock by then.

2025 Metcalf Boyd CHT TMM
2026 Metcalf Boyd CHT Cleary
2027 Cleary

2 weeks ago, Metcalf announced on IG that his partner is pregnant. I assume she's an Aussie.

Stars aligning for Warriors to give Metcalf an early release for 26 and replace him with Brown.

 

[defensivebomb]

Why does he even want to leave the eels when he currently gets $900K. No one, not even Flannagan is paying more than $1M for him. What does Dylan gain by chasing an extra one hundred thousand. Chasing a premiership I understand but an extra 100,000 doesn't add up.

Call me a cynic, but this feels just like the manager is giving the tree one last shake to squeeze more money out of the eels

 

[doeeyedwarrior]

Not saying Brown isn't a good player but he doesn't exactly set the world on fire without a good 7 alongside him. And for the money he will want and his manager carrying on like a pork chop I would steer well clear

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Eels forum say either the Roosters get him or after much drama he stays an eel.

Well thank god thats settled then!

 

[Damo]

If he's still single (?) can't see him leaving Sydney any time soon.

 

[Noitall]

Something feels like Dylan Brown is after an early release here? Would have been able to negotiate in November either way and leave in 2026 but has shopped himself in preseason

 

[Damo]

Something feels like Dylan Brown is after an early release here? Would have been able to negotiate in November either way and leave in 2026 but has shopped himself in preseason

Nah, the Eels are trying to get something done in the pre-season so his agent is agitating for more money.


View: https://x.com/michaelchammas/status/1879400635952734498?s=46

 

[Wrighty]

Nah, the Eels are trying to get something done in the pre-season so his agent is agitating for more money.


View: https://x.com/michaelchammas/status/1879400635952734498?s=46

The only reason I don't believe this is that he is presently on 900k and it rachets up to a cool $1M at the eels next year. More money he wants???? The eels are already paying him handsomely. I don't see any sanity in trying to get the eels to go up higher. if your theory is true Damo then Brown and is agent are the most money hungry pair I have ever come across in professional sports ever. What point does it prove to push the eels up to $1.1M for 2026 instead of $1M in his contract.

The only sane explanation i can think for any of this is he wants to be on a better team and hasn't enjoyed pre season under Ryles and he thinks he sees the writing on the wall for the Eels and thinks their club is terminal. And all this posturing over money is just part of the process of getting as many bids in as possible for him to pick the team he prefers the most. No ??? Happy for you to disagree?

 

[Noitall]

Nah, the Eels are trying to get something done in the pre-season so his agent is agitating for more money.


View: https://x.com/michaelchammas/status/1879400635952734498?s=46

Conveniently leaked to the media that the manager was shopping him to rivals. Now that it’s out there, eels have a battle on their hands. Interesting in that piece it almost comes across as trying to put a guilt trip on him regarding the time put into him. Some also asking where is his loyalty with the eels standing by him after his misdemeanour

 

[tajhay]

Conveniently leaked to the media that the manager was shopping him to rivals. Now that it’s out there, eels have a battle on their hands. Interesting in that piece it almost comes across as trying to put a guilt trip on him regarding the time put into him. Some also asking where is his loyalty with the eels standing by him after his misdemeanour

You are reading waaaay too deep into this. His agent is paid to get him the best deal possible. He would be a shit agent if he didnt get feelers for what his client is worth (especially when there is a lack of decent halves options) prior to round 10. Its not a guilt trip, its simply the timeline for when player options need to be taken up. There is nothing wrong with what either party is doing. Like seriously what is the point of the player option if a player simply doesnt look at other options and just accepts the player option that they had on their contract. That is simply their safetynet that they negotiated in their contract.

Nothing to see here unless desperate clubs become overly desperate.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

They are calling him a franchise half, they want a franchise contract.

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

Time for him to come home and play next to JFH

 

[Wrighty]

They are calling him a franchise half, they want a franchise contract.

I know and what is a franchise contract $1.2M ? $1,3M ?

 

[Worried2Death]

Time for him to come home and play next to JFH

And next to Hughes, the dream team is coming together. Metcalf can stay and play fullback if he wants a premiership.

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

And next to Hughes, the dream team is coming together

We can relive the premiership years of Luke, Johnson, Foran, RTS.

 

[Worried2Death]

We can relive the premiership years of Luke, Johnson, Foran, RTS.

Way to ruin the dream

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

Way to ruin the dream

Dreams are free. Unless it's a franchise contract.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

The thing is, Metcalfe is only signed for 2 years. So if he actually gets good…..
1. He could leave. Or at the very least.,,,,
2. He’ll definitely get more expensive.
He’s also 26 years old this year.

So in regards to Browns salary it won’t actually make that much difference.

Some members have questioned Browns ability to actually lead a team. And they raise a fair point.
However I ask 3 questions. As a club,
WHAT are we actually trying to achieve?
WHO are we realistically going to have/need to achieve it?
WHEN are we realistically going to achieve it?

IMO, that sure as hell ain’t 2025……..
On paper we not going to win it.
With our squad I question if we even make the finals. So what are we actually losing?
We use 2025 to really build a foundation with our juniors with a priority in development and then who knows in 2026 and beyond. We have to make a move somewhere.

This is the argument I was trying to make about Tanah Boyd being selected. Long term it does NOTHING for us. Especially if he leaves. Let’s be real it isn’t even 50/50.
I say we concentrate on TMM and Metcalf (who could also leave). Especially TMM, cause I think he’ll stay. And still had 3-5 years in the NRL.

The fact is Brown makes our squad better and undoubtedly has the highest ceiling of our halves and is 2 years younger than Metcalf. With like 4x the amount of games.

Answer those 3 questions and to me Brown fits, especially if we’re talking 2026-29. If we can sign Hughes or N Cleary, well then yeah obviously do over Brown. But don’t say no to Brown then don’t even sign those two either.

 

[Damo]

The only reason I don't believe this is that he is presently on 900k and it rachets up to a cool $1M at the eels next year. More money he wants???? The eels are already paying him handsomely. I don't see any sanity in trying to get the eels to go up higher. if your theory is true Damo then Brown and is agent are the most money hungry pair I have ever come across in professional sports ever. What point does it prove to push the eels up to $1.1M for 2026 instead of $1M in his contract.

The only sane explanation i can think for any of this is he wants to be on a better team and hasn't enjoyed pre season under Ryles and he thinks he sees the writing on the wall for the Eels and thinks their club is terminal. And all this posturing over money is just part of the process of getting as many bids in as possible for him to pick the team he prefers the most. No ??? Happy for you to disagree?

Greed. Brown and his agent are not the first, nor will they be the last to try get more money.

 

[Worried2Death]

Greed. Brown and his agent are not the first, nor will they be the last to try get more money.

If we get him at 1.2 mill for 5 years and we win the comp, does that make greed good?