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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[ROCCO]

Re Dylan Brown, no doubt he's a very classy player. Would be an upgrade on all of our current halves with respect to TMM & Metcalf. He's proven to be durable, still young wih his best football in front of him. Sign him up I say.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Seems like us and the Knights are the "likely leaders" in the race for Brown. Personally think we are no chance but stranger things have happened.

Seven possible NRL landing spots for Eels superstar Dylan Brown and rugby twist as $1m frenzy looms

Gutho reunion? Seven possible new clubs for Eels star, rugby twist as $1m frenzy looms

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Playdaball]

I have my doubts about Dylan Brown. I think we probably need a half who can direct play , rather than a running 6. I could be wrong as I had similar thoughts around CNK and in 2023 he played very well.

 

[BigUCE]

According to the eels forum. We would be the only club dumb enough to offer Brown 1mil/season

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

According to the eels forum. We would be the only club dumb enough to offer Brown 1mil/season

Sam Tompkins comes to mind.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

According to the eels forum. We would be the only club dumb enough to offer Brown 1mil/season

Eels, the mensa club that fired B.A

 

[CWC]

According to the eels forum. We would be the only club dumb enough to offer Brown 1mil/season

Imagine we offer 1.1M and Eels end up paying him 1.2M to keep him

 

[Teets]

Eels, the mensa club that fired B.A

If he doesnt get a head coach gig anywhere B.A as an assistant would work wonders for Halasima and Laban given his track record with 2nd hand back rowers.

 

[CWC]

Does Dylan Brown have a partner or wife that likes to sell brownies? He reminds me of someone throwing a hoopla this time last year

Given we've already being singled out as a leader, we are probably no chance, remember how Sharks got our man out of nowhere?

 

[juju]

According to the eels forum. We would be the only club dumb enough to offer Brown 1mil/season

I mean they're not exactly wrong...

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Seems like us and the Knights are the "likely leaders" in the race for Brown. Personally think we are no chance but stranger things have happened.

Seven possible NRL landing spots for Eels superstar Dylan Brown and rugby twist as $1m frenzy looms

Gutho reunion? Seven possible new clubs for Eels star, rugby twist as $1m frenzy looms

www.foxsports.com.au

Cos what the knights need is another half..

 

[Blain]

If we could get Brown for $800-$900k, I would take him as a attacking 6. But he's after marquee money to leave the Eels, which these days is $1.1m+. I've already mentioned that I believe he is not a 7 and never will be, which is what we really need.

So in my mind he is a nice to have, but not a guy I would want us paying overs for.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Cos what the knights need is another half..

Looking at the NRL signing tracker Hastings and Pryce are only signed for this year so they might. Mind you that tracker can be off.

 

[ROCCO]

If we could get Brown for $800-$900k, I would take him as a attacking 6. But he's after marquee money to leave the Eels, which these days is $1.1m+. I've already mentioned that I believe he is not a 7 and never will be, which is what we really need.

So in my mind he is a nice to have, but not a guy I would want us paying overs for.

Bit rich to suggest he will 'never be' a 7. He could easily make the transition in my opinion. There have been many running halfs / fullbacks turn into great 7s. Look at Hughes, Hynes, Luai etc. Even going back to the great Lockyer. If he came here and was coached by Jones, I'm sure in a couple of years he would be an elite 7. He has all the skills. Pay for him Wahs!

 

[Tookey 2.0]

According to the eels forum. We would be the only club dumb enough to offer Brown 1mil/season

That made me laugh out loud. Says the team who are already paying 90% of a mil?

I don't know why so many people are getting hung up on us potentially paying 100-200k a year more than what Brown is likely worth.

We have Roger and Marata on likely 500k more than what they're worth per year between them. Both will be done at the end of 2026 so if we do sign Brown on 1.1mil, from 2027 well just pay him the excess from their contracts.

With two new teams in the comp from 2028 I think Halves are going to go for a premium and we'll see 1.2-1.5 mil being pretty standard, so if we end up paying that a few years earlier in 2026 I'm not too fussed, especially for a top player like Brown.

 

[Neo]

If we could get Brown for $800-$900k, I would take him as a attacking 6. But he's after marquee money to leave the Eels, which these days is $1.1m+. I've already mentioned that I believe he is not a 7 and never will be, which is what we really need.

So in my mind he is a nice to have, but not a guy I would want us paying overs for.

The salary cap is difficult when you’re not one of the glamour Sydney clubs or the Broncos. I think you can only look at incremental gains to the overall picture when you’re a club like the Warriors.

For instance if you don’t resign Niukore next year and use that money plus $300k to get Brown, whilst promoting Eddie Ieremia Toeava into the top 30, are you better off? That would just be redistributing the cap with the likes of a Halasima or Laban to start and a minimum wage guy coming up. Yea it may look like overs but it strengthens an area of weakness with the spine

 

[VB89]

I am going to not say anything else tonight. I need to drink a cup of tea and chillax. I am very close to flaming Dylan Brown for his lack of sanity and narcisim that he rates himself as good as Nathan Cleary and wants the same pay. I don't think we or any one else in the NRL now wants Dylan Brown. He doesn't seem like his head is screwed on at all.

He's not the first player in sports to take advantage of circumstance and end up on a contract that very much favours the player and certainly wont be the last.

It's called leverage and if there is some available, you and your agent use it. With all the ageing halves, and the clear rumors/interest from the Warriors it's not a bad a time to try and be greedy.

Frankly i cant believe he is on $900k in the first place. I would have guessed probably less than half of that. But if the Eels are crazy enough to pay him $900k a year then someone, including the Eels again, may be crazier to pay him even more.

 

[CWC]

Just gonna put this on, Tohu announces his retirement and 8 days later 1 of Hughes/Brown goes to the market, and we're the dumb club that's renowned for overpaying kiwi players

 

[Canonball]

That made me laugh out loud. Says the team who are already paying 90% of a mil?

I don't know why so many people are getting hung up on us potentially paying 100-200k a year more than what Brown is likely worth.

We have Roger and Marata on likely 500k more than what they're worth per year between them. Both will be done at the end of 2026 so if we do sign Brown on 1.1mil, from 2027 well just pay him the excess from their contracts.

With two new teams in the comp from 2028 I think Halves are going to go for a premium and we'll see 1.2-1.5 mil being pretty standard, so if we end up paying that a few years earlier in 2026 I'm not too fussed, especially for a top player like Brown.

That's a pretty interesting point you bring up - basically, halves are made not bought, unless they're older and looking for a payday. The strategy we're currently rolling with is a good one I think, looking to to get the best potential in while they're younger and really having a go at becoming a development club... applies to all positions, just more accentuated when you're talking about halves and, funnily enough, front rowers - break out year for the 28 y.o. Bunty anyone? ... Brown can come here if he wants to, but 900k is too much, price has to be right for us to chuck out the plan we're already working towards

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Other than Jahrome Hughes potentially (that’s a stretched potentially btw) coming here. Who are these “organising” halves members continuously go on about?

For the record, I agree we need an organising halves more than a running half. But who?

What we don’t want is to not go after Brown.
Miss out on Hughes.
And Metcalf and/or Boyd leaves.
Then we’re actually fucked.

Brown is easily the most talented (and youngest) of our halves and him. He has time to develop into the “organising half” we long for. Like Hughes and Johnson.

And as Tookey wrote. More teams entering the competition in 2028 makes it even more dire we sort our halves out. With at least one KIWI, preferably two.
We do not want to be stuck with 2 Australian halves that all of a sudden want to go home. And we just wasted 2025, for NOTHING.

Resign TMM.
Sign Brown. (Or Hughes)