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	Te Maire Martin	✔
19	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
20	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
21	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
22	Adam Pompey	✔
23	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
24	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
25	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
26	Dylan Walker	✔
27	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	T
-	Motu Pasikala	T

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 27/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6
Unconfirmed Top 30 2025: 27/30
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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[Noitall]

Lot of these young guys have changes in size as they get older and positions change as their bodies do. I wonder if the rumours of Halasima being played at lock goes along these lines? Demitric Vaimauga is still listed as a second rower, but I wonder if he’s now viewed as a middle and had leapfrogged Zyon Maiu’u? Halasima was viewed as a second rower before, but I wonder if the emergence of EIT has changed that also with he and Laban viewed as the successors in the second row? Would be keen to see Ale extended

 

[MM51]

This one sucks, a little. Not sure why we grow and develop talent just to let them go. Maybe I’m missing something.

 

[Warriorshopeful]

Having 4 or 5 young guys on the up, you can't play them all. They're going to be drip-fed into grade and Zyon Maiu’u was likely the last on that list. In an approach from the dogs you have to do right by him getting an opportunity with more certainty. I just hope it means they're confident with the next crop coming through.
Would you keep Zyon Maiu’u if it meant losing Crosby next year?
Otherwise it's likely a decision that helps with squad balance considering the limited prospects coming through in the outside backs.

He shouldn't have been able to be approached by the Dogs, he was contracted until end of '26 so pretty suss unless his manager was speaking with clubs about whether he'd be getting more game time. Bit weird but we're not exactly short on young forwards either. Knights were also after him on a loan last year so he's obviously fairly highly regarded by a few other teams.

 

[Inruin]

He shouldn't have been able to be approached by the Dogs, he was contracted until end of '26 so pretty suss unless his manager was speaking with clubs about whether he'd be getting more game time. Bit weird but we're not exactly short on young forwards either. Knights were also after him on a loan last year so he's obviously fairly highly regarded by a few other teams.

Could also be a couple of other options. There was rumours of a prop being shopped around by us. They may have mistakenly thought Bunty. Or it was Bunty and the dogs said no thanks but we would be keen on Zyon Maiu’u.

 

[Completion Rate]

He shouldn't have been able to be approached by the Dogs, he was contracted until end of '26 so pretty suss unless his manager was speaking with clubs about whether he'd be getting more game time. Bit weird but we're not exactly short on young forwards either. Knights were also after him on a loan last year so he's obviously fairly highly regarded by a few other teams.

You're right, and only for 2 years you do wonder how that deal gets done...

 

[BuntyAppreciationSociety]

Why tf didn’t we get rid of Bunty and Kosi instead. No offence to Bunty

Because he's contracted for 2025. You can't make a player leave his contract.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Unfortunate, but I ranked our youngsters potential as.

1. Halasima
2. Leiataua
3. Demitric Vaimauga
4. Zyon Maiu’u
5. Laban.

You can’t keep them all, and IMO we still have the better one’s.
I see Halasima and Demitric Vaimauga as 200 gamers
And Ali could be a top 5 centre.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Anyone hearing Josh Aloiai?

 

[Riz]

Anyone hearing Josh Aloiai?

No and I don't want to hear it again please!

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

No and I don't want to hear it again please!

It’s been suggested to me, no idea if accurate

 

[Noitall]

No and I don't want to hear it again please!

 

[Makasene]

Surprised no one has posted that Zyon Maiu’u started the first trial last year, close lined a guy and got a 5 match suspension.

That wrecked his season last year IMO.

I thought I had heard attitude whispers. Certainly not a Katoa situation in my mind considering Katoa had at times cut up in first grade.

All the best to him

 

[doeeyedwarrior]

It does look like he has fallen behind Demitric Vaimauga, Halasima and Laban in the pecking order. Hope he goes well

If we keep the top 30 spot available or promote from within I am happy. If we sign an Aaron Woods or Matt Lodge I will be walking from WA to Auckland to slap cappy with my dong

 

[Worried2Death]

If we keep the top 30 spot available or promote from within I am happy. If we sign an Aaron Woods or Matt Lodge I will be walking from WA to Auckland to slap cappy with my dong

You can forget about that plan if we've signed Aloiai

 

[doeeyedwarrior]

You can forget about that plan if we've signed Aloiai

Like Aloiai, decent player. I will keep my pants on for him

 

[tajhay]

Dont know how credible this is but there has to be something going on. Surely?

Tof Sipley

Don’t know how good the source is, but hearing he may be announced as going to the Warriors This gains legs by the Warriors releasing a good up and coming prop to the Dogs today

silvertails.net

Don’t know how good the source is, but hearing he may be announced as going to the Warriors

This gains legs by the Warriors releasing a good up and coming prop to the Dogs today

If we instead end up signing Aloiai i hope everyone turns up at Mt Smart wearing rainbow colours so he pleads to go back.

 

[Worried2Death]

IT'S HAPPENING

 

[Noitall]

Tof Sipley

Don’t know how good the source is, but hearing he may be announced as going to the Warriors This gains legs by the Warriors releasing a good up and coming prop to the Dogs today

silvertails.net

If we end up signing Aloiai i hope everyone turns up at Mt Smart wearing rainbow colours so he pleads to go back.

Obviously wanting a bigger body than what we’ve got and Zyon Maiu’u was the victim?

 

[Blain]

he was unlucky with injuries and sort of regressed back end of last season imo. That NSW cup finals clash v Panthers he was quite average. Would have gotten rid of Bunty tbh.

Down to 27 now, hopefully they have someone big incoming soon. But honestly I dont know how I feel. I feel like this will be Katoa 2.0

Completely different to Katoa. Katoa had proved himself as a gun in NRL, then got done over with Covid, and shit Nathan Brown coaching. Zyon Maiu’u still has not dominated NSW Cup as of yet, and doesn't look quite ready for the next step, yet.

 

[Dannevegas]

He has been training at lock and played some middle in Cup. I think he looks best on an edge but they seem to be going with the Penrith model of mobile middles

Unfortunate, but I ranked our youngsters potential as.

1. Halasima
2. Leiataua
3. Demitric Vaimauga
4. Zyon Maiu’u
5. Laban.

You can’t keep them all, and IMO we still have the better one’s.
I see Halasima and Demitric Vaimauga as 200 gamers
And Ali could be a top 5 centre.

After thinking a little bit.
The likes of Tobias Crosby, Eddie Toeava added to that list softens the blow a little bit.

Just having a look at our forward stocks,
Props,
Barnett, Fish, Demitric Vaimauga, Ale, Ford, Afoa, Stowers-Smith, Crosby
Edges,
Capewell, Niukore, Halasima, Laban, Eiremia-Toeava
Locks,
Clark, Walker