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	✔	✔	✔
	Morgan Harper	✔
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	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔
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	Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	S	✔	✔
S5	Sio Kali	S
S6	Patrick Moimoi	S
-	Kahu Capper	T	T
-	Jett Cleary	T	S	S
-	Motu Pasikala	T	✔	✔

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

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 21/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Tanner Stowers-Smith, Dylan Walker

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[wizard of Tauranga]

just checked. wow...looks like a totally different player.

https://www.theroar.com.au/rugby-league/video/watch-valynce-te-whare-goes-next-level-with-outrageous-end-to-end-japan-league-try-1407417/

Whoever his old coach was must be over rated

 

[Teets]

Love Val but those Japanese fowards he ran around look slower than Ed Kosi. Slide defence looks comical.

 

[Bevosa]

I'm more worried the senior outside back were looking at is going to be Ken Maumalo

 

[The Warrior Waka]

I'm more worried the senior outside back were looking at is going to be Ken Maumalo

That'll teach the Kosi haters a lesson won't it

 

[Dannevegas]

senior outside back

Bruh… we have 50 of those already

 

[Wrighty]

Someone can correct me and fill in the dates.

But my understanding it is 28 players by a specific date (I saw March 1st for a 2021 article). Then later in the year by certain dates it goes up to 29 and 30.

So I'd assume it needs to be 28 players by the start of the season.

ChatGPT says this

the Warriors can carry 28 or 27 players if they wish up until the June 30 deadline. NRL clubs are only required to have a minimum of 24 players in their Top 30 roster before the season starts (usually by early March). However, by June 30, they must have at least 29 players signed, with the 30th spot optional.

This flexibility allows teams to manage their salary cap, leave room for mid-season signings, or make adjustments based on injuries and form.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

ChatGPT says this

the Warriors can carry 28 or 27 players if they wish up until the June 30 deadline. NRL clubs are only required to have a minimum of 24 players in their Top 30 roster before the season starts (usually by early March). However, by June 30, they must have at least 29 players signed, with the 30th spot optional.

This flexibility allows teams to manage their salary cap, leave room for mid-season signings, or make adjustments based on injuries and form.

The Salary Cap

Here are the official guidelines for the NRL salary cap, including frequently asked questions like what players can earn outside the salary cap, how much can clubs spend, third party agreements and more.

www.nrl.com

Monday prior to round one we must have 28 players.

 

[SJ2k]

Any chance we nab Joey Manu coming back from Japan? Surely we must have the money.

 

[Damo]

Any chance we nab Joey Manu coming back from Japan? Surely we must have the money.

No.

 

[UpTheWahs]

Any chance we nab Joey Manu coming back from Japan? Surely we must have the money.

My thoughts too. But the Roosters have their own plans for him

 

[LeagueJunkie]

My thoughts too. But the Roosters have their own plans for him

I'm sure the Sombreros would have had a plan for RTS too before he decide to come here. Give Joey some incentive (particularly of the financial kind) and who knows.

 

[JaggedJ]

So basically they want to clamp down on the Roosters and Storm.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

I'm pretty sure Manu and the All Blacks have mutual feelings for each other going forward

 

[Jaffa J]

I'm more worried the senior outside back were looking at is going to be Ken Maumalo

Peta Hiku welcome back to the club son

 

[WarriorsForever]

I'm sure the Sombreros would have had a plan for RTS too before he decide to come here. Give Joey some incentive (particularly of the financial kind) and who knows.

Will start a petition to offer him a pub in Tokoroa

 

[The Warrior Waka]

I'm pretty sure Manu and the All Blacks have mutual feelings for each other going forward

Well, can we have mutual feelings for Reiko , Jordie & Caleb Clarke and shake on it?

 

[Playdaball]

I’ll continue on my crusade …
Kosi is not up to 1st grade standard and should just play NSW cup or be released to SL.
There is no need for Lussick in this squad. Healey and Egan are above him with back up from the likes of CHT, Boyd, Clark, Walker and some of the young guns.
Can we release both and look for some outside back coverage?

 

[Ramps]

I’ll continue on my crusade …
Kosi is not up to 1st grade standard and should just play NSW cup or be released to SL.
There is no need for Lussick in this squad. Healey and Egan are above him with back up from the likes of CHT, Boyd, Clark, Walker and some of the young guns.
Can we release both and look for some outside back coverage?

Yep, Mulitalo come on down! Bring Iro with you

 

[JaggedJ]

Pretty sure if anyone else wanted Kosi we wouldn't stand in his way.

The fact he's still here should tell you what you need to know.

 

[hornbybrown]

I hope the Rumours about a outside back pick up are true, Kosi can’t get game time during the season, He has far to many mistakes in him, very slow on a already slow team and for his size doesn’t gain as many meters as a winger should