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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[BangBro's (still banging)]

One year at a time, but I'd guess that he would want to go back to Sydney for his kids.

Would love him to stay. I also would like Ale to have a go at lock.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Are we happy to have Pompey starting centre this season alongside Leiataua? Or do we all see Pompey as a good first drop centre when injuries come along?

It's an interesting question to me this year as to who we are after in the outside backs vs who can we bring though the system.

I would be happy for Moala Graham Taufa and Kali to get contracts in the 30.

Unless we are getting a starter from another team, I see Starford Toa thrown around, but I'd rather develop.

Staggs although not coming would be a different story, I just don't see us getting a starting centre, I wonder what webby sees in Taufa, because to me he seems like a guy who has a real crack every time he gets a go.

 

[Tragic]

Are we happy to have Pompey starting centre this season alongside Leiataua? Or do we all see Pompey as a good first drop centre when injuries come along?

It's an interesting question to me this year as to who we are after in the outside backs vs who can we bring though the system.

I would be happy for Moala Graham Taufa and Kali to get contracts in the 30.

Unless we are getting a starter from another team, I see Starford Toa thrown around, but I'd rather develop.

Staggs although not coming would be a different story, I just don't see us getting a starting centre.

I am happy enough with Pompey, good defender, solid without being able to create a lot. Holding the space for the return of Berry though.
Stanford Toa is not any better imho.
Staggs is better but will cost more and probably a pipe dream

 

[Wrighty]

Starford would be a difficult get
1) Contracted through 2025 and 2026
2) He's first drop replacement centre behind Olam and Doueihi

We would have to send something their way.

 

[Brightman]

Starford would be a difficult get
1) Contracted through 2025 and 2026
2) He's first drop replacement centre behind Olam and Doueihi

We would have to send something their way.

Keep it up and we'll send you but seriously, we don't need a Starford Toa..

 

[~Navigator~]

Staggs is better but will cost more and probably a pipe dream

Kotoni Staggs saga at Broncos takes $2 million twist in brutal new blow for Selwyn Cobbo
The future of the Broncos star and his teammate has been a big topic of discussion.
Andrew Reid
Andrew Reid
Fri 7 February 2025 at 8:52 am AEDT
3-min read

Kotoni Staggs is reportedly poised to sign a $2 million extension with Brisbane that that could spell bad news for Selwyn Cobbo's hopes of staying at the Broncos. The future of Brisbane's star outside backs has been a topic of discussion for months, amid suggestions coach Michael Maguire would not be able to fit both under the salary cap and would have to prioritise one of his strike weapons.

Kotoni Staggs at centre of $2 million move in brutal new blow for Selwyn Cobbo

Brisbane are ready to make a huge call on the star. Details here.

au.news.yahoo.com

 

[Dannevegas]

Surely someone knows who this senior back is… peta Hiku?

 

[Riz]

Surely someone knows who this senior back is… peta Hiku?

Corey Oates out of retirement?

 

[Dannevegas]

The back is Ken Maumalo

 

[Zarjaz]

The back is Ken Maumalo

Didn't the Mole suggest it was a 'speedy' back?

 

[Dannevegas]

Didn't the Mole suggest it was a 'speedy' back?

Hope so

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Didn't the Mole suggest it was a 'speedy' back?

Maybe it was a typo from the mole? And it was "Seedy" and the player is Dylan "Touchy Butt" Brown?

 

[SouthernWorrier]

Anyone know much about Daeon Amituanai? I thought he looked good, his experience at penrith putting him clear of our other 'juniors'. Whatever the reason Kosi, Ieremia, Pasikala all looked below standard on this hitout. DA looked good although his tackle efficiency on the Panthers sit of 68.5% makes me nervous.

Just on the Kosi situation, first bomb of the year being spilled I can live with, but he's clearly beefed up and it has slowed him down; when he had to turn and chase (the one where the 2 sharks muffed it I think), that was the slowest turn and chase I've ever seen, and we've had some slow turners. It won't be doing his mental health any good to keep flogging that dead horse, if he can't be a solid back up by now it's time to explore superleague or get a trade and play out your 20s in the queensland cup.

 

[Dannevegas]

Anyone know much about Daeon Amituanai? I thought he looked good, his experience at penrith putting him clear of our other 'juniors'. Whatever the reason Kosi, Ieremia, Pasikala all looked below standard on this hitout. DA looked good although his tackle efficiency on the Panthers sit of 68.5% makes me nervous.

Just on the Kosi situation, first bomb of the year being spilled I can live with, but he's clearly beefed up and it has slowed him down; when he had to turn and chase (the one where the 2 sharks muffed it I think), that was the slowest turn and chase I've ever seen, and we've had some slow turners. It won't be doing his mental health any good to keep flogging that dead horse, if he can't be a solid back up by now it's time to explore superleague or get a trade and play out your 20s in the queensland cup.

I’d be backing Amituanai and Kali to be the first in line back ups, before Pompey and Kosi

 

[SouthernWorrier]

I’d be backing Amituanai and Kali to be the first in line back ups, before Pompey and Kosi

Cheers, I'm good with Pompey tho. It would be nice if he found another yard of pace or attacking string to the bow but he's more than solid IMO and kicking is a plus. Unless Berry is definitely gone for good there are far better places to spend cap than centre

 

[WarriorsForever]

Anyone know much about Daeon Amituanai? I thought he looked good, his experience at penrith putting him clear of our other 'juniors'. Whatever the reason Kosi, Ieremia, Pasikala all looked below standard on this hitout. DA looked good although his tackle efficiency on the Panthers sit of 68.5% makes me nervous.

Just on the Kosi situation, first bomb of the year being spilled I can live with, but he's clearly beefed up and it has slowed him down; when he had to turn and chase (the one where the 2 sharks muffed it I think), that was the slowest turn and chase I've ever seen, and we've had some slow turners. It won't be doing his mental health any good to keep flogging that dead horse, if he can't be a solid back up by now it's time to explore superleague or get a trade and play out your 20s in the queensland cup.

Daeon’s cup stats aren’t overly prolific for a winger, in fact Kosi has him covered in pretty much all stat categories based on there 2024 cup seasons.

 

[Ferdie]

Cheers, I'm good with Pompey tho. It would be nice if he found another yard of pace or attacking string to the bow but he's more than solid IMO and kicking is a plus. Unless Berry is definitely gone for good there are far better places to spend cap than centre

Agreed, I'm not saying Pompey is a superstar, but he had an off night by his standards. He's usually fairly reliable, and can sometimes be deceptively hard to tackle.

 

[Dannevegas]

Could be Isaako, Averillo? there’s literally no senior outside backs in the comp. We have them all

 

[PhilsySH35]

We as fans shouldn’t overly criticise players, especially young ones but they are paid big money to perform and win us over, not up to us to prop them up. Kosi is paid more than most fans to live out a dream and with that comes expectation.

I like the guy and backed him when he was younger but unfortunately the fans predicted exactly this performance before it happened.

For me the lack of progress on his weaknesses over the years is just mind boggling - same stuff different year. Still like him and his backstory but there has to be progress…

agree, but at least the young fallah played the ball properly and didn't get pinged for playing the ball incorrectly, which is more than other nrl fgraders did in the game. also agree with most of the comments, but kosi is playing out my dream no matter what else mr kosi does in his life he has played a couple of games in the nrl - the most brutal game in the world - kia kaha Edward!

 

[Mr Drag]

Winger is the position least likely to have injury. Our two top wingers will own their position unless injured so it’s only perhaps half a dozen games a year we are looking at.

I don’t think we need an exceptional 3rd choice player. For me the third winger role should be for juniors to develop - even if out of position, just to gain experience. Ali could have played there last year, Tuaupiki should be playing there before Kosi. We have specialist wing juniors that can step up.

Wing is the one position any back can fill in at a pinch. I don’t think we need to recruit there and am not personally worried about depth.

We are doing a crap job on players! RTS has a winger is stupid! RTS and DWZ must be the most expensive wingers in the NRL The Storm have always showed where you spend the money and Wingers get the least!