Recruitment Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention Discussion
-Player20252026202720282029
1Bunty Afoa
2Tom Ale
3Mitchell Barnett
4Rocco Berry
5Tanah Boyd
6Kurt Capewell
7Erin Clark
8Wayde Egan
9James Fisher-Harris
10Jackson Ford
11Leka Halasima
Morgan Harper
12Chanel Harris-Tavita
13Sam Healey
14Edward Kosi
15Jacob Laban
16Ali Leiataua
17Freddy Lussick
18Te Maire Martin
19Luke Metcalf
20Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
21Marata Niukore
22Adam Pompey
23Tanner Stowers-Smith
24Taine Tuaupiki
25Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
26Demitric Vaimauga
27Dylan Walker
28Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
S1Kayliss FaitialofaS
S2Kalani GoingS
S3Luke HansonS
S4Eddie Ieremia-ToeavaS
S5Sio KaliS
S6Patrick MoimoiS
-Kahu CapperTT
-Jett ClearyTSS
-Motu PasikalaT
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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We're currently looking at starting Kosi in our first reg season game. What a shit show by the club releasing all these players with no recruits. We have 3 spots in the 30 and should have a ton of cap space. Kosi is not good enough to be our only back up winger. Massive own goal right here. Still dirty on us letting Curran go too.
 
This is actually bad recruitment that we find ourselves in a position where we don’t really have any specialist wingers:
RTS- is he a fullback, centre or wing?
TT - is a fullback or five eight?

Pompey - played a few years ago but too slow
Ali - may have to play wing , but may not have sufficient centre cover if Berry and Pompey are injured

Kosi - just not up to the required standard

Plus a few young guys who really are not ready for first grade yet.

Do we call up CHT for wing - a joke but perhaps not?
 
Centres off contract:
Grant Anderson, Braidon Burns, Mawene Hiroti, Delouise Hoeter, Asu Kepaoa, Aaron Schoupp, Harley Smith-Shields, Tommy Talau,

Fb off contract;

Corey Allan, Tom Chester, Kade Dykes, Daine Laurie, Will Pryce, Blake Wilson

Wingers off contract:
Selwyn Cobbo, Robert Derby, Haze Dunster, Jojo Fifita, Tony Francis, Albert Hopoate, Alex Johnston, Tyrone Munro, Sam Stonestreet, Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega, Christian Tuipulotu, Semi Valemei

I only selected the players I’d even be remotely interested. Of these, currently either fighting for 1st grade ops or starting in cup, my targets would be:

Grant Anderson
Asu Kepaoa
Tommy talau
Daine laurie
Blake wilson
Jojo fifita
Albert hopoate
Christian tuipulotu
Semi valemei

None of the above are starters. All have been solid, some have been exceptional when given chances. They’re young too.

My 1,2,3 would be Fifita 1, Wilson 2, Laurie 3.

We have cap. We have a vacant wing spot. We’re not a basket case of a club. If I was any of these guys, I’d be on the phone to my manager tonight, and saying get me over there. I’ll take a pay bump, but more importantly I’ll get a chance to play regular NRL.

We can’t be going into 2025 with Kosi as a starter, it won’t end well. With DWZ sidelines for 6-12 weeks, this has just been exacerbated. In all honesty, this has probably been the first major fuck up from recruitment, alongside Zyon Maiu’u but that’s a different convo. We released Marcelo, essentially saying he’d be third string. We’ve now lost Marcelo AND DWZ, and Kosi is an nrl starter.

Personally I’d be playing Tuaupiki and RTS, but again, our depth has evaporated overnight. I’m expecting a signing in the next 2 weeks, this is actually an urgent issue.
 
Other dreams are free suggestion - Daniel Tupou - he is turns 34 in June. Le Rooster might let him go based on how old he is.
In general i would be on the phone to Roosters as they have been kind to us before and we have a good rapport with them.
 
If I was any of these guys, I’d be on the phone to my manager tonight, and saying get me over there. I’ll take a pay bump, but more importantly I’ll get a chance to play regular NRL.
They wont get a pay bump this season according to nrl rules enforced. So itll be primarily for the opportunity and potential longer contract. But you leave everything you grew up with for that opportunity. Getting people over to Auckland is not as easy as you may think.
 
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