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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[Funky Ed Koosie]

With Welch looking like he'll be medically retired, I can't see the Storm getting rid of NAS aswell.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Cam George has stated we'll be a development club that will fill holes with selected Aussie recruits, it takes longer than a preseason and now we're on that path the sooner the dividend..

I agree, but there doesn't seem to be clear pathways at least outwardly. After Kosi, do we have an obvious choice for next up winger? We never really have an obvious depth chart

 

[Noitall]

With Welch looking like he'll be medically retired, I can't see the Storm getting rid of NAS aswell.

He was being shopped late last year. They’ve also got Vaalepu coming off contract, who’s getting better and better and Kamikamica has a club option for 2026

 

[Noitall]

Regardless one winger out and we’re now almost in dire straights , if RTS goes down ….

Looks to me like they giving players already with the club opportunities to fill the role when considering EIT given a shot at centre in the second trial

 

[WahsaurusRex]

I would be more than happy with us just promoting Moala and maybe a Daeon to the top side, the problem is, will they get picked.

I think it was the Eels game last year that MGT made a couple of errors and bungled a potential intercept, then Webby brought it up in the post-game presser and dropped Moala the next game and picked Ed instead.

Will Ed get the same treatment when he inevitably goes full retard?

The same goes for everywhere else across the park as well. *cough* Jackson Ford *cough* Saying we are development club while giving fringies a longer leash than the younger, higher-upside guys is a bit oxymoronic ain't it.

 

[Noitall]

I would be more than happy with us just promoting Moala and maybe a Daeon to the top side, the problem is, will they get picked.

I think it was the Eels game last year that MGT made a couple of errors and bungled a potential intercept, then Webby brought it up in the post-game presser and dropped Moala the next game and picked Ed instead.

Will Ed get the same treatment when he inevitably goes full retard?

The same goes for everywhere else across the park as well. *cough* Jackson Ford *cough* Saying we are development club while giving fringies a longer leash than the younger, higher-upside guys is a bit oxymoronic ain't it.

Amituanai’s defensive stats aren’t the best, but was a great read to cut that sharks player in half last week

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

I agree, but there doesn't seem to be clear pathways at least outwardly. After Kosi, do we have an obvious choice for next up winger? We never really have an obvious depth chart

Sio Kali

 

[Noitall]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW7pFHxBJz0

Amituanai suited to the right according to this. Might be him that replaces DWZ while he’s out?

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW7pFHxBJz0

Amituanai suited to the right according to this. Might be him that replaces DWZ while he’s out?

Wouldn't trust that guy

 

[Noitall]

Wouldn't trust that guy

Fair bit of his highlights are on the right wing. Shifted for McLean brothers is only time on left, no shame in that

 

[Ever Hopeful]

I actually though MGT was pretty ordinary towards the end of last year.

I'd be rotating first grade players in the backs rather than going next cab, because there is no FG ready next cab at this stage. And I'm a big fan of next cab - play the guy in the specialist position.

The recruitment strategy of backs has been an almighty headscratcher as I have banged on about for 3 months. I was convinced that it was just a waiting game and signing would be announced in time, but we've waited, and waited... Now I'm really perplexed.

 

[Noitall]

Seen this on a rumour mill page. Warriors are set to launch a huge bid at Big Nelson for 2026. He is contracted until 2027 however apparently warriors will see if the storm are interested in releasing him. He will earn 900k in his final season at the storm so could be a good move for both clubs. Anyways just a rumour doing the rounds but would be huge for the warriors if they could pull it off.

There's been rumors for a little while that Melbourne would be happy to see him go.






Interesting response regarding NAS from a poster on the sharks forum. Thought their newly recruited wizard would have been on top of this

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Why are we not listed?

Top FIVE potential landing spots for Sam Stonestreet

With both Sharks wingers now contracted, where does that leave the talented youngster?

www.zerotackle.com

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Sio Kali

Barely heard of him, he didn’t feature last year, and he didn’t even play on the wing on the first trial.

Thats the guy you reckon is next on the depth chart as our next up and coming winger?

 

[tajhay]

Why are we not listed?

Top FIVE potential landing spots for Sam Stonestreet

With both Sharks wingers now contracted, where does that leave the talented youngster?

www.zerotackle.com

Its an opinion piece, based on the writer's "gut feel" rather than any info.

I would imagine if we were in the hunt, there would be a few other clubs infront of us.

 

[JustVisiting82]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW7pFHxBJz0

Amituanai suited to the right according to this. Might be him that replaces DWZ while he’s out?

The fact that he isn't even listed on the extended bench for the second trial makes me think it's unlikely.

 

[Noitall]

The fact that he isn't even listed on the extended bench for the second trial makes me think it's unlikely.

Oddly I hadn’t even considered his name absent. Did he pick up an injury? Seems odd they wouldn’t want another look considering it’s a position we’re openly recruiting for?

 

[Brightman]

Saying we are development club while giving fringies a longer leash than the younger, higher-upside guys is a bit oxymoronic ain't it.

Development doesn't happen on paper or in this forum though, the present shining examples of the clubs development done right in Demetric and Ali are great and hot on their heels are Laban and Halasima..

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Development doesn't happen on paper or in this forum though, the present shining examples of the clubs development done right in Demetric and Ali are great and hot on their heels are Laban and Halasima..

Demetric is only getting a shot cos Tohu retired and Ali is only getting a shot cos Berry is injured.

 

[SouthernWorrier]

There's been rumors for a little while that Melbourne would be happy to see him go.

Dunno, always liked NAS - he's ripped through us in the past and without him Storm were pretty impotent against penrith.. but I'm concerned he seems to have a bit of the 'i'm bigger than the team' vibe at times. Maybe alongside barney and fish he'd pull his head in. Maybe