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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[WA Warrior]

You reckon the outside back that they’re looking for is a depth one?

Hard to say, depends on Berry I reckon.

 

[Noitall]

Hard to say, depends on Berry I reckon.

In the backline I reckon DWZ, RTS wings, Leiataua centre, Metcalf halfback and potentially Tuaupiki fullback are the only ones who I can see are their plan beyond this year?

 

[WA Warrior]

In the backline I reckon DWZ, RTS wings, Leiataua centre, Metcalf halfback and potentially Tuaupiki fullback are the only ones who I can see are their plan beyond this year?

Yeah I agree and they are signed so they will be here.
Berry is signed as well I’m just a bit concerned with his injury.
If TMM carves he could gain an extension, same as Charnze.
Pompey could be resigned for depth but I’m glad we are not rushing as some guns might be available and we won’t be in a position to go for them.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

We signed anyone yet?

 

[El Chuckie]

Could you elaborate more re - Turning to shit? Hell yeah I'd love him here. Ali, Manu, Berry, DWZ , Roger, Tuaupiki, CNK things start looking a bit brighter for us in the backs...

The article makes it sound like the team around him is a bit rubbish and not feeding him, but he's also been a bit rubbish himself. Bagged three tries in seven games, but has looked defensively poor. When he's had the ball in a bit of space, he's been put on his arse more than a few times. Japanese rugby is high-scoring and fast and open, and his team has still been scoring nearly 30ppg, despite the 5 losses. He just hasn't been a hit. Bit of a shame. He seems like a nice chap and all.

 

[Makasene]

Look guys, it's no secret I'm no Kosi fan......





That's it, nothing more to add.

This situation is a bit crazy to me.

But I feel for Kosi. He's copping hate but what is he supposed to do, say 'no I don't want to play'.

The coach is picking him so that's where the finger needs to be pointed. Cappy too, how are we in a position that first drop is Kosi.

I get a sense the coaches are hoping he comes right. He was good for a while. Unfortunately "hope" is not a strategy

 

[The Warrior Waka]

He’s 27 this year

Next Year. Just turned 26.

 

[Makasene]

As each day passes that post saying that it might be Maumalo coming back is feeling more and more real

 

[Schmen]

Hearing about Saab's recent injuries from NRL Physio makes me definitely doubt any talk about our abilities to pick up a manly back...

 

[CWC]

Have we even signed any backs for 2026? So many off contract

 

[Makasene]

Reports today Joey Manu's stint in Rugby is going poorly.

Team have won 1/8 and he is not seeing the ball or space.

Mid-season return to NRL an apparent option. Just imagine...

 

[Davo]

i'm fine with blooding the youngsters as the off season recruitment this year simply wasn't good enough, combined with some own goals like unneccesarily releasing players. However the spoon is never acceptable and would undo all the hard work the club has done lifting its image. We've never won the spoon, even in covid and other disasterous times. If we get the spoon it's enough for Webby to be on the chopping block.

you don`t win the spoon!!!

 

[SJ2k]

you don`t win the spoon!!!

You sure do, you win it for being the shittest club in the NRL. Never acceptable. Gotta give props to the warriors for never getting it considering we have by far the most disadvantages in the league. Tigers and knights getting it on repeat, while being based in Sydney, is utterly shameful.

 

[SJ2k]

Shit I forgot we released Setu Tu as well, great to see the Storm have picked him up so obviously zero potential . Really infuriating management from the club when generally they've been good overall. You'd think RTS was 23 and Kosi was a shining star with the way we destroyed our already shallow depth at wing.

Releasing Jazz for Clarke, that makes perfect sense. Releasing Setu Tu AND Montoya, then recruiting zero replacements is just absurd. Club has been doing some great work and the owner is fronting up the cash. It's clear we have an issue with recruitment and squad management however, need a big change there to round it out. JFH doesn't count since we got insanely lucky. Otherwise our last good recruiting year was under Brown, who for the most part smashed it.

 

[Noitall]

If there was any truth of a pursuit of NAS, I wonder if it would be to play 13 and we leave that ball playing lock role, until Erin Clark comes off the bench at least and our starting pack is designed for impact? Seems like you’d keep JFH and Barnett as your starting props and add NAS as another middle that would be hard to handle. Walker likely departs at the end of the year and that frees up $700k of NAS’s potential $900k salary

 

[WarriorsForever]

If there was any truth of a pursuit of NAS, I wonder if it would be to play 13 and we leave that ball playing lock role, until Erin Clark comes off the bench at least and our starting pack is designed for impact? Seems like you’d keep JFH and Barnett as your starting props and add NAS as another middle that would be hard to handle. Walker likely departs at the end of the year and that frees up $700k of NAS’s potential $900k salary

Who mentions that where after NAS?

 

[Noitall]

Who mentions that where after NAS?

Was just a rumour I saw on sharks forum I posted yesterday on here

 

[MrFrankWhite]

If there was any truth of a pursuit of NAS, I wonder if it would be to play 13 and we leave that ball playing lock role, until Erin Clark comes off the bench at least and our starting pack is designed for impact? Seems like you’d keep JFH and Barnett as your starting props and add NAS as another middle that would be hard to handle. Walker likely departs at the end of the year and that frees up $700k of NAS’s potential $900k salary

NAS at 13?! He has less laterall mobility than Barnett does

 

[run_it_str8_again]

NAS at 13?! He has less laterall mobility than Barnett does

NAS value is with ball in hand going forward and right in the middle on defence as third man in to hurt ball carriers. Lateral mobility seems to be a value and skill we don't rate. But boy when you see someone move sideways faster than you can sprint it's a thing of beauty applied in a defensive line.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Do we want Joey Manu? Can we afford Joey Manu? Does Joey Manu want to play for us? Does Joey Manu improve our team and if so in which jersey?