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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This thread is solely for Warriors recruitment and retention discussion. Any posts not related to the above will be deleted.

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Please be mindful of what you are posting in this thread before clicking the reply button. Zero Tolerance to offtopic chat.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

When/if MH puts on a Warriors jersey, I'll support him whole heartedly.

If we are looking for injury cover on a short-term, low-risk contract I'd rather we signed someone in NSW/QLD Cup who is there and thereabouts, but hasn't had their chance. A journeyman or a rookie. That way they get an opportunity and either take it or don't.

I'm against selecting a player down to FG experience alone. I feel like we know what Harper can offer, and it is short of the expectation of FG. I don't see the benefit of signing him over the above option. I'm especially wary of players whose greatest drawback is defence as that sends the whole team into a panic.

It is up to Harper to make some of us look like chumps, and I hope he does.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Like an above poster said. Losing the likes of SJ, AFB, Harris, Jazz, Monty etc. creates a certain level of recruitment expectation that the Warriors head honchos are falling well short of fulfilling. Poor old Harper feels the weight of a disappointed fanbase, and so the reaction to a signing like his is amplified.

It seems to be really hard to get players to come over at the moment. The Dolphins entering the comp made it more difficult to pick up players from a diminished player pool. Teams are making much more effort to retain their roster these days. With the other challenges the club faces to recruitment in general (which are significant) we are really up against it.

One silver lining is the effort to sign up our really good youth to long-term contracts. Retention is as important as a new shiny toy

 

[WarriorsForever]

Like everyone else, pretty skeptical about this one but whoever dons a warriors shirt I’ll support.


View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DGhaUpOpSHk/?igsh=MWpvMXc1YjBsZDkxMA==

 

[SJ2k]

When/if MH puts on a Warriors jersey, I'll support him whole heartedly.

If we are looking for injury cover on a short-term, low-risk contract I'd rather we signed someone in NSW/QLD Cup who is there and thereabouts, but hasn't had their chance. A journeyman or a rookie. That way they get an opportunity and either take it or don't.

I'm against selecting a player down to FG experience alone. I feel like we know what Harper can offer, and it is short of the expectation of FG. I don't see the benefit of signing him over the above option. I'm especially wary of players whose greatest drawback is defence as that sends the whole team into a panic.

It is up to Harper to make some of us look like chumps, and I hope he does.

Fuck I'd love for him and Boyd to make us look like chumps. As it is, jesus we've scraped the barrel this off season.

 

[Spence]

Like everyone else, pretty skeptical about this one but whoever dons a warriors shirt I’ll support.


View: https://www.instagram.com/p/DGhaUpOpSHk/?igsh=MWpvMXc1YjBsZDkxMA==

He sounds like someone who realises he’s on his last chance - I hope he can be humble and grab it. I wasn’t thrilled about the signing news, but always going to give someone a chance to prove themselves in the jersey. I hope he has a good year here, regardless of playing situation.

 

[Too much]

Who knows how it turns out for Harper, but damn those videos on social look like a man short on confidence and grateful for the opportunity. The eyes tell a story. Lets get behind the bro…club clearly sees an opportunity for him to contribute in some way.

 

[Aman 2.0]

Bro Harper is literally my least liked player behind Erin Clarke.

Will have to change teams.

disgusting

 

[Aman 2.0]

Fucking released Montoya just to sign Harper.

If JFH wasn’t forced to come home I’d honestly call for clean out at warriors HQ.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Yous got what you wanted.

WhO iS "yOuS"? Sure as fuck not me. I power chucked when I heard the news.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Confirmed. Morgan will join our top 30 for this season.

Morgan Harper signs with NRL team for 2025

He last played for the Parramatta Eels.

www.zerotackle.com

Nah. Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! It's true!!!! You know what, Sack WEBBY!!!! NOW!! START A THREAD!

 

[WarriorsForever]

Dylan Walker is apparently keen to remain at the club and sign an extension, but is not ruling out a move back home to Sydney.

EXCLUSIVE: Dylan Walker drops hint on contract talks and future plans

He is off-contract at the end of the season.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[WA Warrior]

Dylan Walker is apparently keen to remain at the club and sign an extension, but is not ruling out a move back home to Sydney.

EXCLUSIVE: Dylan Walker drops hint on contract talks and future plans

He is off-contract at the end of the season.

www.zerotackle.com

Would be very happy resigning for 1 year and see how he’s travelling next season.
Brings another angle for our attack, we will miss him when he’s gone imo.

 

[MurrayTD]

Geez it really is hard to take how often we miss out on players! It feels like such a battle to even sign a 2nd/3rd tier option, it becomes soul destroying.
The last 100 pages and we haven’t signed dick! Tanah Boyd is it..
Yet other clubs seem to sign endless first tier options and no one bats an eyelid, the system is crooked and seriously starting become depressing.
Always loyal, just want an even playing field for our team, admin, supporters.

A quick update to my above post, I thought we were at the bottom then... Nek minute, step on down or aside if a tackle is needed..Morgan Harper*. I feel sick, this is putrid...Morgan and Boyd to replace AFB, SJ, Captain Tohu and MM....This is legendary Warriors!

*I am sure MH is a good human, I am not attacking the person but the player and our recruitment.

 

[LeagueJunkie]

Horrible signing but what's done, is done.

 

[Dantheman]

Man there are some huge sooks in here. Harper is a depth signing nothing more. I'd rather have him going out there when called upon than a 19yr old kid who clearly isn't ready - you would end up doing more damage than good.

 

[Naynay]

A quick update to my above post, I thought we were at the bottom then... Nek minute, step on down or aside if a tackle is needed..Morgan Harper*. I feel sick, this is putrid...Morgan and Boyd to replace AFB, SJ, Captain Tohu and MM....This is legendary Warriors!

*I am sure MH is a good human, I am not attacking the person but the player.

I dont think these are replacements. Teams need depth and someones experience is the best thing when you are a point where the teams so chopped with injuries. Wouldn't expect boyd or harper to get the call up unless the team is desperate.

Boyd would probably need Metcalf and TMM to be injured at the same time to get a look in, and harper is probably closer just cause we are starting with 2 outside backs injured would probably need another 2 injuries for a look.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

At some point in the season , we'll see this backline.

CNK
Kosi
Harper
Pompey
Rts
TMM
Boyd

oooon man......I'm so sad.

Enough hating now. ...I've done my hating for the year

 

[sup42]

Lot of bloody couch coaches on this forum. Yes its not Staggs or Mulitalo but did you honestly think we’d be getting one of those for 25’?

Well this is the thing I find hardest to understand since ninety five.

The Warriors have never signed a Cameron Smith, a Jonathan Thurston, a Darren Lockeyer, nor a Cooper Cronk, nor Billy Slater.

The closest the Warriors have come to that type of signing was Reece Walsh, and he was here for money and buggered off as soon as he was able.

Yet these recruitment threads are full of delusional posters thinking somehow magically we should be in with a fair shot at one of the better outside backs in the NRL.

What the hell are these people smoking?

Sure it happens once in a blue moon but this thread is called the recruitment thread not the blue moon one in a million outside chance thread.

Why anyone would be surprised we ended up landing a nobody given our lack of street cred as a market trader on the big boys trading floor just spins my wheels.

I am happy with any signing we make because as a Warriors realist I realise that anytime the Warriors attract anyone.....anyone....is a good day. And I have thirty years of experience to back my position up.

News flash, no one in the NRL proper outside of Auckland wakes up in the morning hoping they get drafted by the Auckland Warriors....NO ONE....start from there and adjust your settings accordingly for a more realistic understanding of the Warriors.

 

[Aman 2.0]

Well this is the thing I find hardest to understand since ninety five.

The Warriors have never signed a Cameron Smith, a Jonathan Thurston, a Darren Lockeyer, nor a Cooper Cronk, nor Billy Slater.

The closest the Warriors have come to that type of signing was Reece Walsh, and he was here for money and buggered off as soon as he was able.

Yet these recruitment threads are full of delusional posters thinking somehow magically we should be in with a fair shot at one of the better outside backs in the NRL.

What the hell are these people smoking?

Sure it happens once in a blue moon but this thread is called the recruitment thread not the blue moon one in a million outside chance thread.

Why anyone would be surprised we ended up landing a nobody given our lack of street cred as a market trader on the big boys trading floor just spins my wheels.

I am happy with any signing we make because as a Warriors realist I realise that anytime the Warriors attract anyone.....anyone....is a good day. And I have thirty years of experience to back my position up.

Yea I’m not getting onboard with this povo happy to receive some crumbs once in a while mentality.

We have the ability and cap to land some big fish once in a while and those are the players the public tune in to watch.

Not fucking Morgan Harper.

 

[sup42]

Yea I’m not getting onboard with this povo happy to receive some crumbs once in a while mentality.

We have the ability and cap to land some big fish once in a while and those are the players the public tune in to watch.

Not fucking Morgan Harper.

Yeah ok name a single season where we matched the Australian clubs for named signings.

Let me save you the google search there are none. The closest the club came they got done for busting the Salary cap for Wiki and Price (coz second news flash we pay overs for names).

Either be happy with crumbs as you put it or keep whinning for the next thirty years.