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	Morgan Harper	✔
13	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
14	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
15	Edward Kosi	✔
16	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
17	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
18	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
19	Te Maire Martin	✔
20	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
23	Adam Pompey	✔	✔	✔
24	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔
25	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
26	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
27	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
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: 28/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 23/30
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

---

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

Repeat offenders will have their access to this page limited.

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

 

[Tookey 2.0]

I'm not sure about that, seems like he was just given an early release to get a longer contract as he probably wasn't seen in the long term plans.

Isn't that a compassionate release tho? We're chosing to end the contract early, so that they can get a longer deal which suits their young whanau

 

[Playdaball]

compassionate

It was not compassionate , the club didn’t offer him a contract. He was not on big $$ either - bad call when Kosi and Harper are the next wingers in line and neither is really a first grade player.

 

[kos]

Article by Michael Caryianis News corp papers today Aus
On Spine Health

Warriors
CNK to reject NZW contract extension for a Super League offer
TMM looking at immediate offer to join Leigh
Newcastle half young guy to sign long term contract with NZW name Jye Linnane

Warriors spine rated C for health
All other teams rated A or B

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Article by Michael Caryianis News corp papers today Aus
On Spine Health

Warriors
CNK to reject NZW contract extension for a Super League offer
TMM looking at immediate offer to join Leigh
Newcastle half young guy to sign long term contract with NZW name Jye Linnane

Warriors spine rated C for health
All other teams rated A or B

Big news

 

[kos]

Big news

Pisses me off about TMM
But lets wait and see if any truth.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Looks like more compassionate releases will be on the cards. How great it is to be a warriors fan

 

[Ever Hopeful]

If TMM is going it would say to me that we are really scraping together coin for a big'un in an all or nothing move.

TMM's comments on social media to CNK make sense now if they are both feeling unwanted/lowballed.

I love CNK's commitment to the club and his versatility. I'd love to have him as a (Pompey-type) squad man. Reduced, but longer term contract.

 

[Noitall]

Article by Michael Caryianis News corp papers today Aus
On Spine Health

Warriors
CNK to reject NZW contract extension for a Super League offer
TMM looking at immediate offer to join Leigh
Newcastle half young guy to sign long term contract with NZW name Jye Linnane

Warriors spine rated C for health
All other teams rated A or B

What does spine health mean? How good the spine is? Or it’s injury concerns?

 

[kos]

What does spine health mean? How good the spine is? Or it’s injury concerns?

He hasnt said what it means.
I take it to mean long term health.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

If TMM is going it would say to me that we are really scraping together coin for a big'un.

TMM's comments on social media to CNK make sense now if they are both feeling unwanted/lowballed.

I love CNK's commitment to the club and his versatility. I'd love to have him as a (Pompey-type) squad man. Reduced, but longer term contract.

I feel that if we wanted to, with TMM and CNK leaving we would easily have enough money to offer Cobbo and DCE 1 million dollar contacts for 2026 and 2027.

I feel that one of the big factors to winning a comp is the importance of having 2-5 really top rookies who are just starting to hit their straps as NRL players, but haven't had that big pay day yet. All of Leka, Vaumunga, Ali and Laban will be due big contracts probably between 2027-2029, so if we were able to add 2 huge signings with x factor and a strong kicking game in DCE and Cobbo it immediately puts us in the frame for the big dance in 2026 and 2027.

Two mecenary signings in key areas for the nek 2 years, to help bridge the gap between our other outside backs and Cleary in the halves being ready moving forward.

 

[Noitall]

Wouldn’t think these two were on huge contracts, but middle of the the road contracts I would have thought but we must have a huge amount of salary cap spare

 

[Noitall]

He hasnt said what it means.
I take it to mean long term health.

That being the case and this news, surely we’re looking to add to the spine? Linnane is highly rated and looks a taller five eighth, but looks to have had some injury concerns in recent times

 

[Dannevegas]

The only loss imo is Martin especially if he leaves this year. I rate jye Linaan tho, so hoping that parts true.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Article by Michael Caryianis News corp papers today Aus
On Spine Health

Warriors
CNK to reject NZW contract extension for a Super League offer
TMM looking at immediate offer to join Leigh
Newcastle half young guy to sign long term contract with NZW name Jye Linnane

Warriors spine rated C for health
All other teams rated A or B

I would have thought with the lack of halves in the NRL TMM could have got a contract with another NRL club?

 

[Wrighty]

From the knights forum

Jye Linnane is the nephew of former Knights halfback Steve Linnane.
He is the son of Kurri Kurri player and coach Danny Linnane.
He played Harold Mathews for the Knights in 2021 and 2022. Those were 2 of the very few years the Knights have missed the finals in Mathews in the last 15 years, finishing 8th and 12th.
Despite the team struggling, Linnane was a standout for the side. He was a smallish running 5/8 who frequently scored individual tries, using his speed and surprising strength for a little guy.
He started 2023 in SG Ball, but was dropped to Laurie Daley cup (under 18s) to make way for a half we bought from Qld named Travis May.
In 2 games of Laurie Daley Cup Linnane was unstoppable, scoring 5 tries in 2 games. Linnane was recalled to Ball and Travis May is now at Parramatta. SG Ball were unlucky to lose the Grandfinal in 2023 by 6 points. Linnane played 5/8 in the GF.
At the end of the Ball season Linnane was selected for Country under 18s V City. Country were selected from the Laurie Daley cup, so he did enough in his 2 games of LD Cup to be selected as the best 5/8. I didn't see the game but have heard he was Country's best.
After the Ball season in 2023 Linnane played 1 game for Kurri Kurri, coached by his father, and was then called into the Knights Jersey Flegg side, 2 years young.
He played out the season as 5/8 in Flegg.
At the end of 2023 he started his first firstgrade pre-season and was the youngest in the squad. He stayed with the squad right till the end of pre-season and was as fit as most.
He started in SG Ball in 2024 and injured his ACL in the first game, requiring knee surgery. He didn't play again in 2024.
He has retuned for his second pre-season, 9kg heavier then last year. He is now about the same size as Crossland and just as strong and fit for a small guy, but much faster (if his knee hasn't slowed him down).
His profile ha been added to the fistgrade list, I presume as a development player, although that hasn't been announced.

 

[Noitall]

From the knights forum

Jye Linnane is the nephew of former Knights halfback Steve Linnane.
He is the son of Kurri Kurri player and coach Danny Linnane.
He played Harold Mathews for the Knights in 2021 and 2022. Those were 2 of the very few years the Knights have missed the finals in Mathews in the last 15 years, finishing 8th and 12th.
Despite the team struggling, Linnane was a standout for the side. He was a smallish running 5/8 who frequently scored individual tries, using his speed and surprising strength for a little guy.
He started 2023 in SG Ball, but was dropped to Laurie Daley cup (under 18s) to make way for a half we bought from Qld named Travis May.
In 2 games of Laurie Daley Cup Linnane was unstoppable, scoring 5 tries in 2 games. Linnane was recalled to Ball and Travis May is now at Parramatta. SG Ball were unlucky to lose the Grandfinal in 2023 by 6 points. Linnane played 5/8 in the GF.
At the end of the Ball season Linnane was selected for Country under 18s V City. Country were selected from the Laurie Daley cup, so he did enough in his 2 games of LD Cup to be selected as the best 5/8. I didn't see the game but have heard he was Country's best.
After the Ball season in 2023 Linnane played 1 game for Kurri Kurri, coached by his father, and was then called into the Knights Jersey Flegg side, 2 years young.
He played out the season as 5/8 in Flegg.
At the end of 2023 he started his first firstgrade pre-season and was the youngest in the squad. He stayed with the squad right till the end of pre-season and was as fit as most.
He started in SG Ball in 2024 and injured his ACL in the first game, requiring knee surgery. He didn't play again in 2024.
He has retuned for his second pre-season, 9kg heavier then last year. He is now about the same size as Crossland and just as strong and fit for a small guy, but much faster (if his knee hasn't slowed him down).
His profile ha been added to the fistgrade list, I presume as a development player, although that hasn't been announced.

Thought he looked taller than that and thought Crossland was too if they’re a similar size. But Crossland is only 183cm

 

[JaggedJ]

No surprises here. TMM is the odd one out with us making room for our increasing number of junior Aussie halves.

The fullback situation is curious though. We started the year with two fullbacks on the wing, but if either of them go to the back then we

 

[Noitall]

I would have thought with the lack of halves in the NRL TMM could have got a contract with another NRL club?

Must be for a pay day? Even though nrl teams might be keen, I couldn’t see him getting a big salary. Adrian Lam coach and Lachlan Lam halfback at Leigh, so obviously five eighth of fullback he’s going to play there. Issac Liu, Aaron Pene and Alec Tuitavake there with recent nrl experience. This is for the best if he’s not in Warriors plans because he’s far too good for nsw cup. Would imagine CNK is for a pay day too, seems really close with JFH but another that if he’s not in our plans, he’s too good to be playing reserves or not getting games

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

It would be sad to see CNK go but let's be honest, these are the hard decisions that need to be made, we have some young talent coming through, I'm happy with Hansen stepping up, fullback is the concern for me.

Jaylen De Groot looks handy and could push Tuaupiki for a starting spot.

Clayton Faulalo is another one that would be handy, Kade Dykes also. These guys are all behind at thier respective clubs.

Would love to see what Tallan Egan can do at the back.

 

[Dannevegas]

It would be sad to see CNK go but let's be honest, these are the hard decisions that need to be made, we have some young talent coming through, I'm happy with Hansen stepping up, fullback is the concern for me.

Jaylen De Groot looks handy and could push Tuaupiki for a starting spot.

Clayton Faulalo is another one that would be handy, Kade Dykes also. These guys are all behind at thier respective clubs.

Would love to see what Tallan Egan can do at the back.

De Groot is a good shout, would be my first choice fullback at the club. We have to be signing someone pretty soon with all the early releases we’re giving.