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 Fatialofa	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
-	Jye Linnane	-	✔	✔	✔
-	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: 24/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Jye Linnane (Newcastle Knights)
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Tanner Stowers-Smith
Off Contract from 01/11/25: Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Jacob Laban, Freddy Lussick, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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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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[tyrael]

We have Tauapiki waiting to take that FB spot. Kini and Jye Gray shown we can use small FB again in this era.

We need to target wingers with speed and 1 large human wrecking ball.

 

[Five&Last]

Jye Linnane is already out this whole season with his second ACL tear.

Hopefully he's not being seen as a TMM replacement if we were to release him.

I'd be rejecting any release request. We likely will need him at some point given Metcalf's history.

The CNK story is not all that surprising to me. I knew he wouldn't get a starting fullback gig at any other NRL club. Time to move on for both parties.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

man this thread is depressing. Every week new rumors of players ditching us.

 

[WA Warrior]

Jye Linnane is already out this whole season with his second ACL tear.

Hopefully he's not being seen as a TMM replacement if we were to release him.

I'd be rejecting any release request. We likely will need him at some point given Metcalf's history.

The CNK story is not all that surprising to me. I knew he wouldn't get a starting fullback gig at any other NRL club. Time to move on for both parties.

What’s your opinion on the Jye signing if true mate.
You have a lot of knowledge with our juniors.
We not resigning Hanson?
Jye to partner Cleary?
Just interested in your thoughts.

 

[dylpickle]

TMM off to superleauge and then metcalf about to have a child. Soon after a compassionate release is requested so he can be back in Aussie closer to family.

 

[Five&Last]

What’s your opinion on the Jye signing if true mate.
You have a lot of knowledge with our juniors.
We not resigning Hanson?
Jye to partner Cleary?
Just interested in your thoughts.

Yeah he's a good player but probably not worth it. To miss two consecutive years of development early on is a pretty big red flag.

 

[juju]

If we release TMM and CNK leaves after this season... our salary cap situation might have ludicrous space

 

[Matiunz]

man this thread is depressing. Every week new rumors of players ditching us.

Yep we seem to only just have a competitive squad (depth worries) and seems we are shedding decent players, I just don’t get it- particularly this late into the campaign

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Yep we seem to only just have a competitive squad (depth worries) and seems we are shedding decent players, I just don’t get it- particularly this late into the campaign

What confuses me about all this is I thought CG's phone was running hot. So where are the signings?

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Yep we seem to only just have a competitive squad (depth worries) and seems we are shedding decent players, I just don’t get it- particularly this late into the campaign

I can only assume that the club thinks our outside back situation is a crisis and our season hinges on an immediate fix.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

One other consideration is that transfer fees between UKSL and NRL clubs are usually a barrier that can't be overcome.

All this money available has to be spent. Do we spend 97.5% of the cap for this year on what is currently on our books or do we have a free pass to spend it on transfer fees given they are one year only expenses?

 

[snake77]

I'm not keen on another early release especially so early in the season. Unless we can some how get someone coming our way. At some point it is going to affect our season. Unless we get real lucky with injuries but the last few years show that is unlikely.

I can't pick the year but it does remind of a few instances in the past where going into the season there has been talk of the clubs depth in a specific position or positions. By the end of the season most of them had left.

We likely have some difficult decisions to make for 2026.

Having four first grade level halves on our books will stop development for the halves coming through. Hansen was playing a lot of NSW Cup last year and now he's back down a grade. The reports on Cleary's signing had him moving up to a first grade contract on a specific year. I can't recall the exact year.

CNK could be a case of not being able to match an offer made or they have decided in a change of direction.

 

[Davo]

man this thread is depressing. Every week new rumors of players ditching us.

that`s not how i read this!

 

[Beastmode]

When you think about losing SJ, Tohu and now Walker at reasonably short notice with no apparent replacements coming in, there must be a fair amount of cap to spend

Add in the players not signed for next season....

JFH must be offended by this comment

 

[Inruin]

JFH must be offended by this comment

Why? He replaced AFB.

 

[Beastmode]

Why? He replaced AFB.

oh yeah, i forgot about that big baby.

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

Unless Te Marie’s got some kids in the UK no one knows about, can’t be giving him a release mid season.

We’re one more outside back injury away from him needing to play first grade fullback, let alone halves cover too.

For next season, probably were never going to hang on to him, the club has decided it wants the younger halves. He’s too good to be a straight backup. Like he’s better than both the roosters halves at this point in time.

CNK style of play won’t lead to a long and glorious twilight of his career, he’s contributed a heap but think that is letting go at the right time.

They could afford to make (choose any young fullback) one of the highest paid players in the game if they wanted to.

 

[SJ2k]

100% cannot release him or CNK. Time to put a fork in it.

 

[roguei]

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

Wild that according to this CNK would reject a extension and go to the UK instead. Especially after the club has backed him so much, when they had many justifiable reasons to drop him from fullback. Never took him for someone who would turn back on that kind of good will.
TMM looking to sign to another club makes sense, what is really weird is sigining to a UK club... Makes sense from the lepords prespective as they are turning to shit at the moment and are looking for a half. And some of there fans are saying they want amone or clifford for there last spot. Would be interesting if it turns out to just be a loan deal.
As Jye Linnane i have no idea.

I as usual do not totally trust any aussie leaks about this club. Only one that seems to hold in my head is the lepords trying to get TMM.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

100% cannot release him or CNK. Time to put a fork in it.

Agree mate! You have our blessing to go but not till the sesson ends.

There needs to a rule that a top 30 player can't move once the season starts.