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
-	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

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[sup42]

Respectfully, I would disagree; depending on his attitude.

I agree, he's an incredible player.

I agree, he's an absolute star.

However, we've seen the effects of having massive stars in the team.

SJ - was heavily relied upon, until it broke him and he went elsewhere.

RTS - similar story to SJ.

AFB - we know what happened there.

Other than his propensity to milk penalities, I liked CNK; purely because he was a team player. Not flashy, not egotistical, a team player.

JFH was a massive signing because he elevates those around him. As mentioned by a previous poster, I suspect we are seeing this as one of the big reasons why Penrith don't look as robust as the moment.

I think you only have to see how the knights play, without Ponga, to consider how much he jams up their attack with individual play.

To me, our biggest stars have to be JFH and Barney. They are the captains. They set the attitude. What we need is someone who understands where their place is, knows that they aren't going to be the big dicks in the room and is the receptive to the notion that they may be playing in a system that requires them to listen and change.

Ideally, we would be looking at someone out of a systems focused team like the Storm.

All fair.
But you are basing it on an assumption that there would be any ego or status issues with Ponga.

Those issues tend to arise in team environments where there is not a well established Alpha in the team - we have one in JFH that has impeccable pedigree.

JFH would offset any big fish in small pond worries imo were we lucky enough to get Ponga.

Also it strikes me that Ponga should he come here would be doing so primarily on the basis of connection with his roots....which is a journey in humility - again JFH would be the figure to support him in that with good outcomes for us.

Anyway I don't know why I am wasting electronic trees typing this, probably would never happen.

 

[SJ2k]

I'd give it a 20% chance this news is real in any way shape or form. 1% chance of it being someone of the calibre of Ponga. It would be an absolute coup of a signing if we got him, and we're in exactly the right spot to pay up for a star given our transition to young internally recruited players over the next few years. With players like Niukore and Capewell coming off the books for Halasima/Laban (even with upgrades) and our insanely budget halves, filling a gap with a star would be just too perfect. Would take a lot of pressure off the halves and Egan too.

If Ponga actually came here, after JFH coming this year, it would be a sign of some kind of movement similar to what happened with Tonga and Samoa going from duds to studs. Too much to hope for.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

I wouldn't trade them for anyone

Come on? Payne Haas + Addin Fonua Blake for Fesh & Cheps? You wouldn't? Gummmon!! Lol.

Nah, Love our props!

 

[Bevosa]

I would absolutely love Ponga at the club, but it will probably be William Kennedy, off contract 2025, "sigh"

 

[Canonball]

I would absolutely love Ponga at the club, but it will probably be William Kennedy, off contract 2025, "sigh"

Lol - would not take Kennedy over anyone we currently have, prob not even Doyle... I'm worn out by these Ponga something rumours, honestly if we get him great! but yeah, he's also not the answer to zero premierships ... we've got something brewing with our forwards already, just waiting for the talented playmakers to come thru from lower grades now

 

[Sammyw]

if it isnt a marquee super star level signing at fullback just give TT the keys and use Rog as cover

 

[SJ2k]

Lol - would not take Kennedy over anyone we currently have, prob not even Doyle... I'm worn out by these Ponga something rumours, honestly if we get him great! but yeah, he's also not the answer to zero premierships ... we've got something brewing with our forwards already, just waiting for the talented playmakers to come thru from lower grades now

I mean I agree the answer will be the next SJ coming through at the same time as our club being run properly and having stacked club forwards. However that's at least five years away realistically. I'd like to win as many games as possible in the mean time.

 

[Noitall]

I would absolutely love Ponga at the club, but it will probably be William Kennedy, off contract 2025, "sigh"

Reckon the club couldn’t have made more of an impression when we got over knights at home in the qualifying final to a packed stadium in full voice. For anyone to consider whoever the player speculated about is, to be a potential Warriors greatest signing, you’d have to think it would be someone of his calibre

 

[Adamnz support]

Respectfully, I would disagree; depending on his attitude.

I agree, he's an incredible player.

I agree, he's an absolute star.

However, we've seen the effects of having massive stars in the team.

SJ - was heavily relied upon, until it broke him and he went elsewhere.

RTS - similar story to SJ.

AFB - we know what happened there.

Other than his propensity to milk penalities, I liked CNK; purely because he was a team player. Not flashy, not egotistical, a team player.

JFH was a massive signing because he elevates those around him. As mentioned by a previous poster, I suspect we are seeing this as one of the big reasons why Penrith don't look as robust as the moment.

I think you only have to see how the knights play, without Ponga, to consider how much he jams up their attack with individual play.

To me, our biggest stars have to be JFH and Barney. They are the captains. They set the attitude. What we need is someone who understands where their place is, knows that they aren't going to be the big dicks in the room and is the receptive to the notion that they may be playing in a system that requires them to listen and change.

Ideally, we would be looking at someone out of a systems focused team like the Storm.

I agree with what you say but we didn’t break SJ, we went in a different direction, he would have been a warrior for life if it was his choice. We also didn’t break RTS, he went to fulfill a life long dream of becoming a AB, did it (to some degree) realised it wasn’t working out in rugby & came back. AFB seemed like an ego/I want to be back in Australia thing…

 

[Ref]

I’d say TMM stays with the club for another 2 years. Both parties satisfied.

 

[~Navigator~]

I’d say TMM stays with the club for another 2 years. Both parties satisfied.

He came home and is enjoying life, so he is not going to need a huge pay cheque to pay the bill's and enjoy his hunting lifestyle

 

[Noitall]

I’d say TMM stays with the club for another 2 years. Both parties satisfied.

Sort of felt like his comment saying they’ll want to keep you now when CNK had a big one was directed at the club?