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	✔	✔	✔
-	Jye Linnane	-	✔	✔	✔
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: 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

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[Cces]

McFadden and Webster are definitely hoarding halves they don’t even want to release TMM early

One thing that I find odd about their recruitment of halves is that they often sign guys like Luke Hanson, and Ben Farr before him, who have grown up playing Fullback and are reluctant kickers. Case in point is Hanson has kicked a grand total of 70m in his 154 mins of Cup in the last fortnight

 

[defensivebomb]

Does anyone know if we have signed Ponga and Manu yet?

 

[Blain]

Yeah, the Webby thing confuses me.. I thought for sure that rumour was wrong when it first came up, but the fact that he has been named dropped again as being managed by him through this Galvin thing, I guess it is correct?

When he first came in, I recall Mohawk saying he didn't have a manager, and he liked that about him.

Feels very dickish of Webby to have not had a manager, and then after becoming coach of a team that had a public spat about not dealing with Moses, would sign with Moses?

Maybe Webby was always managed by him, but Moses just wasn't directly involved in negotiations? Just an advisor-ey thing?

Who brought up Webster being managed by Moses recently? I know Fox ran that story last year a couple times, but I was sure that was bullshit. Don't believe we have any Moses players, and don't expect any/many after the Lodge and owner situation.

 

[Cces]

I've thrown out the feelers to see if the Cove Agency do represent Andrew Webster. Will update if I get a response.

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Who brought up Webster being managed by Moses recently? I know Fox ran that story last year a couple times, but I was sure that was bullshit. Don't believe we have any Moses players, and don't expect any/many after the Lodge and owner situation.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/wh...uch-influence-on-the-nrl-20250415-p5lrsv.html

"Moses’ Cove Agency manages some of the NRL’s biggest names, from established stars Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks to young guns Lachlan Galvin and Blaize Talagi. He also has a slew of head coaches – including Newcastle’s Adam O’Brien, St George Illawarra’s Shane Flanagan, Manly’s Anthony Seibold, New Zealand’s Andrew Webster and North Queensland’s Todd Payten – on his books."

Could easily be the SMH recycling the same incorrect info- hopefully @Cces's eyes up footy will get us a definitive answer lol

 

[Boston Boy]

I didn’t realise webby was managed by Issac Moses

W

Tobias Crosby doing those Nordic exercises that he said were to strengthen his hamstrings.

That kids is amazing, I think he has Amazing drive and talent. He also has a good head on his shoulders. I would back him to some good things.

 

[roguei]

IMO. Keeping CNK, let alone upgrading him. Suggests to me that there’s no big name players coming. And it also stunts the development of Taine.

The “Bye round” also suggested that the Tigers should go hard for Metcalf.

Prefect time a warriors classic "compassionate grounds" for metcalf. Just had a kid and as he starts to get better at his role. I guess its better that he is tested on his willingness to stay when given offers now, instead of at the end of the year when we have given him a lot of game time.

 

[Sammyw]

premature call but metcalf isnt a 7 and him requesting a compassionate release is lowkey the only way we abandon metcalf at 7, webby is wedded to it..

 

[Theking267]

Yeah we do tend to turn lot’s of players into 6’s at the moment. Probably only have 2 actually 7’s in Tanah Boyd & Jett Cleary. No surprise Webby has Moses as an agent. Stephen Kearney was managed by him along with Payton. Seems to be Moses base out west.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Prefect time a warriors classic "compassionate grounds" for metcalf. Just had a kid and as he starts to get better at his role. I guess its better that he is tested on his willingness to stay when given offers now, instead of at the end of the year when we have given him a lot of game time.

To be clear, they were just spitballing.
But it doesn’t take a rocket to figure it out.
Metcalf can negotiate for November. Let’s face it. It’s 50/50. (For any NSW club)

In a roundabout way, we kinda want Latu Fainu to at least hold the Tigers interest.

Which brings me back to the point I was making earlier in the year about Tanah Boyd. And our need to always have at least one Kiwi half. That atm is CHT. That way we’re less likely to be completely fucked.

What if Boyd and Metcalf were our starting halves, and one or heaven forbid both leave at the end of the year. We just completely wasted 2025.

 

[3rdstriker]

To be clear, they were just spitballing.
But it doesn’t take a rocket to figure it out.
Metcalf can negotiate for November. Let’s face it. It’s 50/50. (For any NSW club)

In a roundabout way, we kinda want Latu Fainu to at least hold the Tigers interest.

Which brings me back to the point I was making earlier in the year about Tanah Boyd. And our need to always have at least one Kiwi half. That atm is CHT. That way we’re less likely to be completely fucked.

What if Boyd and Metcalf were our starting halves, and one or heaven forbid both leave at the end of the year. We just completely wasted 2025.

We have invested so much into Metcalf in terms of Injuries/growth production he needs to give us something in return, which he's starting to.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

We have invested so much into Metcalf in terms of Injuries/growth production he needs to give us something in return, which he's starting to.

If we are desperate enough to put Jett in first grade in the event that we lose Metcalf, I would give him four years to succeed

 

[sup42]

Prefect time a warriors classic "compassionate grounds" for metcalf. Just had a kid and as he starts to get better at his role. I guess its better that he is tested on his willingness to stay when given offers now, instead of at the end of the year when we have given him a lot of game time.

As an employer that wants to be a player in the NRL player market place, you cannot operate on this principle of 'what if'.

To secure people from Australia in the first place the Warriors have to create this image where they seem not to care when players need compassionate releases despite all the resources we have poured into them.

Ötherwise we become this far away Island of work where this cloud of expectation hangs over all of our Australians that they will pay us back.

Ergo a complication that players in Sydney who hop from club to club don't have to worry about.

I can see what the Warriors are doing by treating everyone as though they are long termers while letting the same players go, they are ridding us of this village far away point of difference to the rest of the comp.

And it is working.

 

[Leon Black]

Mail out of Tiger town, Lachie Galvin will join Dogs from 2027, Tigers want Burton in exchange if Dogs want Galvin from 26.

Gould come out today defending Galvin, adds more truth to murmurs.

 

[Noitall]

New Zealand Warriors table monster upgrade for Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad amid Super League interest – Total Rugby League

www.totalrl.com

Interesting talk of a monster upgrade. Seems like a click bait story, but 2 years offered

 

[Inruin]

New Zealand Warriors table monster upgrade for Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad amid Super League interest – Total Rugby League

www.totalrl.com

Interesting talk of a monster upgrade. Seems like a click bait story, but 2 years offered

Aren't they off contract at the end of this year so clubs were free to start negotiating with CNK and TMM from 1st November last year?

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Mail out of Tiger town, Lachie Galvin will join Dogs from 2027, Tigers want Burton in exchange if Dogs want Galvin from 26.

Gould come out today defending Galvin, adds more truth to murmurs.

I always wonder what could have happened if Gus remained with us instead of moving to the dogs. He’s so influential in getting signings over the dotted line.

 

[Leon Black]

I always wonder what could have happened if Gus remained with us instead of moving to the dogs. He’s so influential in getting signings over the dotted line.

He was with us for his own agenda… setting up future contacts for the Dogs.

Guy is one of the biggest hypocrites in the game, can’t believe a word he says.

Classic example Addo-Carr incident last season. Bloke couldn’t lie straight in bed!

 

[Naynay]

He was with us for his own agenda… setting up future contacts for the Dogs.

Guy is one of the biggest hypocrites in the game, can’t believe a word he says.

Classic example Addo-Carr incident last season. Bloke couldn’t lie straight in bed!

I do subscribe to the idea that he wanted some fingers in the New Zealand development area.

Panthers to New Zealand would be to large talents pools that greatly expand his value to potential future employers.

 

[j_p]

He was with us for his own agenda… setting up future contacts for the Dogs.

I don't know about that, I think him leaving due to covid lockdowns was genuine. Didn't he help bring reece walsh over?