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	The Greatest of All-Time	✔	✔
5	Kurt Capewell	✔	✔
6	Erin Clark	✔	✔	✔
7	Wayde Egan	✔	✔	✔
8	James Fisher-Harris	✔	✔	✔	✔
9	Jackson Ford	✔
10	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔
11	Tohu Harris	✔
12	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	M
13	Edward Kosi	✔
14	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
15	Ali Leiataua	✔
16	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
17	Zyon Maiu’u	✔	✔
18	Te Maire Martin	✔
19	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
20	Marcelo Montoya	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
23	Motu Pasikala	✔	✔	✔
24	Adam Pompey	✔
25	Demitric Sifakula	✔	C
26	Taine Tuaupiki	✔
27	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
28	Dylan Walker	✔
29	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔
D1	Kalani Going	D
D2	Tanner Stowers-Smith	D
T1	Jett Cleary	T	D	D

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, D = Development contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Confirmed Development 2025: 2/6
Unconfirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Unconfirmed Development 2025: 3/6 (Luke Hanson, per Zero Tackle)

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 13/30
Confirmed Development 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Jackson Ford, Tohu Harris, Ed Kosi, Ali Leiataua, Te Maire Martin, Marcelo Montoya, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Adam Pompey, Taine Tuaupiki, Dylan Walker, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Kalani Going (D), Tanner Stowers-Smith (D), Chanel Harris-Tavita (M), Demitric Sifakula (C)

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[Playdaball]

A UK article states that Jackson Hastings does not want to return to the SL and wants to remain in the NRL.
I know there is talk that he can get off side with players but he could do a Jeff Robson ( perhaps not a great example) one year role, until the young guys come up to speed.
There will be injuries in the halves with Metcalf, TMM and CHT bound to get injured throughout the season , otherwise get SJ to mentor TT into the halves.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

A UK article states that Jackson Hastings does not want to return to the SL and wants to remain in the NRL.
I know there is talk that he can get off side with players but he could do a Jeff Robson ( perhaps not a great example) one year role, until the young guys come up to speed.
There will be injuries in the halves with Metcalf, TMM and CHT bound to get injured throughout the season , otherwise get SJ to mentor TT into the halves.

Note this is my personal opinion.

Guy has had a history of being a dick even coming through the grades. Got into 2 fights with DCE and rumours of some post match fights with team mates in the SL. Fell out with the Roosters squad. Just seems like poison and the Knights are willing to pay freight so some else has to deal with his shit.

 

[Inruin]

It wasn’t like SJ was our only threat in 2023 - Tohu was excellent, CNK offered plenty from fullback, others had their best seasons ever. Now we’ve lost our best player from 2024. I think there’s a lot of ground to make up to get even close to 2023.

Yes, AFB is the biggest loss for us out of the players leaving. I was just replying to your comment around who replaces the dominant playmaker of SJ from 2023. My thoughts are that if we can get a reasonably injury free run and consistent team selection then there is enough there to be more than competitive.

Tohu, SJ and CNK throat came largely from a right side dominant play book. With the above we are far less predictable and have more options IMO

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Note this is my personal opinion.

Guy has had a history of being a dick even coming through the grades. Got into 2 fights with DCE and rumours of some post match fights with team mates in the SL. Fell out with the Roosters squad. Just seems like poison and the Knights are willing to pay freight so some else has to deal with his shit.

100% hell no to Hastings

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I will say if Webby actually was just treading water this year, planning for a clean out and full rebuild with juniors next year, I will give him his flowers.

There's been just enough movement and talk in the last 4 weeks to make me think I may have underestimated his craftiness and hard edge. Letting Jazz and Montoya walk, RTS to wing etc, are all big calls.

 

[Cces]

A UK article states that Jackson Hastings does not want to return to the SL and wants to remain in the NRL.
I know there is talk that he can get off side with players but he could do a Jeff Robson ( perhaps not a great example) one year role, until the young guys come up to speed.
There will be injuries in the halves with Metcalf, TMM and CHT bound to get injured throughout the season , otherwise get SJ to mentor TT into the halves.

I don't mind Hastings as a player but not sure he'd be a good stop gap or if he'd be a good mentor to the next in line. Seems like he needs to be the main man & someone who needs a team built around him for it to be successful rather than a plug & play type in an existing system. Could have been the ideal #7 for the Dolphins to begin with

 

[kos]

I don't mind Hastings as a player but not sure if he'd be a good stop gap or he'd be a good mentor to the next in line. Seems like he needs to be the main man & someone who needs a team built around him for it to be successful then a plug & play type

He has a toxic effect on team environment our Mr Hastings
No -no-no

 

[chrisnz]

eels saga hasn't played out yet could very well get brown and all the dominos will fall when the seasons actually over with hunt reportedly going to titans that may start the halves merry go round also cnk looked good at 6 in his one game there metcalf has been viewed as an option at 7 i mean we have a couple of options if we don't land someone but i honestly think shaun calling time on his future wasn't purely his choice and there's something brewing especially given the amount of players getting tapped on the shoulder

and massive no to hastings we finally cleaned out the bad juju that miss fb has sprinkled don't need him adding more.

 

[Leon Black]

Hastings a bigger dick than Lodge! I’d rather have Jeff Robson back at 42

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Yes, AFB is the biggest loss for us out of the players leaving. I was just replying to your comment around who replaces the dominant playmaker of SJ from 2023. My thoughts are that if we can get a reasonably injury free run and consistent team selection then there is enough there to be more than competitive.

Tohu, SJ and CNK throat came largely from a right side dominant play book. With the above we are far less predictable and have more options IMO

Yeah all good, don’t disagree with that. But geez there’s a few Warriors fans out there whose base line expectations are pretty bloody optimistic!

 

[Blain]

It's amazing Hasting keeps getting massive contracts. He's a decent player, but seems to be paid like a star even though he is a serial bad team member. Boy must have a great manager.

 

[3rdstriker]

Yeah all good, don’t disagree with that. But geez there’s a few Warriors fans out there whose base line expectations are pretty bloody optimistic!

As warriors supporters our baseline expectations should be bottom 12 on the ladder as the last 10/14 years has proved, anything else is just a bonus!

 

[Wrighty]

I must have missed it but what are your views on Isaako, Nikora & Marshall King? All awesome players - Nikora runs one of the great lines, possibly number 1 in the NRL for it… now there’s a second rower I’d pay $800k a season for.

A better question would be - what were my views 3 to 4 years ago on Issako. Nikora and Marshall King when I made those statements I am being held to account for. At that stage all three were in my bottom dregs of the NRL. They have all improved since quite remarkably in the case on Isaako and Marshall King.
I have been slow to revise my opinion of them even though probably to be fair to them I should. For now out of stubborness I will retain my skeptecism towards all three of them and as such recommend the Warriors not recruit them due to the inconsistent output of their entire career from a long term perspective notwithstanding again they have been very strong in 2024 and 2023.

 

[watcher]

My view is the major player to recruit is a 7.. i would go for Asi on a moderate contract of he is available.

Conditioning has to be reviewed, too many injuries last season of soft tissue type issues. Not blaming anyone butthere were a lot.

My view has always been thet teams build combinations and momentum with consistent selections, especially for young players.

 

[CWC]

Don’t know if Leota, Thompson, Healey rumors have solid ground but if we can get them to replace Tohu and Walker for 2026 we’d look like this

JFH
Egan
Thompson
Capewell
Niukore
Clark
Bench - Healey, Leota, Barney, Sifakula (12)
Depth - Ale, Zyon Maiu’u, TSS, Ieremia, Afoa, Crosby (13), (12) Laban, Halasima

2027
JFH
Egan
Thompson
Sifakula
Halasima
Clark
Bench - Healey, Leota, Barney, Laban
Depth - Ale, Zyon Maiu’u, TSS, Ieremia, Crosby (13)

If we are getting a couple of gun props then Sifakula should lose weight and go back to second row, he and Halasima can share a bench spot in 2025, the other 2 goes to Walker and Clark. Capewell and Marata will be moved on in 2027

Ford asked to look around probably makes sense given we’ve still got Laban, Ale, Zyon Maiu’u with more juniors coming through and Afoa being cheap and for emergency

 

[BigUCE]

 

[tajhay]

View attachment 9556

NRL talent with impressive try-scoring record offered to Super League clubs

Exclusive: Another player has become available heading into the 2025 Super League season.

uk.news.yahoo.com

 

[Ever Hopeful]

I'm liking this, it means we aren't putting our cue in the rack for 2025. Things are happening behind the scenes.

We have too many centres. Ali, Pompey, Berry, and I wouldn't be surprised to see CNK there with RTS at the back at times. Kali up and coming too.

MGT could get a name for himself in the SL if he plays well enough, and still have plenty of years to come back and play in the NRL

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

View attachment 9556

What! He's been one of the best stories out of the cup side, how's he not good enough for a top 30 contract?

 

[The Warrior Waka]

What! He's been one of the best stories out of the cup side, how's he not good enough for a top 30 contract?

We've got established centres in Ali, Rocco & Adam. Rts & Charnze can play there. Sio Kali is a up & coming gun. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava has held his own filling in at centre. Just a bit congested in that position and something had to give. Sad to see him go. But fully understand why the club would tap him on the shoulder.