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
-	Morgan Gannon	-	✔	✔	✔
-	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: 26/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Jye Linnane (Newcastle Knights), Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos)
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, 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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Please be mindful of what you are posting in this thread before clicking the reply button. Zero Tolerance to offtopic chat.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

The forwards are where we are going to really excel under Webster, Zyon Maiu’u quickly became one noob too many, Dimitric is next.

Have you heard something by chance?

Feels like a bizarre statement to make when he's been earmarked as one of our future stars, has had a run in the last 3 years and would have been more if not for injuries.

Unless something significant happens, I can't see us letting him go anytime soon

 

[Inruin]

Have you heard something by chance?

Feels like a bizarre statement to make when he's been earmarked as one of our future stars, has had a run in the last 3 years and would have been more if not for injuries.

Unless something significant happens, I can't see us letting him go anytime soon

And has recently been extended to 2028?

 

[Damo]

Sup42 is just making stuff up. Zyon Maiu’u was and has always been a far poorer prospect than Demitric.

He can't even spell his name correctly

 

[sup42]

Have you heard something by chance?

Feels like a bizarre statement to make when he's been earmarked as one of our future stars, has had a run in the last 3 years and would have been more if not for injuries.

Unless something significant happens, I can't see us letting him go anytime soon

No haven't heard anything.

It just strikes me that the Webster era is hallmarked by having the best forwards in the NRL.

So take the equation of AFB, James Fisher Harris, Dylan Walker, Tohu Harris, Leka, Wade Egan, Erin Clark, Mitchell Barnett.

Then going to England to get their best kid in the forwards.


Dimitric is going ok.

Laban is going ok.

But to lock down slots in that level of forward pack they are gonna have to find some special quality.

Honestly it seems obvious to me that under the Webster Mohawk regime that if you are not a star forward they will buy one from England or Australia. That is the bar for Demitric, Leka and Laban.

So far Leka has exceeded that metric. The others will need to.

 

[Muddogz]

Given he’s signed till 2028, and has played every game this season, I would say Vaimauga is a big part of Websters plans going forward. He’s developing nicely.

Anyway just to keep stop me from getting banned on this thread, I think we should look at Steve Matai and Rene Ranger.

 

[Dannevegas]

Yeah just look at Penrith.

Only the Roosters can keep everyone (been watching Kiwi Legend Kurt Sorenson talk about how he was handed a literal real life brown paper bag by the Roosters in a locked room with a bunch of other players - in other words the NRL has been turning a blind eye to their cheating way before Uncle Nick, they have bought off the NRL for forty years).

I can see a time where someone of the calibre of Dimitric gets released by the Warriors precisely because the forward pack is becoming too rich. The forwards are where we are going to really excel under Webster, Zyon Maiu’u quickly became one noob too many, Dimitric is next.

What are you talking about, no way we’re releasing him. Our pack will be built around him and Leka the next few years

 

[Tookey 2.0]

It just strikes me that the Webster era is hallmarked by having the best forwards in the NRL.

So take the equation of AFB, James Fisher Harris, Dylan Walker, Tohu Harris, Leka, Wade Egan, Erin Clark, Mitchell Barnett.

Then going to England to get their best kid in the forwards.

Honestly it seems obvious to me that under the Webster Mohawk regime that if you are not a star forward they will buy one from England or Australia. That is the bar for Demitric, Leka and Laban.

I dunno man, I think your logic is flawed. We haven't bought any star forwards from the UK.

Under Webster the forwards we've brought are Ford, Clark, Capewell, Gannon, and Fish. We were extremely lucky with the Fish signing and no way you can say that was Webby, that was a bit of luck that fell into our laps.

Barnett and Walker were brought before Webby. Barnett was pretty average before coming here too.

In fact, the majority of our forward pack have actually improved under Webby, and he's also let a few extremely promising forwards go, like Curran and Zyon Maiu’u.

To say that he's specifically only buying top forwards really undermines what he's done so far.
He's promoted quite a few juniors, has brought a few journeyman/money ball signings and has turned them into machines.

Promising players like Laban, Demi, Leka, and Ali have all been giving a shot and seem to be going well, and let's not forget giving the keys to Metcalf. Huge call, and currently we sit in 4th....

I don't think Demitric is at any risk what so ever, unless he turns to shit in which case, laterz bol!

 

[Wah's Up]

I have mixed feelings about Manu, he is one seriously talented player but does not seem to be a "TEAM" player (bit like Walsh) whereas on all the social media (Wah's doing and excellent job on social media) the players all rate CNK as one of the best in the team. Would having a player who is not a team player v one who is highly rated disrupt the team spirit?

 

[Canonball]

I dunno man, I think your logic is flawed. We haven't bought any star forwards from the UK.

Under Webster the forwards we've brought are Ford, Clark, Capewell, Gannon, and Fish. We were extremely lucky with the Fish signing and no way you can say that was Webby, that was a bit of luck that fell into our laps.

Barnett and Walker were brought before Webby. Barnett was pretty average before coming here too.

In fact, the majority of our forward pack have actually improved under Webby, and he's also let a few extremely promising forwards go, like Curran and Zyon Maiu’u.

To say that he's specifically only buying top forwards really undermines what he's done so far.
He's promoted quite a few juniors, has brought a few journeyman/money ball signings and has turned them into machines.

Promising players like Laban, Demi, Leka, and Ali have all been giving a shot and seem to be going well, and let's not forget giving the keys to Metcalf. Huge call, and currently we sit in 4th....

I don't think Demitric is at any risk what so ever, unless he turns to shit in which case, laterz bol!

Plus Demetric is playing a role, bench middle doing a lot of hard stuff so not as obviously flashy as Leka for example - and he's doing it really well so far - we'd be silly not to retain him, he's already hitting his marks and will exceed them sooner rather than later

 

[Get them onside ref!]

Given he’s signed till 2028, and has played every game this season, I would say Vaimauga is a big part of Websters plans going forward. He’s developing nicely.

Anyway just to keep stop me from getting banned on this thread, I think we should look at Steve Matai and Rene Ranger.

I with ya bruv
That type of centre is what I want
Rene The Lone Ranger could always beat a man
Boysenberry
Nah
Good with yoghurt

 

[Noitall]

No haven't heard anything.

It just strikes me that the Webster era is hallmarked by having the best forwards in the NRL.

So take the equation of AFB, James Fisher Harris, Dylan Walker, Tohu Harris, Leka, Wade Egan, Erin Clark, Mitchell Barnett.

Then going to England to get their best kid in the forwards.


Dimitric is going ok.

Laban is going ok.

But to lock down slots in that level of forward pack they are gonna have to find some special quality.

Honestly it seems obvious to me that under the Webster Mohawk regime that if you are not a star forward they will buy one from England or Australia. That is the bar for Demitric, Leka and Laban.

So far Leka has exceeded that metric. The others will need to.

There could come a time that we’re bringing through a steady stream of players and people are getting shifted who you’d least expect. Mike put up something he’d heard of Ford being shopped for next year, whether there’s any truth to that?

 

[Wrighty]

Is anyone able to access this article from CODE and post it up?

No Cookies | CODE Sports

No Cookies | CODE Sports

www.codesports.com.au

Whats the title of the article so I can find it for you - that link doesn't work for me

 

[chrisnz]

tigers ceo has stated they have a few signings coming in next few weeks and was also saying they had the $$ and highlighted the galvin snub lol hope they dont raid our juniors

 

[Noitall]

tigers ceo has stated they have a few signings coming in next few weeks and was also saying they had the $$ and highlighted the galvin snub lol hope they dont raid our juniors

Have seen Laban’s name mentioned plenty on there. Apparently Kai Pearce Paul might be one player heading there

 

[3rdstriker]

No haven't heard anything.

It just strikes me that the Webster era is hallmarked by having the best forwards in the NRL.

So take the equation of AFB, James Fisher Harris, Dylan Walker, Tohu Harris, Leka, Wade Egan, Erin Clark, Mitchell Barnett.

Then going to England to get their best kid in the forwards.


Dimitric is going ok.

Laban is going ok.

But to lock down slots in that level of forward pack they are gonna have to find some special quality.

Honestly it seems obvious to me that under the Webster Mohawk regime that if you are not a star forward they will buy one from England or Australia. That is the bar for Demitric, Leka and Laban.

So far Leka has exceeded that metric. The others will need to.

The bar is set high.
Which is great the standards have been raised and you can actually see that on both fields in NrL and NswCup the way the cup boys are playing, 1st on Ladder you can see the competition.

 

[Noitall]

The bar is set high.
Which is great the standards have been raised and you can actually see that on both fields in NrL and NswCup the way the cup boys are playing, 1st on Ladder you can see the competition.

Think David Tangata Toa is going under the radar a bit with what he’s doing with this nsw cup team. Notice him on the sidelines when the first grade teams playing too linked up to an earpiece obviously in communication with Webster

 

[3rdstriker]

Think David Tangata Toa is going under the radar a bit with what he’s doing with this nsw cup team. Notice him on the sidelines when the first grade teams playing too linked up to an earpiece obviously in communication with Webster

Yeah good point ya kinda forget about the coaches in the ranks also, what about Tj Ashford in the Harold Matt's 2 grand finals in as many year's? Do they also get a promotion? Stacey stepaside.

 

[Noitall]

Yeah good point ya kinda forget about the coaches in the ranks also, what about Tj Ashford in the Harold Matt's 2 grand finals in as many year's? Do they also get a promotion? Stacey stepaside.

We seem to have good coaches across all grades. It’s a credit to the club the calibre of people involved

 

[Blain]

Why are we already thinking about offloading Leka and Demetric

Some people are so use to being hurt by this club, they are expecting the worst and hoping for the best. So when we do something stupid again, they are mentally prepared.

I wrote that as a joke, but actually think it's true to an extent. And for good reason. But I think the ownership, coaching, management and development systems are the most stable they have ever been. This is a rebuilding year and we're somehow in the top 4..

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Whats the title of the article so I can find it for you - that link doesn't work for me

Cheers Wrighty, it is “Meninga Cup custodians: Team of the Season named”

A player in the article is the nephew of one of my workmates, and he will be having a meeting with the team over the weekend in Brisbane- Won’t say who it is (yet), don’t want to get Aunty in trouble lol