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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[Defence]

His issue is he is not the biggest guy, but man he is a weapon. Really is, mad footwork, runs a great line, good speed and is strong with a great fend. What will determine whether he will be is his defensive work I think. He has looked solid for mine, I think if he can up his defensive intensity a bit, I feel like he is pushing ahead of Laban as a backrower for me. I think he could 100% debut next year, he will need to, there is no doubt he will be gone if he is not told he will. I hope we don't lose him, other teams will be all over our NSW side as we are top and our culture is very good.

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/uyCmCff5FLI?si=qqhrnhlPM5V5j0HK

Wow love his footwork.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

His issue is he is not the biggest guy, but man he is a weapon. Really is, mad footwork, runs a great line, good speed and is strong with a great fend. What will determine whether he will be is his defensive work I think. He has looked solid for mine, I think if he can up his defensive intensity a bit, I feel like he is pushing ahead of Laban as a backrower for me. I think he could 100% debut next year, he will need to, there is no doubt he will be gone if he is not told he will. I hope we don't lose him, other teams will be all over our NSW side as we are top and our culture is very good.

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/uyCmCff5FLI?si=qqhrnhlPM5V5j0HK

2 years away imo. Leka & Laban dominate at NSW cup & have done so for 2+ years. He’s going to be very good & agree we lock him up. He isn’t pushing ahead of Laban at all though, Laban absolutely dominates cup & has 50+ games at that level. They’re different types of players. Laban defensively strong, high work rate & good in the air. If anything, he’s more like halasima - game breaking, tackle busting edge, and he isn’t going to push halasima to a bench role. In a playing 13, there’s normally a strike edge & defensive edge, therefore I think because of this, he’s a few years away minimum. Great project though

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

I’m hoping we don’t play silly buggers with Metcalf and Halasima. Given them their million and sign them up long term.

 

[Billyspleen75]

I’m hoping we don’t play silly buggers with Metcalf and Halasima. Given them their million and sign them up long term.

Yep. The next 3 years is going to be the most bonkers NRL signings period since the Super League. The teams who lock in their stars early are going to be in the best spot.

Although, it takes two to tango. And the other party is strongly influenced by player agents. And those agents will be telling their players to hooollllld cos there's going to be some big deals coming.

 

[3rdstriker]

I’m hoping we don’t play silly buggers with Metcalf and Halasima. Given them their million and sign them up long term.

The truth of the matter is so much depth is now being exposed from juniors like Lemana, Neal Fatialofa, and a plethora of halves.
We realistically aren't going to be able to keep everyone happy it's a matter of identifying who and what to keep also give them their chance as injuries start to really plague us like they usually do midway thru the seasons.
If we lose Haliasena and Metcalf then we know there's others on their way up.

 

[Boston Boy]

2 years away imo. Leka & Laban dominate at NSW cup & have done so for 2+ years. He’s going to be very good & agree we lock him up. He isn’t pushing ahead of Laban at all though, Laban absolutely dominates cup & has 50+ games at that level. They’re different types of players. Laban defensively strong, high work rate & good in the air. If anything, he’s more like halasima - game breaking, tackle busting edge, and he isn’t going to push halasima to a bench role. In a playing 13, there’s normally a strike edge & defensive edge, therefore I think because of this, he’s a few years away minimum. Great project though

I agree in general with what you are saying. My view is that Laban lacks a hard edge, he is not dominant and lacks physicality for his size. Halasima and Vaimauga have excelled but Laban has not. EIT is a better defensive prospect for me, more technical and sound. Fatialofa is a rarity, I would much rather keep him over Laban as EIT's defensive prowess and fitness would account for Laban's loss. I would be happy running Fatialofa out there next year with his ceiling, he will prove that he is NRL ready by the end of the year in my opinion. Just my view bro, that's why I am not a successful coach .

 

[Ref]

Dude should get a run in the middle in NSW cup, big body, could make great bench prop

Agreed
Why not.

 

[the WARs]

Dude should get a run in the middle in NSW cup, big body, could make great bench prop

He's big but soft Vs the likes of Leka for the same size body.. If I was Kosi size I'd be running like DWZ ...

Talking of DWZ CNK ... these two I wouldn't have extended contracts, well certainly not for top money... DWZ D is woeful.. CNK how much more can his body take? Every week, he looks like he's getting near broken..

Surely we must have some cap space ...time to lock up LEKA - and keep some of these other young guns happy to stay ... and if we can pick-up a gun winger/fullback I wouldn't say no even if it mean losing TT..

 

[Cces]

I've had a go ranking each player's potential by position and put the age they are turning/have turned this year.

I'm sure I've missed a bunch but tried to include everyone that i think has some sort of first grade potential. This is obviously not a list of who's better right now also.

Fullback
1. Jeremiah Lemana (17)
2. Joseph Ratcliffe (18)
3. Caelys Putoko (20)

Wing
1. Ezekiel Davidson-Faaiuaso (18)
2. Alexander Pua (17)
3. Kaian Olsen (16)
4. Motu Pasikala (20)
5. Conor Bowden (19)
6. Raphael Sio (20)
7. Kairus Booth (18)

Center
1. Soane Ma'asi (17)
2. Sio Kali (20)
3. Patrick Moimoi (21)
4. Nganaiaiafu Vake (20)
5. Hiraka Waitai-Haenga (19)
6. Kahu Capper (19)
7. Hinckley Ioka (17)

Halves
1. Jack Thompson (18)
2. Tyson Hansen (17)
3. Tusi Alapati Soagia (17)
4. Jett Cleary (21)
5. Luke Hanson (21)
6. Christiano Elia (16)

Prop
1. Lucian Mikaele (17)
2. Jason Salalilo (19)
3. Krushil Koteka (17)
4. Kenny Lafituanai (16)
5. Rodney Tuipulotu Vea (20)
6. Paea Sikuvea (19)
7. Harry Durbin (20)
8. Toby Crosby (22)
9. Tepatasi Laumalili (19)

Second Row
1. Bishop Neal (17)
2. Satali Fretton (16)
3. Eddie Ieremia (21)
4. Kayliss Fatialofa (20)
5. Tusi Fanolua (16)
6. Militoni Sikuvea (18)
7. Dougal Grant (17)
8. Alvin Chong Nee (20)

Lock:
1. Lennox Tuiloma (18)
2. Ronan Byford (17)
3. Augustino Filipo (19)
4. Gordon Afoa (18)

Hooker:
1. Makaia Tafua (20)
2. Dreytin Marriott (17)
2. Jacob Auloa (20)

Fukofuka fallen that far or does he not get a mention as he's more of a #14?

 

[Cces]

Laban absolutely dominates cup & has 50+ games at that level. They’re different types of players. Laban defensively strong.

36 games in NSW Cup according to his Cup profile (RLP states 35). Career high tackle efficiency of 92.5% last season. Fatialofa is current at 97.2% from the 8 games this year, where statistics are available, after going at 93.5% in his 8 appearances in 2024.
Laban is, rightly so, currently ahead in the pecking order but now has 10 first grade appearances & is yet to even make a Linebreak, so could easily be overtaken within 12 months if Fatialofa continues on his trajectory & Laban doesn't begin to offer more in the top side