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	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	✔	✔
13	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
14	Edward Kosi	✔
15	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
16	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
17	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
18	Zyon Maiu’u	✔	✔
19	Te Maire Martin	✔
20	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
23	Motu Pasikala	✔	✔	✔
24	Adam Pompey	✔
25	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
26	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
27	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	C
28	Dylan Walker	✔
29	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔	✔
S1	Tanah Boyd	S	S
S2	Kalani Going	S
S3	Tanner Stowers-Smith	S
T1	Jett Cleary	T	S	S

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract (Formerly, Development), T = Train & Trial contract

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Confirmed Development 2025: 3/6
Unconfirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Unconfirmed Development 2025: 4/6 (Luke Hanson, per Zero Tackle)

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 20/30
Confirmed Development 2026: 2/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Tohu Harris, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Adam Pompey, Dylan Walker, Kalani Going (S), Tanner Stowers-Smith (S), Demitric Vaimauga (C)

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[Worried2Death]

Is MGT and MTG the same player?

One's a league player and the other one's Marjorie Taylor Greene

 

[Damo]

So we're at the Pompey in the halves/second row part of the off season already?

 

[Kav1]

So we're at the Pompey in the halves/second row part of the off season already?

Pure speculation and what's wrong with that (we need to know)

 

[Worried2Death]

So we're at the Pompey in the halves/second row part of the off season already?

Until we actually sign a half, it's all we've got

 

[Noitall]

So we're at the Pompey in the halves/second row part of the off season already?

6 months to go until the next season rolls around. Plenty of time for Egan to get him up to speed for dummy half depth too

 

[Dannevegas]

I think we have a playing card on Dylan Brown.
We are in better shape than the Eels are. Somehow we really have to make a case that we are bound for the playoffs in 2025 and that 2024 was not indicative of how good we are. I think if I were recruitment person I would throw overs at Brown to het him here.
Staring into my crystal ball halves are only going to get more scarce once we expand to 18 teams.

If we got him I’d put him at Fullback

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

If TMM gets another 15 plus games next year, and you’d have to assume he will at this stage. I’d be pretty happy to go hard for Dylan Brown for 2026.
That’ll be a pretty good halves combo, TMM will only be 30 by then as well, so hopefully a few seasons with a fairly good Halves combo.
I kinda hope this happens because I don’t think Metcalf will stick around if he gets seriously good. And if he doesn’t then no harm no foul, later bro.

 

[JaggedJ]

Pure speculation and what's wrong with that (we need to know)

Aside from being a horrible idea, not a thing - carry on.

 

[CWC]

Contract crunch: Warriors face numerous key retention calls

More than a third of the Warriors squad will be off contract at the end of 2025.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[Damo]

Pure speculation and what's wrong with that (we need to know)

Nothing wrong with it, realistically I think the thought would not have crossed Webbys mind at all.

 

[Wrighty]

From this article on Brown's ACL which requires rest and not surgery

Ethan Sanders is set to join Canberra, Blaize Talagi is hopeful to wear the No.6 alongside Nathan Cleary at Penrith, while Daejarn Asi does not have a contract and has attracted interest from Super League clubs.

‘Sick of the attention’: Brown avoids surgery but says he badly needs a break

The Eels confirmed Dylan Brown will avoid knee surgery – but the playmaker revealed why he was desperate for a mental break.

www.smh.com.au

The article also hints Brown is not likely to leave the Eels soon as there is hope Jason Ryles will turn the Eels around

"

 

[Wrighty]

If Ethan Sanders is going to Raiders we should chase Strange.

 

[Wrighty]

The modern spine according to some includes Lock.
Our modern spine game one 2024
Fullback CNK - Did not fire through no fault of Webster and ideally we will have a replacement in 2025
Standoff Metcalf - Got injured will be back for 2025 possibly as halfback
Halfback SJ- Did not fire through no fault of Webster and has now retired
Hooker Egan - Did ok - not great but passing mark. Will be back for 2025
Lock Harris -Did not fire through no fault of Webster and ideally will be a bench role and we will have a replacement in 2025

That sums up the story of 2024. Need to recruit a half to replace SJ and reinvigorate/find new positions for the rest,

 

[Wrighty]

Final post this morning - if we are looking at signing the likes of Asi

Should we just phone SJ and say how about one more season? Just give us a maximum of 15 games and we will manage your workload.

 

[bomb to vats]

Final post this morning - if we are looking at signing the likes of Asi

Should we just phone SJ and say how about one more season? Just give us a maximum of 15 games and we will manage your workload.

Time to move on

 

[bomb to vats]

Contract crunch: Warriors face numerous key retention calls

More than a third of the Warriors squad will be off contract at the end of 2025.

www.nzherald.co.nz

Opens two more spots for 2025 if we can move Bunty & Monty on

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Opens two more spots for 2025 if we can move Bunty & Monty on

Monty is already gone isnt he?

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

Monty is already gone isnt he?

No confirmation as of yet I think

 

[Garry Saloon]

If TMM gets another 15 plus games next year, and you’d have to assume he will at this stage. I’d be pretty happy to go hard for Dylan Brown for 2026.
That’ll be a pretty good halves combo, TMM will only be 30 by then as well, so hopefully a few seasons with a fairly good Halves combo.
I kinda hope this happens because I don’t think Metcalf will stick around if he gets seriously good. And if he doesn’t then no harm no foul, later bro.

Everyone is remembering the two or three really good games TMM had around magic round and not the shitters he had after that. Absolute shitters. Metcalfe will be the seven.

 

[Noitall]

Everyone is remembering the two or three really good games TMM had around magic round and not the shitters he had after that. Absolute shitters. Metcalfe will be the seven.

His stats are pretty sharp. 16 games, 5 tries, 16 try assists, 14 line break assists, 86% tackle efficiency. The team looked at their best with him at halfback I thought