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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[Tookey 2.0]

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

And his stats get even better when you look at his 8 games as the lead playmaker at half back. While its a small sample size I think his try assists per game (1.8) is the most out of any player in the NRL in the last 3 years or so. Add in his tries (0.4) and forced drop outs (0.6) and that's the makings of a top tier half.

Add in a better defensive structure across the team and a more dangerous 6 in LM next year, I think scoring points won't be an issue for us.

 

[Kav1]

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

Maybe it has if AP trains as a 6. I would like to see how he would go (suggest pre-season trials).

 

[Theking267]

The question around the Halves is that TMM & Metcalf haven’t played together and CHT and TMM had great chemistry when they played together in the halves.

 

[Cces]

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

When you isolate his attacking stats at Halfback they look even better with 3 tries & 14 try assists. Defensively his game by game tackle efficiency went 80, 71, 88, 75, 87, 82, 84 & 76% at Halfback. Someone could dissect it further than my approach but 80% is the average out of those so it could be said he's a better attacker in the #7 but poorer defensively (worth noting he defends on the left as a #6 & right-side as the #7). 1 error in his 8 games at #6 & 5 errors as the #7 is another stat from this season for him

 

[Cces]

On the progression of Jett Cleary, who Stacey has said will train with the first grade squad, he played the last 8 straight games for Panthers U21. All but 1 of these was at #6, the other in #14. 4 wins in that period, finished 2nd on ladder but have been bounced out with back to back finals losses. Goal kicked at 65%

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

And his stats get even better when you look at his 8 games as the lead playmaker at half back. While its a small sample size I think his try assists per game (1.8) is the most out of any player in the NRL in the last 3 years or so. Add in his tries (0.4) and forced drop outs (0.6) and that's the makings of a top tier half.

Add in a better defensive structure across the team and a more dangerous 6 in LM next year, I think scoring points won't be an issue for us.

Absolutely.
Is TMM ever gonna be Thurston? Obviously not, he is a good player though.
But will he actually stay at the Warriors? Yeah I think he will.

Which was really my main point. Do people think if Metcalf gets really good that the Roosters, Storm, Penrith or just a NSW club in general don’t come knocking. I think there’s a good chance he’ll leave. And it’s not even 50/50 lol.

And if he turns out to be average on a consistent basis. See you later…….

 

[Theking267]

TMM lead the Cowboy’s to a Grand Final. But the Cowboy’s wanted to continue with Thurston and he struggled as much as Johnson did

 

[OtautahiEast]

Absolutely.
Is TMM ever gonna be Thurston? Obviously not, he is a good player though.
But will he actually stay at the Warriors? Yeah I think he will.

Which was really my main point. Do people think if Metcalf gets really good that the Roosters, Storm, Penrith or just a NSW club in general don’t come knocking. I think there’s a good chance he’ll leave. And it’s not even 50/50 lol.

And if he turns out to be average on a consistent basis. See you later…….

I tend to agree, it's a tough one because the club have stayed solid with LM through the injurys, giving him a shot at 1st grade when sharks wouldn't. If he was still there he'd be stuck behind Hynes, Trindall & Atkinson.
He's contracted for 2 more years I think enough time to mold guys like Caleb Laiman, Jett Cleary, Luke Hanson

 

[Cces]

TMM lead the Cowboy’s to a Grand Final. But the Cowboy’s wanted to continue with Thurston and he struggled as much as Johnson did

TMM joined a team that had a record of 9W-6L. His record was 7W-5L with them that season. He did score 6 tries but with just 1 Try Assist & 4 Forced Drop Outs it's a stretch to say he led them considering their #7, Michael Morgan, was the Dally M Halfback of the Year

 

[CWC]

Te Marie had shitters after the 3 game streak, for example with SJ at 6, they were 14:0 up and had a chance to beat the minor premiers with 20min to go, a 6:66 drubbing to Titans

Without SJ, a golden point loss to Dogs where we should have won with the penalty or CHT kicking his field goals, a 2-point loss to Raiders where CHT missed ALL his goals and we scored more tries, win against Tigers, and a high scoring golden point loss to Dolphins when CHT missed his field goals

His record without SJ was 4:3 and could have been 7:0 if someone in the team can kick goals or field goals, which is fixable

 

[Garry Saloon]

Lotta good points being made. Touché

 

[Madds]

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

Tend to agree. The “ Abolsute shitters” came against both the Bulldogs and Raiders where they lost both away games by 1 and 2 points respectively. A bit harsh I think. Let’s not forget he played half for 3 wins in a row against good opponents, then moved to stand off against Storm and Titans where we got spanked. Metcalf hasn’t played any reserve or first grade at half back. The guy is in his mid twenties now and is injury prone AF! Like what Metcalf brings to the team but you’d be crazy to give him the reins at Seven going into a new season. TMM deserves first crack.

 

[Noitall]

Tend to agree. The “ Abolsute shitters” came against both the Bulldogs and Raiders where they lost both away games by 1 and 2 points respectively. A bit harsh I think. Let’s not forget he played half for 3 wins in a row against good opponents, then moved to stand off against Storm and Titans where we got spanked. Metcalf hasn’t played any reserve or first grade at half back. The guy is in his mid twenties now and is injury prone AF! Like what Metcalf brings to the team but you’d be crazy to give him the reins at Seven going into a new season. TMM deserves first crack.

And remember that bulldogs game we lost 3 outside backs in game. Possibly lost someone in that raiders one too that caused a reshuffle?

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

And remember that bulldogs game we lost 3 outside backs in game. Possibly lost someone in that raiders one too that caused a reshuffle?

Pompey I think.

 

[Theking267]

As well as Taine through concussion protocol

 

[Barty]

“We’ve recruited some really good players, and some young kids that have had a bit of taste of NRL footy, we need them to step up next year.” Interesting comment from Stacey Jones today. It makes me think there could be an announcement or two to come, as JFH is the only signing of note for next year??

 

[Noitall]

New Zealand Warriors outside back offered to other teams

He previously played for the Roosters.

www.zerotackle.com

As already known, MGT offered to other clubs

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

“We’ve recruited some really good players, and some young kids that have had a bit of taste of NRL footy, we need them to step up next year.” Interesting comment from Stacey Jones today. It makes me think there could be an announcement or two to come, as JFH is the only signing of note for next year??

Erin Clark?

 

[Noitall]

When you consider our current first grade halves, being TMM, Metcalf and CHT, is there a thought that Jett Cleary is going be rising up fairly quickly? Like within a season? He’s 19 now, could the club be thinking they want to put SJ with him in a mentoring role? He and Hansen perhaps? Anyone that’s watched Cleary, do they think he’s got it in him to rise quickly and take the reins for 2026?

 

[Theking267]

If you look at Hanson he progressed very quickly from Flegg to starting half back in Cup. They would be looking for a similar trajectory for Cleary.