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
Can negotiate with others clubs from 01/11/25 (final year) : Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[sup42]

Can I just say i do not give a flying shit about Pongas kick return meters?

After RTS then his clone CNK and their two hundred meters a game, I am not looking for a straight running donkey for a fullback.

In fact right now I would rather have Taine there with his kicking and splicing game over a two hundred meter robot.

Sick to death of Stat hog robots at the Warriors. I want a ball player thanks, is it too much to ask other people to carry the ball out of the back field for the sake of twenty percent more attacking threat in a struggling attacking matrix?

 

[the WARs]

I think if you are going that route you aim for fringe AB’s. They are on less but probably still as good as most starting Wallabies.

It makes sense to go hunting in Union for a winger of size and speed.. as the team is lacking on the edges .. RTS sadly getting to the end of his FG career ...DWZ liability weak on D .. forwards lay the platform nothing seems to work to well on the edges unlike previous years when some of our wings where running highest try scoring in the NRL

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Can I just say i do not give a flying shit about Pongas kick return meters?

After RTS then his clone CNK and their two hundred meters a game, I am not looking for a straight running donkey for a fullback.

In fact right now I would rather have Taine there with his kicking and splicing game over a two hundred meter robot.

Sick to death of Stat hog robots at the Warriors. I want a ball player thanks, is it too much to ask other people to carry the ball out of the back field for the sake of twenty percent more attacking threat in a struggling attacking matrix?

Where’s this great ball playing of his? Apart from 2023 that is.

 

[Dlenai]

Payne Haas would be an astute signing, considering Barnett probably has 2 years max left in him

 

[mt.wellington]

Where is our mongrel? Where is our enforcer? Where is that borderline psycho, full of childhood trauma, league saved me from prison, I cant believe I get paid to bash people, villainised in the media for drunken street fighting in Bali, the coach is my dad cause I didnt really know my real one, when I retire I'll take up boxing so I can still get paid to bash people style looney element to our team? You know the guy. The one that players hate to play but absolutely love to play with. That guy that makes the pimpsqueak in the team feel bulletproof because he's got Looney watching his back. That guy when shit goes down the opposition dont come running in with handbags cause they know whats up. That guy that they kick the ball to the other side of the field.

Sign that looney. We can save him...

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Where is our mongrel? Where is our enforcer? Where is that borderline psycho, full of childhood trauma, league saved me from prison, I cant believe I get paid to bash people, villainised in the media for drunken street fighting in Bali, the coach is my dad cause I didnt really know my real one, when I retire I'll take up boxing so I can still get paid to bash people style looney element to our team? You know the guy. The one that players hate to play but absolutely love to play with. That guy that makes the pimpsqueak in the team feel bulletproof because he's got Looney watching his back. That guy when shit goes down the opposition dont come running in with handbags cause they know whats up. That guy that they kick the ball to the other side of the field.

Sign that looney. We can save him...

Those guys died with Origin, Matulino's shoulder, Hurrell's knees and the rest of the hard nut excitement of rugby league when the NRL decided to do things like put Pompey on report for a dude falling on him etc. They've even double-crossed Bellamy and made NAS's forearm redundant. I have heard that in union, Tana Umaga doesn't even take his handbag to clubs anymore.

Vaimauga looked likely for a while, but he has been made nice...now I see where "C.u.d.d.l.e.s." comes from.

I think the best we can hope for is a Tamale who can gesticulate at the crowd and cuss kids.

 

[Noitall]

Where is our mongrel? Where is our enforcer? Where is that borderline psycho, full of childhood trauma, league saved me from prison, I cant believe I get paid to bash people, villainised in the media for drunken street fighting in Bali, the coach is my dad cause I didnt really know my real one, when I retire I'll take up boxing so I can still get paid to bash people style looney element to our team? You know the guy. The one that players hate to play but absolutely love to play with. That guy that makes the pimpsqueak in the team feel bulletproof because he's got Looney watching his back. That guy when shit goes down the opposition dont come running in with handbags cause they know whats up. That guy that they kick the ball to the other side of the field.

Sign that looney. We can save him...

You’ve almost completely identified NAS

 

[Riz]

Where is our mongrel? Where is our enforcer? Where is that borderline psycho, full of childhood trauma, league saved me from prison, I cant believe I get paid to bash people, villainised in the media for drunken street fighting in Bali, the coach is my dad cause I didnt really know my real one, when I retire I'll take up boxing so I can still get paid to bash people style looney element to our team? You know the guy. The one that players hate to play but absolutely love to play with. That guy that makes the pimpsqueak in the team feel bulletproof because he's got Looney watching his back. That guy when shit goes down the opposition dont come running in with handbags cause they know whats up. That guy that they kick the ball to the other side of the field.

Sign that looney. We can save him...

You want Kane Evans back to Fold some...

 

[The Undertaker]

Where is our mongrel? Where is our enforcer? Where is that borderline psycho, full of childhood trauma, league saved me from prison, I cant believe I get paid to bash people, villainised in the media for drunken street fighting in Bali, the coach is my dad cause I didnt really know my real one, when I retire I'll take up boxing so I can still get paid to bash people style looney element to our team? You know the guy. The one that players hate to play but absolutely love to play with. That guy that makes the pimpsqueak in the team feel bulletproof because he's got Looney watching his back. That guy when shit goes down the opposition dont come running in with handbags cause they know whats up. That guy that they kick the ball to the other side of the field.

Sign that looney. We can save him...

Mad dog Jack Hetherington come on down.

You want Kane Evans back to Fold some...

Ditto

 

[Wrighty]

Mad dog Jack Hetherington come on down.

Ditto

 

[Wrighty]

In other news, just letting everyone know that Starford is off contract 2027 and available for approaches Nox 1.
He will turn 27 in June 2027.

 

[sup42]

You’ve almost completely identified NAS

View attachment 13251

Yeah so further to Mt Wellingtons compelling post of where are the psychos (In this day and age they are in therapy, court ordered, and better for it).

I highlighted these two posts mentioning NAS and Hetherington to make the following point:

If you want one of these guys in your team then for it to be worth all the bs that comes with it you better have a Storm like defence.

NAS is useful where he is because the Storm can defend his infractions, they can defend his send offs, and they can fill his roster spot while he is suspended.

Hetherington is a useful point of reference coz we tried that here, and we got rid of him precisely because we did not have the Storm defence, Storm squad depth and frankly the Storm dodgey cap.

NAS would be a waste of time here for all the reasons above. He would cost us way more than the Storm is paying him, he would play less minutes in a Warriors Jersey and be directly responsible for the loss of games where he is gone...marched...for the full game in our colours.

 

[Noitall]

Yeah so further to Mt Wellingtons compelling post of where are the psychos (In this day and age they are in therapy, court ordered, and better for it).

I highlighted these two posts mentioning NAS and Hetherington to make the following point:

If you want one of these guys in your team then for it to be worth all the bs that comes with it you better have a Storm like defence.

NAS is useful where he is because the Storm can defend his infractions, they can defend his send offs, and they can fill his roster spot while he is suspended.

Hetherington is a useful point of reference coz we tried that here, and we got rid of him precisely because we did not have the Storm defence, Storm squad depth and frankly the Storm dodgey cap.

NAS would be a waste of time here for all the reasons above. He would cost us way more than the Storm is paying him, he would play less minutes in a Warriors Jersey and be directly responsible for the loss of games where he is gone...marched...for the full game in our colours.

Just thought there were a couple of points that literally seemed like he was who the post was alluding to, like the villainised in the media for a drunken street fight in Bali and taking up boxing post career to continue to bash people

 

[Wah's Up]

Yeah so further to Mt Wellingtons compelling post of where are the psychos (In this day and age they are in therapy, court ordered, and better for it).

I highlighted these two posts mentioning NAS and Hetherington to make the following point:

If you want one of these guys in your team then for it to be worth all the bs that comes with it you better have a Storm like defence.

NAS is useful where he is because the Storm can defend his infractions, they can defend his send offs, and they can fill his roster spot while he is suspended.

Hetherington is a useful point of reference coz we tried that here, and we got rid of him precisely because we did not have the Storm defence, Storm squad depth and frankly the Storm dodgey cap.

NAS would be a waste of time here for all the reasons above. He would cost us way more than the Storm is paying him, he would play less minutes in a Warriors Jersey and be directly responsible for the loss of games where he is gone...marched...for the full game in our colours.

Storm squad depth and frankly the Storm dodgey cap. Are they any worse than the Rorters, Bulldogs and Broncos?
I think with the young guys coming through that we are starting to clearly adopt the Cleary model and don't really need to recruit unless we get a run of injuries.

 

[Noitall]

Storm squad depth and frankly the Storm dodgey cap. Are they any worse than the Rorters, Bulldogs and Broncos?
I think with the young guys coming through that we are starting to clearly adopt the Cleary model and don't really need to recruit unless we get a run of injuries.

We’ll need to spend some money on extensions with 97% of the cap needed to be spent by later in the season

 

[Playdaball]

A thought ….
With Barnett’s injury looking like it could be an ACL, would the Warriors sign a half decent prop for a year before that person moves onto Perth ?
Sean Hoppe played at Norths for a year, after he signed for the Warriors , the Raiders basically kicked him out of the club .
Alternatively …

Do we have enough cover ???

 

[Wrighty]

A thought ….
With Barnett’s injury looking like it could be an ACL, would the Warriors sign a half decent prop for a year before that person moves onto Perth ?
Sean Hoppe played at Norths for a year, after he signed for the Warriors , the Raiders basically kicked him out of the club .
Alternatively …
So we have enough cover ???

I agree with this proposal 300% - we absolutely should bring in a middle who is NRL first grade ready. Ideally one who can cover both prop and lock. I already posted last week if Erin Clark goes down we are in dire trouble. This will sound stupid but the only reason I didn't make the same suggestion you have made, is that I don't want to become emotionally invested in this and then frustrated when we don't take any action. I can see the Warriors just plugging in for Barnett, should be out for the rest of the season, with next man up with game time for Bunty/Ale and Laban and if really desperate EIT.
Also in the defence of the Warriors if they do choose to be inactive. It is really hard to find a rental player for 4 months who is a strong player but also the kind of internal character who we want at the club and who is actually available and we can realistically get to come here.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

A thought ….
With Barnett’s injury looking like it could be an ACL, would the Warriors sign a half decent prop for a year before that person moves onto Perth ?
Sean Hoppe played at Norths for a year, after he signed for the Warriors , the Raiders basically kicked him out of the club .
Alternatively …

Do we have enough cover ???

We have Bunty And Ale still to come, niukore, ford and Vaimauga also, in wouldn't be going to the market for a prop.



I wonder what that does about McFaddens thinking towards extending Bunty or Ale or both?

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Can I just say i do not give a flying shit about Pongas kick return meters?

After RTS then his clone CNK and their two hundred meters a game, I am not looking for a straight running donkey for a fullback.

In fact right now I would rather have Taine there with his kicking and splicing game over a two hundred meter robot.

Sick to death of Stat hog robots at the Warriors. I want a ball player thanks, is it too much to ask other people to carry the ball out of the back field for the sake of twenty percent more attacking threat in a struggling attacking matrix?

Ponga - 10 games - 1.3 million
0 tries
6 try assists
4 line breaks
9 line break assists
32 tackle breaks

Charnze - 11 games 500k
1 try
2 Try assists
3 line breaks
2 line break assists
48 tackle breaks

Kalyn is the better attacking fullback, no doubt. But on his salary, does he produce almost triple the numbers? No he doesn’t. Whilst I agree it’d be great to lure him, the cost to our club vs the benefit isn’t there for me at the moment. That 1.3+ million he’s currently on could sign up 5 of our talented up and coming juniors to long term deals, or sign 2 high quality players.

Ultimately kalyns team is shaping as a bottom 4 side, bottom last on points. For all his ‘attacking upside’, it’s done fuck all for his clubs position on the ladder.

P.s this ‘struggling attacking matrix’ just put 36 on the rabbits & if Metcalf could kick, that’s be 40+. We’re not an attacking dominant side, we win by grinding teams to death with our defence. Tbh I don’t give a fuck about our PD. All I care about is the points table & accruing wins.

 

[Cces]

Who fills the remaining 2 spots in our Top 30? Eddie Ieremia-Toeava seems like the only Development contracted player who would be a sniff of getting NRL minutes.
I wouldn't be surprised if we give MGT a departing gift of a Top 30 like we did to Setu Tu