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	Jett Cleary	✔	S	S
9	Wayde Egan	✔	✔	✔
10	James Fisher-Harris	✔	✔	✔	✔
11	Jackson Ford	✔	✔	✔
12	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
13	Morgan Harper	✔
14	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
15	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
16	Edward Kosi	✔
17	Jacob Laban	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
18	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
19	Jye Linnane	✔	✔	✔	✔
20	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
21	Te Maire Martin	✔
22	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
23	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔	✔
24	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
25	Adam Pompey	✔	✔	✔
26	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔	✔	✔
27	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
28	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
29	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
30	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
-	Morgan Gannon	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

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

Top 30 2025: 30/30
Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Top 30 2026: 26/30
Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos)
2026 Losses: Edward Kosi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Te Maire Martin
Can negotiate with other clubs from Nov 1, 2025 (Entering 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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[Dannevegas]

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.

Seems you were onto something all along. Would love him at centre for us

 

[Riz]

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

I'd be locking up Kayliss Fatialofa, he's a gun.

 

[Five&Last]

I'd be locking up Kayliss Fatialofa, he's a gun.

I think it will very clearly be EIT and Fatialofa, you can get an indication of these sort of things just by who's been playing the most in cup

 

[Ferdie]

I think it will very clearly be EIT and Fatialofa, you can get an indication of these sort of things just by who's been playing the most in cup

I agree those two are the favourites, but I would have thought a middle forward would also be a chance, given we've lost Tohu, Walker, Zyon Maiu’u and now Barnett since the start of the year.

 

[CWC]

Might have to fast track Laban to share minutes with Leka, and implement the transition of Marata to the middle…

Probably up Demi’s minutes as a prop-proper too…he’s given the license to offload now and he’s amazing. Gannon is the permanent lock cover for Clark next year anyway, Demi should be Barney or Fish’s long term replacement as a prop

Or for this season they could use Clark in the prop rotation and keep Demi as bench lock and the same game plan, just more minutes. TMM or Healey to cover lock if injuries happen mid game

I think Clark, Ford and Demi will probably end up as our veteran prop trio once Fish/Barney wind down, Gannon or someone will be long term 13.

 

[Dannevegas]

Mooney Or Saulo from Canberra could be a good get. Or we could just go the resign Ale and Elevate Crosby route. I do think we need to go to the market for a middle tho after all these losses and no gains

 

[sup42]

Ive been keeping an eye on it but only watched a handful of highlights of the cup boys this year.

For those in the know how is Toby Crosby progressing? Smokey to see some game time in NRL side this year with Mitch’s injury or still a year or two away?

He looks fantastic with the ball in hand, starting to do the things he did in Union on a league field.
He could be a smokey late in the season, long shot but I would not discount him now that he is getting used to the fitness.

 

[Leon Black]

I’d take Nelson AS for a couple of seasons to teach the young guys some aggression and add some punch off the bench…

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I’d take Nelson AS for a couple of seasons to teach the young guys some aggression and add some punch off the bench…

With Barney out, thats not a bad idea.

 

[kos]

With Barney out, thats not a bad idea.

He would be suspended six weeks for foul play in his first game with us
A no from me

 

[Sammyw]

Tui Kamikamica apparently being shopped around, he’d be not a bad idea on a 1.5yr deal at least covering Barnett

 

[CWC]

So next year our pack is likely
Fish
Egan
Barney
Marata
Cape
Clark

What’s happening with our bench??
Ford
Leka
Demi
Gannon

Probably only need 1 of Ford or Demi if Gannon the cover for 13 can’t play hooker and we need a spine cover, who do we drop? Would be great if he does and is a good player, that’s a lethal pack. We don’t wanna ship Marata now as he is playing well and we need to keep him for insurance if Barney takes a while or doesn’t hit form next year

If they ship Marata and Barney’s not right we have Demi/Gannon/Laban/spine cover, Ford starts, TSS, Ale? depth, and Crosby and a couple of second rowers ready to play FG

 

[WA Warrior]

So next year our pack is likely
Fish
Egan
Barney
Marata
Cape
Clark

What’s happening with our bench??
Ford
Leka
Demi
Gannon

Probably only need 1 of Ford or Demi if Gannon the cover for 13 can’t play hooker and we need a spine cover, who do we drop? Would be great if he does and is a good player, that’s a lethal pack. We don’t wanna ship Marata now as he is playing well and we need to keep him for insurance if Barney takes a while or doesn’t hit form next year

If they ship Marata and Barney’s not right we have Demi/Gannon/Laban/spine cover, Ford starts, TSS, Ale? depth, and Crosby and a couple of second rowers ready to play FG

I’m starting Gannon over Marata.
Not recruiting a player from England to be on the bench imo.
We definitely have a good pack moving forward!

 

[Five&Last]

I’d take Nelson AS for a couple of seasons to teach the young guys some aggression and add some punch off the bench…

Doesn't strike me as the hardest worker. He could've been as good as Tino with his talent. I think you take him out of the Storm system, he's just an average plodder.

Its a no from me also.

 

[Completion Rate]

We'll likely get dispensation to promote a development player to the top 30 with Barnett gone. My call is Crosby to get a debut off the bench later in the season. TSS clearly the next man up. It will be interesting to see if Ale can force his way back into the side.

 

[Noitall]

We'll likely get dispensation to promote a development player to the top 30 with Barnett gone. My call is Crosby to get a debut off the bench later in the season. TSS clearly the next man up. It will be interesting to see if Ale can force his way back into the side.

It’s going to be tricky to hold onto everyone that looks promising. There are likely traits that they are looking for and Crosby coming across as so professional you’d think would rate highly. Seems that the length of contract for Halasima and Laban likely sees second row sorted to some extent. Vaimauga in the middle seems like that’s somewhat sorted, Crosby seems the ideal candidate to succeed JFH at this point

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

I’d take Nelson AS for a couple of seasons to teach the young guys some aggression

Isn't that JFH's whole schtick?

You'd wanna keep a crap tonne of cleaner on hand as there might be one hell of a territorial contest.

 

[Cces]

We'll likely get dispensation to promote a development player to the top 30 with Barnett gone.

Can you explain what you mean in more detail? We need 30 players in a Top 30, we currently have 28 and need to spend at least 97.5% of the salary cap so why would we need any type of dispensation?

 

[Noitall]

Tui Kamikamica apparently being shopped around, he’d be not a bad idea on a 1.5yr deal at least covering Barnett

Sounds like broncos are guaranteeing him more minutes than at storm. Storm keen to keep him and I think they’d keep him over NAS? Kamikamica is 31 and NAS 29 but it’s the $900k price tag the storm is paying for his output that likely sees him surplus to demand? If there was a guarantee of NAS to buy in and get the best out of him, $600k with storm chipping in $300k per season would be a risk I would take. At his best, he’s impossible to stop close to the line

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

I’m starting Gannon over Marata.
Not recruiting a player from England to be on the bench imo.
We definitely have a good pack moving forward!

I actually see gannon playing cup at first, could easily be in the starting team for sure but I wouldn't be surprised if they go the slow route especially is all fit.