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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[Playdaball]

According to a podcast I just watched Lussick is rumoured to be on the move.

Let’s hope so , Kosi next please .

 

[CWC]

Is Stevenson linked to another league club? Otherwise that report has basis, and his answer was basically he’s interacting with another sport organization lol

If he’s replacing Dallin then it won’t impede the youngsters, he’d have the pace people want, union fullbacks are legit tacklers, and the boot to punt for territory which is what we need

 

[Vancent]

Tbh Bennett wanted him & didn’t get him, any player that Wayne approves, I approve.

Wayne just signed Schuster for Souths….and Te Whare for Dolphins a couple years prior - Wayne’s not been the Mesiah for some time.

 

[Wrighty]

Isn’t there a discount for enticing union players over ala nawaqanatawase? So perhaps it’s around cap management whilst securing someone with huge potential. He’s similar to a will warbrick, tall athletic winger. We don’t have any tall wingers

I don't think so at least as of July this year it was still just a proposal - see this article

Warriors CEO remains divided on potential cap exemptions for rugby union converts

“What is defined as a rugby player, how long have they had to play rugby for?”

www.sen.com.au

 

[Wrighty]

Not sure if this has been reported yet but Eden Ackland has signed with the tigers - not as a top 30 and would have to earn and play his way into a top 30 contract.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Wayne just signed Schuster for Souths….and ate Whate for Dolphins a couple years prior - Wayne’s not been the Mesiah for some time.

What lol surely this is parody. Watch Souths make the top 8 next year, and his record for player development is only rivalled by Bellamy imo.

He turned isaako from a reserve grader at the broncos back to an international player. Plath will play origin in the next years, denveloped under Bennett. Te whare was a groundsman who made his nrl debut & is now the qld cup final.

He’s also taken a brand new side one game from the top 8 in 2 years, losing 3 of his best players in Aitken, flegler & Gilbert. Take yeo, fisher Harris & Martin out of the panthers pack and they’re a completely different side. I think you’re underselling what Bennett has done.

 

[Teets]

Stevenson a complete waste of time for mine if we're buying a winger.

Opposite of Warbrick in that Warbrick was much younger, likely cost nothing, and was low profile. So they could stash him in Q Cup for a year to learn the game and there was no pressure to put him in first grade before he was ready.

Stevenson will be too expensive for a winger, old as fuck for a rookie OB, and no matter how shit he goes pressure will be on to pick him every week.

All those flash highlights in union as a FB who gets to roam right across the field and pick his spots will dry up. His job on offence will be 80% yardage carries into set D lines and he'll barely touch the ball in the good ball zone.

 

[Blain]

Stevenson a complete waste of time for mine if we're buying a winger.

Opposite of Warbrick in that Warbrick was much younger, likely cost nothing, and was low profile. So they could stash him in Q Cup for a year to learn the game and there was no pressure to put him in first grade before he was ready.

Stevenson will be too expensive for a winger, old as fuck for a rookie OB, and no matter how shit he goes pressure will be on to pick him every week.

All those flash highlights in union as a FB who gets to roam right across the field and pick his spots will dry up. His job on offence will be 80% yardage carries into set D lines and he'll barely touch the ball in the good ball zone.

That's exactly why I have thought any chat is BS. He'll be 28 soon, why would he play NRL for a cheap deal when he can go get 4 times that in Japan. And shoe on the other foot, why would the Warriors invest in a guy like that, who wouldn't bring a lot of additional interest to the club anyway. Best thing to do is go out and recruit the best 21-22 year old outside back in Super Rugby/NPC. Wouldn't cost too much and have plenty of time develop.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Only NZ is signing a guy from rugby and immediately putting him in the starting 17, a serious conversation amongst fans.

Hit tip, RU sucks donkey balls, fuck signing caste offs who can’t make the grade, the goal is to poach kids. Not sign mediocre geriatrics for their first game.

 

[juju]

Only NZ is signing a guy from rugby and immediately putting him in the starting 17, a serious conversation amongst fans.

Hit tip, RU sucks donkey balls, fuck signing caste offs who can’t make the grade, the goal is to poach kids. Not sign mediocre geriatrics for their first game.

The Roosters literally just did it.

So I guess it's not just a NZ thing.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

The Roosters literally just did it.

So I guess it's not just a NZ thing.

And the Tigers (Alaimolo) but I suppose they’re shit.

No to Stevenson for me. It’s not worth the risk. UNLESS, he signs on the minimum. But that’s not going to happen.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

The Roosters literally just did it.

So I guess it's not just a NZ thing.

who did they sign?

 

[MrFrankWhite]

And the Tigers (Alaimolo) but I suppose they’re shit.

If thats the case study, its a hard pass.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

who did they sign?

Mark Nawaqanitawase. The commentators seemed to love him but his defensive positioning in the game was so bad it was really noticeable.

 

[Canonball]

Stevenson a complete waste of time for mine if we're buying a winger.

Opposite of Warbrick in that Warbrick was much younger, likely cost nothing, and was low profile. So they could stash him in Q Cup for a year to learn the game and there was no pressure to put him in first grade before he was ready.

Stevenson will be too expensive for a winger, old as fuck for a rookie OB, and no matter how shit he goes pressure will be on to pick him every week.

All those flash highlights in union as a FB who gets to roam right across the field and pick his spots will dry up. His job on offence will be 80% yardage carries into set D lines and he'll barely touch the ball in the good ball zone.

couldn't agree more ... it's not a thing - he's sitting there with his mentor/manager trying to pressure the organisation he's currently contracted to to give him higher honours ... so on top of these extremely valid assessments of his non-suitability for our team it's a little disrespectful to the Warriors as an organisation

 

[Teets]

who did they sign?

Mark Nawaqanatawase.

He's 5 years younger than Stevenson so still has the prime years of an Outside back 23-27 ahead of him.

And he's started in Cup too. Got a run in 1st grade in a dead rubber game vs Souths and straight back out for the Roosters finals run.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

couldn't agree more ... it's not a thing - he's sitting there with his mentor/manager trying to pressure the organisation he's currently contracted to to give him higher honours ... so on top of these extremely valid assessments of his non-suitability for our team it's a little disrespectful to the Warriors as an organisation

Be interesting if he does join us. It would mean management is really only serious about marketing instead of winning a grand final. He has no background in RL and just too old. It would be like us signing RTS as a Centre....oh shit we did.

 

[Canonball]

Be interesting if he does join us. It would mean management is really only serious about marketing instead of winning a grand final. He has no background in RL and just too old. It would be like us signing RTS as a Centre....oh shit we did.

lol - yeah - and that's my worry

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Mark Nawaqanatawase.

He's 5 years younger than Stevenson so still has the prime years of an Outside back 23-27 ahead of him.

And he's started in Cup too. Got a run in 1st grade in a dead rubber game vs Souths and straight back out for the Roosters finals run.

thanks for that. and a little bit different.

 

[juju]

Mark Nawaqanatawase.

He's 5 years younger than Stevenson so still has the prime years of an Outside back 23-27 ahead of him.

And he's started in Cup too. Got a run in 1st grade in a dead rubber game vs Souths and straight back out for the Roosters finals run.

I'm not particularly supportive of the Stevenson signing...

But we really have no insights into the clubs plans of how it would be used IF we sign him.