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: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, 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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[3rdstriker]

That's because everyone knows about Bishop

Lucian isn't a fringe prospect was the point I was making.

He would be in the top 5 prospects at the club regardless of age. Those are the ones you lock down.

Smart recruitment by the Phins. The door was definitely ajar with his brother not getting picked in the 17 for most of the Harold Matts season here. So was probably a package deal signing.

I'll wait for further responses from you when other handy or half handy recruits are let go the first of many.

 

[Warriors55]

This is how I see our top 17 in the next couple of years (2026-2027). Question marks are where we need better players than what we currently have.

1. - ? I love CNK but I'm starting to wonder if we should have signed him for 2 more years as a full back. We need a full back who has vision and pace to go with heart and defense. I don't think TT is that player.
2. - ? A fast winger who can defend well.
3 - ? Maybe Leiataua
4 - Rocco
5 - RTS
6. - Metcalf
7 - Cleary
8 - Fish
9 - Healey/Egan
10 - Barnett
11. Leka
12. Capewell (probably replaced in 2027)
13. Clark

14 - Healey/Egan/CHT
15 - Niukore/Ford
16 - Demetric
17 - Laban

We need to recruit a skillful fast dynamic player either at full back/centre/wing as a top priority along with resigning Metcalf and locking in Cleary long term.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

What do mean can't keep them all lmao

He's our best prop prospect coming through the grades

Cant keep them all is what you say when you lose a fringe guy

I don't know what is so confusing in what I said. It's a fact of life that we can't keep all the good talent coming through our pathways. That's unarguable.There's no getting around the fact that some of the players we have to let go are going to go on to do great things. Unfortunately he is one of them and won't be the last one.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

It is a bit harsh, i dont think its actual ability as a half more his decision making. I also think TMM isnt a good half partner for him at the top level

Either way im back on the 1 mil metcalf train hahahaha we have to keep him

were you also saying the same thing about Mets after rd 4? Pretty much everyone on this forum, as well as wider media, was saying that Mets wasn't a 7 at that pt. Now everyone thinks our season is over because of his ACL. How about revisiting this convo at the end of the season instead of 4 games in?

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Pretty much everyone on this forum

Thats not true. Was much closer to 50/50 at round 4 IIRC

 

[John Nick]

were you also saying the same thing about Mets after rd 4? Pretty much everyone on this forum, as well as wider media, was saying that Mets wasn't a 7 at that pt. Now everyone thinks our season is over because of his ACL. How about revisiting this convo at the end of the season instead of 4 games in?

I was one who copped it when I suggested that LM was the best option more so at 6 but none the less our best half.

 

[tajhay]

Another one here. not sure where 'pretty much everyone on the forum' is coming from....echo chamber perhaps?

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Thats not true. Was much closer to 50/50 at round 4 IIRC

fair enough. Maybe my recollection is blurred a bit. But I still stand by my pt that it is too early to judge TB. Give him until the end of the season at least.

 

[tajhay]

fair enough. Maybe my recollection is blurred a bit. But I still stand by my pt that it is too early to judge TB. Give him until the end of the season at least.

We have no other viable option other than TB. Its simple as that. So he will get until the end of the season. TBH a bit of unfair criticism of his plays. I thought he does control the team well. He is by no means going to be a flashy player or a gamebreaker, but he is the cool head that we currently need in the halves. The next few weeks gives him time in the boxseat to create some sort of chemistry with Chanel.

 

[bomb to vats]

We have no other viable option other than TB. Its simple as that. So he will get until the end of the season. TBH a bit of unfair criticism of his plays. I thought he does control the team well. He is by no means going to be a flashy player or a gamebreaker, but he is the cool head that we currently need in the halves. The next few weeks gives him time in the boxseat to create some sort of chemistry with Chanel.

Hes been very average last 2 weeks, TMM at 7 CHT 6

 

[MaybeTop8]

Hes been very average last 2 weeks, TMM at 7 CHT 6

Metcalf needed time. Boyd does too. Unless it's someone like Johnson, it won't be an instant success. There's a development window needed

 

[WA Warrior]

Metcalf needed time. Boyd does too. Unless it's someone like Johnson, it won't be an instant success. There's a development window needed

Agreed, also not having Barney and last night no Fish, Demetric and CHT it seems very early to write him off.

 

[CWC]

I mean Boyd kicked 3/3 including both from the sideline…was suppose to win by 2 and be a classic. The backs did well considering our depleted middle. Lacked killer instinct and key errors in the last 5 minutes

CNK can stay at centre since the others are made of glass, and we have 3 FB so we really need multiple wingers to take over from Dallin and Roger. Hope they’re not thinking Pomepy to wing for the young centres in a year or two

I doubt Linnane and Jett are ready for FG for at least first half of next year, TMM needs to stay

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

That's because everyone knows about Bishop

Lucian isn't a fringe prospect was the point I was making.

He would be in the top 5 prospects at the club regardless of age. Those are the ones you lock down.

Smart recruitment by the Phins. The door was definitely ajar with his brother not getting picked in the 17 for most of the Harold Matts season here. So was probably a package deal signing.

Time will tell.

 

[Noitall]

Time will tell.

Don’t know anything about these guys but recall how highly regarded the Kepu twins were. Haven’t heard from them again

 

[The Warrior Waka]

3 - ? Maybe Leiataua
4 - Rocco

Rocco gets a maybe from me too. Neither can stay injury free for long enough. Rocco is more defensive oriented. Ali is more dominant on attack.

 

[Mr Drag]

I mean Boyd kicked 3/3 including both from the sideline…was suppose to win by 2 and be a classic. The backs did well considering our depleted middle. Lacked killer instinct and key errors in the last 5 minutes

CNK can stay at centre since the others are made of glass, and we have 3 FB so we really need multiple wingers to take over from Dallin and Roger. Hope they’re not thinking Pomepy to wing for the young centres in a year or two

I doubt Linnane and Jett are ready for FG for at least first half of next year, TMM needs to stay

Them kicks was on the right side, the right leg kickers bad side! He got A+ for goal kicking in my book!

 

[Falcon]

Boyd has been let down by halves partners the last 2 weeks in my mind offering no additional playmaking support.
I think our new centre signing for next season is ….. wait for it…… CNK.
Fridays game could be a window into next seasons settled lineup with Taine at fullback.
The club I hope now realise they need some creativity and off the cuff opportunists and he’s the best we currently have who can create something from nothing.
I still think we will sign a winger for next season, maybe a centre for 27.

 

[Noitall]

Boyd has been let down by halves partners the last 2 weeks in my mind offering no additional playmaking support.
I think our new centre signing for next season is ….. wait for it…… CNK.
Fridays game could be a window into next seasons settled lineup with Taine at fullback.
The club I hope now realise they need some creativity and off the cuff opportunists and he’s the best we currently have who can create something from nothing.
I still think we will sign a winger for next season, maybe a centre for 27.

CNK played centre in round 26 last year and this is the first he’s played there since. Feel like it’s injury forced? But if centres continue to pick up injuries, it could be a possibility? I thought Tanah Boyd played well, my only criticism would be he made 16 tackles and missed 8 with 2 ineffective. Can only guess what positions TMM has been training for each week playing 14, but with a 2nd week training at 6, I’d be keen to see what the pair of them can produce. CHT might be back too?

 

[Beastmode]

Boyd has been let down by halves partners the last 2 weeks in my mind offering no additional playmaking support.
I think our new centre signing for next season is ….. wait for it…… CNK.
Fridays game could be a window into next seasons settled lineup with Taine at fullback.
The club I hope now realise they need some creativity and off the cuff opportunists and he’s the best we currently have who can create something from nothing.
I still think we will sign a winger for next season, maybe a centre for 27.

Ok with CNK at Center
RTS needs to go back to Full Bsck

TT was get rag dolled at FB. No way he survives a season playing in that position at FG level. He can play wing though.. right side wing spot is vacant …