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	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Haizyn Mellars	✔	✔	✔
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

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

Top 30 2026: 29/30
Supplementary 2026: 1/6

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

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper
Can negotiate with other clubs from Nov 1, 2025 (Entering final year) : Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Te Maire Martin, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[BangBro's (still banging)]

Interesting thought. I think it's a bit different these days with the way players train and prepare, Tedesco still performs at a high level (albeit not at his obvious physical peak) and RTS is arguably one of the best performing wingers this season. If he was in a better team, he would be a shoe in for Dally M winger of the year you would think.

Yeah but these type of players are a class above.

Dallin is not a class above most wingers.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Spot on Sup
He is just so reliable never gets injured great defender.

Great defender is a stretch.

 

[Naynay]

Think it would be disappointing to see the club sign AKP, Sio is coming up nicely and surely either gets the call next year or the year after. And for all the DWZ hate i would probably rather him if thats the replacement.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Think it would be disappointing to see the club sign AKP, Kio is coming up nicely and surely either gets the call next year or the year after. And for all the DWZ hate i would probably rather him if thats the replacement.

We need 1 winger now and 1 more at the end of next year

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Kio is coming up nicely and surely either gets the call next year

If you're samoan you'll know we have "Kio" all through the backline now.

 

[tyrael]

here is another transfer rumor

EXCLUSIVE: New Zealand Warriors express interest in Titans speedster

He has been shopped to rival teams.

www.zerotackle.com

I would ask if we can get him immediately (or start 2026). Rts played right wing for the roosters?

I know Marata is taking heaps of cap space too. Can't we wait for him to leave. Upgrade LEKA and Vaimaunga and get another player.

 

[Boston Boy]

Alofiana Khan-Pereira and TT were electric together in Q Cup. It will add another dimension to our team. It will add significant strike, long range tries will become a thing for the Warriors. It won't improve our defence though, but we've been trying that for along while.

 

[Dantheman]

Alofiana Khan-Pereira and TT were electric together in Q Cup. It will add another dimension to our team. It will add significant strike, long range tries will become a thing for the Warriors. It won't improve our defence though, but we've been trying that for along while.

I think the past few weeks have shown Taine isn't going to lead us to a premiership at fullback. Id love AKP to come here though, his defence can't be any worse than Dallin.

 

[Ferdie]

Think this is the best spot to put this. Apologies if not.

My understanding is the salary cap is a grant distributed by the NRL to the clubs to pay their players. Teams are obligated to spend 97.5% and if they don't they receive some form of monetary fine.

The reason I bring this up is I was talking to someone who is adamant we're 1M under the cap and the club is content with paying a fine which seems an outrageous claim. Yes, Tohu retired, but contracts begin on 'Nov 1st so there's a couple hundred thousand gone before his announcement without even factoring in upgrades and bonuses that have occurred since.

In what world would a club pay money out of their own pockets to the NRL, for the privilege to underspend their grant $ which can't be carried forward anyway? In the same vein how would guys in the playing roster feel if their team spent the bare minimum of 97.5% and $285,000 allocated to the club was left unused?

Here's my potentially tin foil hat theory as to how they've done it.
I suspect they spent the cap when they carried out some of the upgrades by loading on to existing contracts with the players agreeing to reductions for future contracts. Therefore not technically front loading as they are different contracts
For example, here's my hypothetical situation:
Let's say Leka was on an existing 250K per year contract through to the end of 2026 (signed back when he was 17/18).
Then let's say his new contract was going to be worth 850K per year from 2027 to 2029.
But instead of giving him 850K per year for that second contract, both parties agree prior to signing that deal, that they'll reduce it to 650K per year for those 3 years (total reduction of 600K) on the proviso that Leka gets that 600K added to the final 2 years of his existing 2025/2026 contract.
That way we still spend the current years cap, we don't technically front load a contract as they're separate contracts and we have great cap management for those future years.
Plus Leka gets 600K in his pocket sooner than he would have. So it's a win win.
Do that a few times with Laban, Leka, TSS etc to spend the current cap and we've spent the left over money for this year, and set ourselves up with value players for the future.
Hope that makes sense.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Here's my potentially tin foil hat theory as to how they've done it.
I suspect they spent the cap when they carried out some of the upgrades by loading on to existing contracts with the players agreeing to reductions for future contracts. Therefore not technically front loading as they are different contracts
For example, here's my hypothetical situation:
Let's say Leka was on an existing 250K per year contract through to the end of 2026 (signed back when he was 17/18).
Then let's say his new contract was going to be worth 850K per year from 2027 to 2029.
But instead of giving him 850K per year for that second contract, both parties agree prior to signing that deal, that they'll reduce it to 650K per year for those 3 years (total reduction of 600K) on the proviso that Leka gets that 600K added to the final 2 years of his existing 2025/2026 contract.
That way we still spend the current years cap, we don't technically front load a contract as they're separate contracts and we have great cap management for those future years.
Plus Leka gets 600K in his pocket sooner than he would have. So it's a win win.
Do that a few times with Laban, Leka, TSS etc to spend the current cap and we've spent the left over money for this year, and set ourselves up with value players for the future.
Hope that makes sense.

This is the best take

 

[kos]

Here's my potentially tin foil hat theory as to how they've done it.
I suspect they spent the cap when they carried out some of the upgrades by loading on to existing contracts with the players agreeing to reductions for future contracts. Therefore not technically front loading as they are different contracts
For example, here's my hypothetical situation:
Let's say Leka was on an existing 250K per year contract through to the end of 2026 (signed back when he was 17/18).
Then let's say his new contract was going to be worth 850K per year from 2027 to 2029.
But instead of giving him 850K per year for that second contract, both parties agree prior to signing that deal, that they'll reduce it to 650K per year for those 3 years (total reduction of 600K) on the proviso that Leka gets that 600K added to the final 2 years of his existing 2025/2026 contract.
That way we still spend the current years cap, we don't technically front load a contract as they're separate contracts and we have great cap management for those future years.
Plus Leka gets 600K in his pocket sooner than he would have. So it's a win win.
Do that a few times with Laban, Leka, TSS etc to spend the current cap and we've spent the left over money for this year, and set ourselves up with value players for the future.
Hope that makes sense.

Thanks
Is that you Andrew McFadden?

 

[Ref]

I’m buying Braiden Burns, AKP and Harry Hayes to be in our 2026 first round starting 17.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

I’m buying Braiden Burns, AKP and Harry Hayes to be in our 2026 first round starting 17.

Hayes re signed dogs

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Hayes re signed dogs

How can he sign when hes already brought him?

 

[Cces]

It's behind a paywall on NZ Herald, but in the brief bit I can see it says TMM will re-sign on a 1 year deal

 

[1995warriorsfan]

Media reporting TMM will extend for one further year with the club.

 

[3rdstriker]

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

The long, lingering questions over the future of Warriors’ playmaker Te Maire Martin have been resolved.
Martin will extend his time at the NRL franchise. The Herald understands the 29-year-old is close to agreeing a one-year extension on his current contract, which will see him remain at the Auckland club... until the end of the 2026 season.
It’s a big retention call by the Warriors, given the amount of halves already on the books. But it’s also recognition of Martin’s impressive versatility, where he has covered multiple positions off the bench and become the preferred No 14 option.
His attitude – and willingness to put the club first in the opening quarter of the season when he was stuck in reserve grade – has also been noticed by the club hierarchy.
It’s quite a turnaround. Earlier this season it looked like Martin would almost certainly depart at the end of this campaign. He missed out to Luke Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita for a spot in the halves, before Newcastle youngster Jye Linnane was signed as a future playmaking option in April, while Jett Cleary was already on the books as a long-term investment.

That led to speculation from Australian media that Martin could even depart mid-season for a Super League deal or possible NRL switch, though coach Andrew Webster was quick to quash any talk of an early release.
Since then, Martin has reinvented himself as a utility. Starting with the round seven match against Brisbane, Martin appeared in 11 of the next 12 matches off the bench and was used at fullback, centre, lock and hooker as well as in the halves, contributing to eight victories.
He enjoyed his first start of the season last week against the Dolphins, before getting the nod again on Saturday, a surprise pick to supplant incumbent No 7 Tanah Boyd. The match turned into a personal nightmare, with Martin leaving the field after just 22 minutes due to concussion. It was later assessed as category one, which will rule him out of Friday’s clash with the Dragons in Auckland (8pm).

Te Maire Martin will stay at the Warriors. Photo / Photosport
Despite that, Martin’s new contract will be a huge fillip, when it looked like he was headed for the exit a few months ago. He had wanted to stay in New Zealand, to be close to family and also given his enjoyment of various outdoor pursuits, notably hunting and fishing. But Martin also would have considered offers from elsewhere if it meant prolonging his professional career. Options would have eventuated, given the shortage of experienced halves across the NRL.
To stay at the Warriors, Martin will have taken a pay cut, given he was signed as a half ahead of the 2023 season, but there were other things to weigh up.

​

Martin made his first bow in the NRL in round three of the 2016 season, kicking a field goal to help Penrith to a dramatic win over the Broncos in a dream debut. After two seasons at the Panthers, he moved to North Queensland, where he was part of a fairytale run to the grand final from eighth, scoring the Cowboys’ only try in the decider as they were beaten by the Melbourne Storm.
He retired due to medical reasons in 2019, after suffering a brain bleed, before returning three years later via the Broncos, after some time away followed by lower-level league and rugby in New Zealand. Impressive form at Red Hill led to the contract offer with the Warriors, where he has since accumulated 38 matches. Overall, he has notched up 106 NRL games, along with four tests for the Kiwis.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Great decision, a win for both parties.

 

[Damo]

Happy with that