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	Dylan Walker	✔
29	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔	✔
S1	Kayliss Faitialofa	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
-	Motu Pasikala	T	✔	✔

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

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 21/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Tanner Stowers-Smith, Dylan Walker

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[Noitall]

He’s 22… he’s got a lot of development to go. He’s had huge wraps on him.

Rabbits haven’t had the greatest season to get a gauge. He can tackle and a goal kicker, actually at 100%. Only had 1 kick but he got it

 

[Defence]

https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/oth...1&cvid=3947524973d54bf58d8d4c6cc2341a3e&ei=14 Not sure if there would be enough room in the cap, Cobbo would be a hell of a buy for the Wahs. Predicting a few Broncs to be exiting, could be worth a look.

I’m hoping the broncos panic.
Kevie is under massive pressure and short term success is gonna be his focus.
Swap capewell back for Williamson

 

[Noitall]

Francis Manuleleua heading to the knights. Was highly regarded at the club at one stage

 

[Wrighty]

Rabbits haven’t had the greatest season to get a gauge. He can tackle and a goal kicker, actually at 100%. Only had 1 kick but he got it

As soon as Wighton went to 6 instead of Dion the season improved significantly for Rabbits. Dion in my view was the worst half in fhe NRL this season by some considerable distance. CHT looked like Cooper Cronk compared to Dion.

 

[Blain]

Francis Manuleleua heading to the knights. Was highly regarded at the club at one stage

Didn't last long at the Panthers then.

 

[juju]

Francis Manuleleua heading to the knights. Was highly regarded at the club at one stage

He was so highly touted when playing 1st Fifteen. Interesting he didnt kick on with the panthers

 

[jonesy101]

I'm thinking he would be a better allrounder than RTS.
To me RTS is very limited for the money he's on.
A knee jerk reaction by the club to sign him.

Does he bowl spin or seam?

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Does he bowl spin or seam?

He Kava Bowls

 

[run_it_str8_again]

have we signed anyone yet?

If we must sign a rugby winger get one from Fiji.

 

[Teets]

He was so highly touted when playing 1st Fifteen. Interesting he didnt kick on with the panthers

Was starting in the same Flegg team as Jett Cleary the weekend gone, so I'd say him/manager just see a clearer/quicker path to first grade at Knights.

 

[Playdaball]

If we must sign a rugby winger get one from Fiji.

Montoya??

 

[Teets]

Montoya??

Doesn't count, his Chilean side slightly watered down the Fijian winger awesomeness genes.

 

[Defence]

ShrugDoesn't count, his Chilean side slightly watered down the Fijian winger awesomeness genes.

Sure knows his way around a Cabernet Sauvignon though…
Funnily enough when I went to chile there was a bunch of guys playing rugby on the beach then when I was in Fiji they were all playing soccer

 

[Bay39er]

As soon as Wighton went to 6 instead of Dion the season improved significantly for Rabbits. Dion in my view was the worst half in fhe NRL this season by some considerable distance. CHT looked like Cooper Cronk compared to Dion.

Dion never played 6
He debuted in R10 and played 7 in R10,11,12,22
In all 4 games Wighton played 6
Wighton first played 6 in R10

 

[Dannevegas]

I like the Mention of bringing Nanai-Seturo back. Also wonder if Isaako would be good for us, they’ve bought junior tupou who’s a gun winger and also have bostock, so maybe.

 

[watcher]

22 is old.

Players develop at different times. 22 is a baby in those terms

Look at the ages of the elite Halves in the NRL.

 

[Playdaball]

Doesn't count, his Chilean side slightly watered down the Fijian winger awesomeness genes.

Kane Evans?

 

[Wrighty]

Players develop at different times. 22 is a baby in those terms

Look at the ages of the elite Halves in the NRL.

In my limited time watching league
If you are not good by 22 you will never be either elite or nrl standard as a half so high are the standards expected
1) game management
2) distribution
3) leadership
4) tactical kicking
5) calling the offensive plays and 5th play options in the red zone

Galvin is already there at 18
Strange looks the part at 19
Ethan Sanders looks the goods at 19
Dion looks atrocious and was the 4th ranked half at the rabbitohs
Illias doesn’t break his leg then we never would have seen the Dion call up to begin with

Cht was far better than Dion when Cht was the same age and cht is not nrl standard

 

[Wrighty]

If we can go after an unproven half, even if he is contracted, I would go after boots and all young 18 year old Fainu from the tigers given benji doesn’t appear to rate him yet

 

[Tookey 2.0]

In my limited time watching league
If you are not good by 22 you will never be either elite or nrl standard as a half so high are the standards expected
1) game management
2) distribution
3) leadership
4) tactical kicking
5) calling the offensive plays and 5th play options in the red zone

Galvin is already there at 18
Strange looks the part at 19
Ethan Sanders looks the goods at 19
Dion looks atrocious and was the 4th ranked half at the rabbitohs
Illias doesn’t break his leg then we never would have seen the Dion call up to begin with

Cht was far better than Dion when Cht was the same age and cht is not nrl standard

Yeah I get what youre saying but a lot of halves aren't amazing from day one.

Thurston didn't get going til he left the Doggies, and Jahrome Hughes and Cody Walker were late bloomers too.
Most good halves have that special something about them as a young fulla but it's usually not until theyve been playing for a few years when they learn how to game manage and perform consistently. Case in point Ezra Mam - he's hugely exciting and makes some massive plays but you can probably count on one hand the amount of times he's lead the Broncos to a victory