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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[tajhay]

He’s never played 6?

Hes a 9. you would need to reprogram him to be a playmaker. He looks to make brreaks for himself and doesnt go towards support. Much like how Roger was not a distributor and they tried to make him into a centre and he would run away from the winger infield.

He still needs to work on his passing. Some of his passes were off or very high. Especially to halves who are being rushed (becauses opppnents know itll go to them due to our game model), those passes need to be on the mark. To me he is our utility on the bench but hes a fair bit away from taking over the 9 spot over Egan.

He is a gamebreaker on the bench and ideally comes in for a spell before halftime.

 

[CWC]

Healey’s passing is easy fix - repetition repetition repetition and practice under fatigue

 

[Noitall]

Healey’s passing is easy fix - repetition repetition repetition and practice under fatigue

Still building his motor too, he was gassed last night. Even playing for Newtown he was often coming off the bench

 

[CWC]

Still building his motor too, he was gassed last night. Even playing for Newtown he was often coming off the bench

Him for 30-40min and Egan 40-50min each week would be great

 

[enterthewarrior]

Let's just hope Healey stays.

 

[Five&Last]

Sounds like Anasta just says it’s Metcalf x Jett and Luke’s like the standard oh yup yup Jett’s cool while laughing inside

Its like when Fletch said on his radio show Jett Cleary would be partnering Isaiya Katoa in the halves for NSW in 5 years time.

Some of this talk about Jett across the ditch is genuinely laughable and is direct proof that nobody in media over there gives a flying fuck about watching the Warriors

Almost as bad as the "warriors monster forward pack" calls

 

[Noitall]

Let's just hope Healey stays.

View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNU0e-ahcJV/

I reckon he’ll stick around. Really smart young guy and obviously seen as Egan’s successor. I reckon he’ll come to love the club as much as Egan does

 

[Five&Last]

Contract	Position	Name
Top 30	CE	Adam Pompey
Top 30	CE	Ali Leiataua
Top 30	CE	Rocco Berry
Top 30	CE	Kayliss Fatialofa
Top 30	FB	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
Top 30	FB	Taine Tuaupiki
Top 30	HF	Chanel Harris-Tavita
Top 30	HF	Luke Metcalf
Top 30	HF	Tanah Boyd
Top 30	HF	Jye Linnane
Top 30	HF	Te Maire Martin
Top 30	HK	Sam Healey
Top 30	HK	Wayde Egan
Top 30	LK	Erin Clark
Top 30	LK	Morgan Gannon
Top 30	PR	Demitric Vaimauga
Top 30	PR	Jackson Ford
Top 30	PR	James Fisher-Harris
Top 30	PR	Mitchell Barnett
Top 30	PR	Tanner Stowers-Smith
Top 30	SR	Jacob Laban
Top 30	SR	Kurt Capewell
Top 30	SR	Leka Halasima
Top 30	SR	Marata Niukore
Top 30	SR	Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
Top 30	WG	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
Top 30	WG	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Top 30	WG	Sio Kali
Top 30	WG	Haizyn Mellars
Dev	HF	Jett Cleary
Dev	HF	Luke Hanson
Dev	PR	Jason Salalilo
Dev	HK	Makaia Tafua
Dev	PR	Rodney Tuipulotu-Vea
Dev	LK	Junior Sikuvea
T&T (NSW cup)	PR	Toby Crosby
T&T (NSW cup)	WG	Brandon Norris*
T&T (NSW cup)	CE	Motu Pasikala*
T&T (NSW cup)	CE	Caelys Putoko
T&T (NSW cup)	HK	Jacob Auloa
T&T (NSW cup)	PR	Harry Durbin
T&T (NSW cup)	PR	Emosi Ravosai*
T&T (NSW cup)	CE	Patrick Moimoi
T&T (NSW cup)	HF	Jack Thompson*
T&T (NSW cup)	WG	Harry Tauafiafi-Iutoi
T&T (NSW cup)	SR	Bishop Neal*
T&T (NSW cup)	CE	Nganaiaiafu Vake
T&T (NSW cup)	PR	Tepatasi Laumalili

This is basically the full group of players I'd expect to do the main pre-season training.

That's 29 spots taken in the top 30 and assumes we release Freddy Lussick which is the only realistic cut of contracted players imo.

All the train and trial guys are are still Flegg eligible next year except Durbin, Moimoi and Tauafiafi-Iutoi. I think we will call on Flegg for depth in our NSW cup team next year instead of having guys like Going, Doyle and Tu.

I've put an asterisk next to guys I think will be signed to development contracts for 2027.

I've included Toby Crosby but I think he will be lost to Penrith.

 

[3rdstriker]

View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNU0e-ahcJV/

I reckon he’ll stick around. Really smart young guy and obviously seen as Egan’s successor. I reckon he’ll come to love the club as much as Egan does

What a GC seems real down to earth, if he sticks around he could become another Ayshford in terms of aussie kiwi.

 

[John Nick]

see how he goes when he has a bit more at his disposal.
I would like to see some recruiting being done especially for outside backs

 

[WHB]

His old man was a very decent 6 so I would expect most of his growing up years and backyard footie were as a half.

Let's put it this way, I reckon he would have more understanding of the position and show some ability more than what we currently have

Mitch was pretty decent .
Just ask Ettinghausen how he got alot of his runaways.

 

[Five&Last]

Hes a 9. you would need to reprogram him to be a playmaker. He looks to make brreaks for himself and doesnt go towards support. Much like how Roger was not a distributor and they tried to make him into a centre and he would run away from the winger infield.

He still needs to work on his passing. Some of his passes were off or very high. Especially to halves who are being rushed (becauses opppnents know itll go to them due to our game model), those passes need to be on the mark. To me he is our utility on the bench but hes a fair bit away from taking over the 9 spot over Egan.

He is a gamebreaker on the bench and ideally comes in for a spell before halftime.

Definitely a 9.

The passing will improve. I think a lot of his bad service actually comes from poor decision making which will improve with experience

Always surprises me how physical he is. He has quite the presence in the middle for a hooker.

Healey/Tafua is going to be a bruising hooking combo for teams to deal with after Egan moves on.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Definitely a 9.

The passing will improve. I think a lot of his bad service actually comes from poor decision making which will improve with experience

Always surprises me how physical he is. He has quite the presence in the middle for a hooker.

Healey/Tafua is going to be a bruising hooking combo for teams to deal with after Egan moves on.

Martin will still be on the bench when healey takes over.

 

[Five&Last]

Martin will still be on the bench when healey takes over.

Martin will be gone after 2026

 

[Wrighty]

I would let Harper go somewhere else next year and sign Brent Naden for that centre depth back up position and let him play ten first grade games per year.
1) Naden is off contract for 2026 and is available for next season
2) He is a character player and would add to our leadership
3) He is an upgrade on Harper who has turned into a wasted signing as it has become apparent he is never going to get first grade time here no matter how low on stocks we get.

Naden is quality and I could see him doing a job for us for only $250K

 

[Warriorsfan92]

I would let Harper go somewhere else next year and sign Brent Naden for that centre depth back up position and let him play ten first grade games per year.
1) Naden is off contract for 2026 and is available for next season
2) He is a character player and would add to our leadership
3) He is an upgrade on Harper who has turned into a wasted signing as it has become apparent he is never going to get first grade time here no matter how low on stocks we get.

Naden is quality and I could see him doing a job for us for only $250K

Naden is terrible man & has toxic off field issues, no thank you. We don’t need aging outside backs, we need youth, energy & X factor.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Once Niukore and Capewell move on at the end of next year, I feel we're still overstocked with genuine young exciting prospects on the edge - Leka, Laban, EIT and Fatialofa, however it's unlikely we're going to have 2 backrowers on the bench.
My understanding is that were probably going to want these 4 players in and around the top grade at all times moving forward. Out of that group, who is best equipped to make a move to another position (centre being the most obvious need currently) that will result in all of those players in the same 17. Who would you be tapping on the shoulder for the upcoming preseason and where are you asking them to play a different position

 

[Dannevegas]

Once Niukore and Capewell move on at the end of next year, I feel we're still overstocked with genuine young exciting prospects on the edge - Leka, Laban, EIT and Fatialofa, however it's unlikely we're going to have 2 backrowers on the bench.
My understanding is that were probably going to want these 4 players in and around the top grade at all times moving forward. Out of that group, who is best equipped to make a move to another position (centre being the most obvious need currently) that will result in all of those players in the same 17. Who would you be tapping on the shoulder for the upcoming preseason and where are you asking them to play a different position

Pretty easy for mine. Leka and Laban edges, Eddie to the middle, Fatialofa to centre

 

[enterthewarrior]

I would let Harper go somewhere else next year and sign Brent Naden for that centre depth back up position and let him play ten first grade games per year.
1) Naden is off contract for 2026 and is available for next season
2) He is a character player and would add to our leadership
3) He is an upgrade on Harper who has turned into a wasted signing as it has become apparent he is never going to get first grade time here no matter how low on stocks we get.

Naden is quality and I could see him doing a job for us for only $250K

No thanks. Naden is one of the worst players in the NRL. Harper is way better.