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	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
14	Edward Kosi	✔
15	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
16	Ali Leiataua	✔
17	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
18	Zyon Maiu’u	✔	✔
19	Te Maire Martin	✔
20	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
21	Marcelo Montoya	✔
22	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
23	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
24	Motu Pasikala	✔	✔	✔
25	Adam Pompey	✔
26	Demitric Sifakula	✔	C
27	Taine Tuaupiki	✔
28	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
29	Dylan Walker	✔
30	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: 30/30
Confirmed Development 2025: 2/6
Unconfirmed Top 30 2025: 30/30
Unconfirmed Development 2025: 3/6 (Luke Hanson, per Zero Tackle)

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 14/30
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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[Beastmode]

You watch this and then say if you still want Fox


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iwA3hu5Qiw

What’s that white stuff on JAC’s arm? Coke?

 

[Leon Black]

Can you elaborate? Berrell debuted in the NRL 8 weeks ago & has always started ahead of Healey, when they're both playing Cup, for the last 2 years

29 years of age, Sam is 22. Been at Sharks 3 seasons, Healy played Flegg mostly season before, so your 2 year argument is poor guesstimating. Way more upside than a 29 year old making his debut this season.

Sharks v Eels

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks U20 versus Parramatta Eels U20 match centre includes live scores and updates. Includes official live player and team stats. Run metres, fantasy points scoring.

www.nswrl.com.au

 

[CWC]

I would prefer Lussick as starting cover for Egan and Healey be full time impact bench hooker, but the original poster who leaked the correct rumor said Lussick is moving on so probably CHT will be playing Cup and straight to starting 7 or 9 when TMM and Egan is injured, if we don’t sign any quality depth for 7. I think it’s crazy to use Metcalf as back up 7 when he has just developed a passing game and goes missing in general play when the pressure is on (which is super fair for his development at this stage).

Surely we have over a million in cap space if we are releasing SJ, Monty, Lussick and JFH’s 4 year deal probably cheaper than AFB per year

So who can we sign? Like a compassionate release of Nathan Cleary to be with his brother

If we are getting Thompson and/or Leota in 2026 I’d develop Sifakula as second row again as Capewah and Marata will be getting up there by 2026. We’ve got Ale, Zyon Maiu’u, TSS, Ieremia etc coming through as props

Maybe we are waiting for the Pacific series for JFH to weave his magic of compassionate releases, did Stacy pick any young vulnerable players that we can exploit and lure back home..

 

[run_it_str8_again]

must admit when I first heard we were looking at this guy I thought it was because there might have been concerns around Egan.

We would be foolish to think that Egan will see out his contract at his current trajectory maintaining top form. I'd keep Mana wave Lussick on the books because...... he's familiar with first grade.

 

[Dannevegas]

Joseph O’Neill would be a good buy for us. Young gun 7 from the dogs who are stacked with halves prospects atm in Cassius Tia, Mitch woods and co.
O’Neill could come here as our 7 going forward and be a first drop half, or potentially take over from te maire if that doesn’t work out.

 

[Makasene]

Healey is a good signing but has not proven himself in FG. Lussick has and in my view was one of the teams biggest improvers. I see Healey as more of cover for Egan.

Presumably his price tag is that of someone not proven in first grade too?

I'm all for the money ball signings.

It's what James Maloney was.

 

[Cces]

29 years of age, Sam is 22. Been at Sharks 3 seasons, Healy played Flegg mostly season before, so your 2 year argument is poor guesstimating. Way more upside than a 29 year old making his debut this season.

Sharks v Eels

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks U20 versus Parramatta Eels U20 match centre includes live scores and updates. Includes official live player and team stats. Run metres, fantasy points scoring.

www.nswrl.com.au

It's not a guesstimate. Healey may have played 14 Jersey Flegg games (2 of these after the Jets missed the playoffs) in 2023 but in his 12 NSW Cup games that season, & also throughout 2024, he's been behind Berrell in the pecking order.

I'm not trying to debate who'd be a better signing so let's get back to my original question.

"Rumours of Healy started 3 weeks ago, join the dots!". Can you actually elaborate on this please?

 

[Playdaball]

I'd keep Mana wave Lussick on the books because...... he's familiar with first grade.

He’s more familiar with the bench !

 

[snake77]

He’s more familiar with the bench !

This is probably the main issue. When he is on the bench the coach often doesn't use him tactically. He's often brought on late when the result has been determined.

If he's only on the bench to cover if Egan goes off injured it is a wasted position. Hopefully Healey if he is on the bench is used tactically. The highlights make him look like a contrast to Egan or Lussick in that it looks like he will run from dummy half whenever there is an opportunity.

I don't mind Lussick and he has exceeded my expectations from when we first signed him. He's fit and is a decent enough fill in. The problem now that we have another dummy half signed is where does he fit in?

If Healey isn't on the bench he should be playing NSW Cup and getting some minutes in. If Lussick is in NSW Cup is there guys we want to develop he may be holding back?

 

[Boats n Hoes]

Let’s be clear, he’s a different player to lussick. He’s more of a Harry grant/damien cook style player. When lussick comes on, he’s a defensive hooker. He’s fit as anything but lacks any creativity at the ruck. We’ve clearly identified this as a weakness. And realistically if Egan goes down long term, bringing in lussick has hampered our attacking upside. Hopefully this rectifies this.

I agree.

But sort of blows your theory that Erin Clark was signed so we wouldnt need to carry a 2nd hooker on the bench dont you think?

 

[kos]

It's not a guesstimate. Healey may had played 14 Jersey Flegg games in 2023 but in his 12 NSW Cup games that season, & also throughout 2024, he's been behind Berrell in the pecking order.

I'm not trying to debate who'd be a better signing so let's get back to my original question.

"Rumours of Healy started 3 weeks ago, join the dots!". Can you actually elaborate on this please?

We have some Nz warriors employees on this forum

 

[Cces]

We have some Nz warriors employees on this forum

No doubt. Surely Leon Black isn't one of them peddling baseless crap like Metcalf was black balled by the Sharks because he signed with us & insinuating Healey is receiving the same treatment.
In 2022 the Sharks played 26 games & between Hynes/Moylan they missed a total of 3 games on their way to a Semi. Trindall, who remains a better NRL half than Metcalf, filled in on those 3 occasions. Metcalf wasn't hard done by.

 

[SBW1]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODePljJDEhw

 

[Warriorsfan92]

I agree.

But sort of blows your theory that Erin Clark was signed so we wouldnt need to carry a 2nd hooker on the bench dont you think?

Nah. Clarke is a middle forward who CAN play hooker. He’ll be used as a hooker only when necessary but he’s been a middle forward the last few years. I also never said Healey would be on the bench, I said if Egan goes down long term we need a hooker to come in with attacking upside. I still think we won’t carry a bench hooker, and Clarke will cover Egan if need be, even if it’s a spell.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

He’s more familiar with the bench !

He's not the best but with Mr. Egan's propensity for injury, Lussick's value increases. Benchy he may be. But he's a hooker none the less and I don't see Haley's signing as a straight swap for Lussick. There is room for both of them as Healey can fit outside the top 30.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

This is probably the main issue. When he is on the bench the coach often doesn't use him tactically. He's often brought on late when the result has been determined.

If he's only on the bench to cover if Egan goes off injured it is a wasted position. Hopefully Healey if he is on the bench is used tactically. The highlights make him look like a contrast to Egan or Lussick in that it looks like he will run from dummy half whenever there is an opportunity.

I don't mind Lussick and he has exceeded my expectations from when we first signed him. He's fit and is a decent enough fill in. The problem now that we have another dummy half signed is where does he fit in?

If Healey isn't on the bench he should be playing NSW Cup and getting some minutes in. If Lussick is in NSW Cup is there guys we want to develop he may be holding back?

Using Freddy as a prop was a stretch. But yes wasting his bench spot while our middles get gassed is poor.

 

[Cces]

Just worked out Lussick's +/-, off the bench this season. Thought it was going to look extremely poor after doing the numbers from Rd 1 where we went from 12-0 up to a 12-16 defeat after he joined the game.
Overall the team ended up +11 points across his 224 bench minutes this season

 

[hornbybrown]

Ben Teo coach is the Dolphins Q cup team came out this week and said that Val Te Whare has been great this year and done everything asked of him.
Said a NRL club should take a chance on him. If he doesn’t get a full time deal anywhere I don’t see the harm in train and trial contract. The guy has a rare speed, weight and power combo that is intriguing

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Ben Teo coach is the Dolphins Q cup team came out this week and said that Val Te Whare has been great this year and done everything asked of him.
Said a NRL club should take a chance on him. If he doesn’t get a full time deal anywhere I don’t see the harm in train and trial contract. The guy has a rare speed, weight and power combo that is intriguing

Very Mal Meninga ish. Mal was 6ft - 6ft 1 and fluctuated between 114 - 120kg during his career. Man's could motor for his size. Val has that potential. He even had the same coach Mal did at the very beginning of his career, Master coach Wayne Bennet.

 

[Leon Black]

No doubt. Surely Leon Black isn't one of them peddling baseless crap like Metcalf was black balled by the Sharks because he signed with us & insinuating Healey is receiving the same treatment.
In 2022 the Sharks played 26 games & between Hynes/Moylan they missed a total of 3 games on their way to a Semi. Trindall, who remains a better NRL half than Metcalf, filled in on those 3 occasions. Metcalf wasn't hard done by.

Baseless crap it’s an opinion champ we are all entitled to one. Like an asshole, we’ve all got one, trot on!

If they had so many stacked halves why wouldn’t they have released him? You a closet Sharks fan?