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	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	✔	✔
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	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
23	Motu Pasikala	✔	✔	✔
24	Adam Pompey	✔
25	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
26	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
27	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	C
28	Dylan Walker	✔
29	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔	✔
S1	Tanah Boyd	S	S
S2	Kalani Going	S
S3	Tanner Stowers-Smith	S
T1	Jett Cleary	T	S	S

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

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Confirmed Development 2025: 3/6
Unconfirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Unconfirmed Development 2025: 4/6 (Luke Hanson, per Zero Tackle)

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 20/30
Confirmed Development 2026: 2/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Tohu Harris, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Adam Pompey, Dylan Walker, Kalani Going (S), Tanner Stowers-Smith (S), Demitric Vaimauga (C)

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[Wrighty]

He’s re-signing with the broncos anyway so might get a bit quiet around here…

Is that true? Source?

IF it is true I had some concerns about signing Willison but knew I would be trampled under foot for ten thousand warriors fans if I dared uttered a peep, But under the apparent safety he can't come here any more I will say this.
Willison would have been a gamble signing.
IF we had a really good year and he was playing for us then i think he would go well.
If we had a crappy year he would become invisible and ineffective and start putting in half arsed efforts.
He's the sort of player that is effected by the form of the team, and there is a certain uncsontructive ethos in the DNA of the warriors that would bring out the worst in him.
No evidence for any of this - just from his body language and watching him. Just a hunch.
Again I am only venturing this powder keg comment now that I know he is not coming (apparently)

 

[Cces]

Is that true? Source?

IF it is true I had some concerns about signing Willison but knew I would be trampled under foot for ten thousand warriors fans if I dared uttered a peep, But under the apparent safety he can't come here any more I will say this.
Willison would have been a gamble signing.
IF we had a really good year and he was playing for us then i think he would go well.
If we had a crappy year he would become invisible and ineffective and start putting in half arsed efforts.
He's the sort of player that is effected by the form of the team, and there is a certain uncsontructive ethos in the DNA of the warriors that would bring out the worst in him.
No evidence for any of this - just from his body language and watching him. Just a hunch.
Again I am only venturing this powder keg comment now that I know he is not coming (apparently)

I might've incorrectly taken your statement as saying he's a bit of a flat track bully. Apologies if that's not the case but statistically he averaged 104m pg this year. Solely in losing matches (10) it was 101.4m. Seems pretty consistent, regardless of the teams form, considering 5 of those losses were by 16+

 

[Riz]

Another excellent writeup from the Niche Cache crew.

Three Themes Of New Zealand Warriors Recruitment & Development Ahead Of The 2025 NRL Season — The Niche Cache

New Zealand Warriors enter the kiwi summer with three important trends framing their recruitment and development.

theniche-cache.com

 

[Worried2Death]

Is Willison confirmed staying at the broncbros? Shit, what's plan B then

 

[JaggedJ]

I'm going to side with Wrighty on this one. His potential is clear, but there were times he was an absolute slug in defence.

You'd be paying premium money for potential with downside. Weapon in attack, defence not so much.

 

[Worried2Death]

I'm going to side with Wrighty on this one. His potential is clear, but there were times he was an absolute slug in defence.

You'd be paying premium money for potential with downside. Weapon in attack, defence not so much.

Agreed, now he's not coming I've decided he's a flog and I never wanted him anyway.

 

[Neo]

I'm going to side with Wrighty on this one. His potential is clear, but there were times he was an absolute slug in defence.

You'd be paying premium money for potential with downside. Weapon in attack, defence not so much.

If JFH, Niukore, and Barnett are all playing in the middle in 26, how much do you invest in your front row?
Hopefully we are trying to find money to keep Sifakula and Halasima by that stage too after establishing themselves as quality first graders

 

[Chchfanatic]

Another excellent writeup from the Niche Cache crew.

Three Themes Of New Zealand Warriors Recruitment & Development Ahead Of The 2025 NRL Season — The Niche Cache

New Zealand Warriors enter the kiwi summer with three important trends framing their recruitment and development.

theniche-cache.com

Great article. I’ve been saying for years we need to recruit from all over NZ.

 

[Defence]

Is that true? Source?

IF it is true I had some concerns about signing Willison but knew I would be trampled under foot for ten thousand warriors fans if I dared uttered a peep, But under the apparent safety he can't come here any more I will say this.
Willison would have been a gamble signing.
IF we had a really good year and he was playing for us then i think he would go well.
If we had a crappy year he would become invisible and ineffective and start putting in half arsed efforts.
He's the sort of player that is effected by the form of the team, and there is a certain uncsontructive ethos in the DNA of the warriors that would bring out the worst in him.
No evidence for any of this - just from his body language and watching him. Just a hunch.
Again I am only venturing this powder keg comment now that I know he is not coming (apparently)

Nothing official- just what I’ve heard sorry wrighty.
I’m glad u were able to tell us all your true feelings now though and pray for your safety when the big Willy fan club read your post

 

[John Nick]

Nothing official- just what I’ve heard sorry wrighty.
I’m glad u were able to tell us all your true feelings now though and pray for your safety when the big Willy fan club read your post

I think it was Peter Sterling who once said on The Footy Show.
"Everyone needs a big Willy" when discussing Willy Mason.

 

[Rizzah]

Do we make an offer to Trindall? Apparently testing the market Nov 1. <link>
If it doesn't work out, we at least bump the price the Sharks have to pay him.
CHT and TMM's final year of contract coincides with Trindall's (2025).

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Another excellent writeup from the Niche Cache crew.

Three Themes Of New Zealand Warriors Recruitment & Development Ahead Of The 2025 NRL Season — The Niche Cache

New Zealand Warriors enter the kiwi summer with three important trends framing their recruitment and development.

theniche-cache.com

These guys deserve more credit, some of the best sports writers in nz

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Is that true? Source?

IF it is true I had some concerns about signing Willison but knew I would be trampled under foot for ten thousand warriors fans if I dared uttered a peep, But under the apparent safety he can't come here any more I will say this.
Willison would have been a gamble signing.
IF we had a really good year and he was playing for us then i think he would go well.
If we had a crappy year he would become invisible and ineffective and start putting in half arsed efforts.
He's the sort of player that is effected by the form of the team, and there is a certain uncsontructive ethos in the DNA of the warriors that would bring out the worst in him.
No evidence for any of this - just from his body language and watching him. Just a hunch.
Again I am only venturing this powder keg comment now that I know he is not coming (apparently)

Completely disagree. I think he under performed at the Broncs and got sidelined due to egos and Kevvies complete incompetence as a coach.

 

[Inruin]

Do we make an offer to Trindall? Apparently testing the market Nov 1. <link>
If it doesn't work out, we at least bump the price the Sharks have to pay him.
CHT and TMM's final year of contract coincides with Trindall's (2025).

You would be mad not to. Between him and Hynes I know which one should be on the bigger money. Add in AFB and pressure must go on their cap to be able to offer Trindall a decent contract. He should be in the $800k+ range now surely?

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Do we make an offer to Trindall? Apparently testing the market Nov 1. <link>
If it doesn't work out, we at least bump the price the Sharks have to pay him.
CHT and TMM's final year of contract coincides with Trindall's (2025).

I wouldn't mind that at all!

 

[Billyspleen75]

SJ spent at least 2 seasons working with Trindall at the Sharks. SJ called him by his nickname "Tricky" on Fox over the weekend. Get SJ in his ear!

 

[CWC]

Trindall is the real deal for the Sharks this year, Hynes lives up to his playboy useless image as the lead man (great as a million dollar 2nd fiddle)

Interesting that they worked out how to let Trindall lead and their top guy as a 6, whereas our plan failed miserably this year with SJ playing as a support half

 

[Playdaball]

Tricky is a common nickname for the Trindall family members .
What about Atkinson??

 

[juju]

Trindall might stay loyal to the Sharks. They stood by him with the whole coke thing & they are a club that the players seem to love playing at (Look at BHU)

 

[watcher]

I just do not get why there is so mich talk about buying Props. FFS, we have JFH, Barnet, Niukore, Ford Ale Bunty Harris. This forum always want unicorn players they need Halves (incidentally I think MGT had promise there) and speed out wide.