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	Taine Tuaupiki	✔
27	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
28	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	C
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 Vaimauga (C)

---

This thread is solely for Warriors recruitment and retention discussion. Any posts not related to the above will be deleted.

Repeat offenders could have their access to this page limited.

Please be mindful of what you are posting in this thread before clicking the reply button.

 

[Schmen]

I don't understand all this halves chat. Sure a backup 7 could be useful but for 6 we have the options of TMM, LM, CHT (obv one will be halfback) and Walker in a pinch. Calling for Charnze in the halves is a poor use of a good player (I mean he doesn't even kick!) and adds depth to an already deep position.

Also don't forget that with the young forwards having more reps and Erin Clark coming in that Walker's probably not a forward pack-necessity anymore. If we need him as a utility he should be played as such.

 

[Dannevegas]

I don't understand all this halves chat. Sure a backup 7 could be useful but for 6 we have the options of TMM, LM, CHT (obv one will be halfback) and Walker in a pinch. Calling for Charnze in the halves is a poor use of a good player (I mean he doesn't even kick!) and adds depth to an already deep position.

Also don't forget that with the young forwards having more reps and Erin Clark coming in that Walker's probably not a forward pack-necessity anymore. If we need him as a utility he should be played as such.

Walker’s not a half. Charnze is getting suggested because he played 6 this year and went awesome, and our starting halves for next year are probably the most injury prone halves in the comp. And then there’s CHT who is ok and is there’s talk he’s moving to lock, so ye we definitely need a half

 

[Damo]

Walker’s not a half. Charnze is getting suggested because he played 6 this year and went awesome, and our starting halves for next year are probably the most injury prone halves in the comp. And then there’s CHT who is ok and is there’s talk he’s moving to lock, so ye we definitely need a half

Charnze played one game there and didn't exactly do anything spectacular. Just made tackles and completed a pass anyone should make for a try assist.. People hanging their hat on him being a viable long term option at 6 are deluded imo.

 

[Zaggo]

Charnze played one game there and didn't exactly do anything spectacular. Just made tackles and completed a pass anyone should make for a try assist.. People hanging their hat on him being a viable long term option at 6 are deluded imo.

Some on this forum are obsessed with the thought that by moving a player they'll instantly become Dally M contenders - CNK to 6, CHT to lock, Pompey to second row, there was even someone saying RTS to lock.

 

[SouthernWorrier]

Charnze played one game there and didn't exactly do anything spectacular. Just made tackles and completed a pass anyone should make for a try assist.. People hanging their hat on him being a viable long term option at 6 are deluded imo.

he'd have to grow into it of course - he was thrown in as an emergency gap filler, on debut so we were never going to get 300 kick metres, 2 tries and 4 TAs.. but he was solid. CNK would still be a gap filler for mine unless he does a pre-season there and looks the goods.

Either way I think there's a fair concern based less on skill and more on durability with LM & TMM as the primaries. CHT is further along and was pretty solid though. Solid however doesn't win premierships.

And I wouldn't be surprised if AW dogmatically sticks to his promise of retaining CNK @ No1 even though that doesn't unleash the best overall team result.

 

[Canonball]

Yeah I've said it to anyone who will listen to me, but I really believe we haven't seen the end of SJ just yet.

Whether it's a swansong in Vegas, or an SOS half way through the year, I think we'll see him atleast one more time in Warriors colours

you think? I don't know eh, it all seems pretty final to me, i'd like that to be wrong, don't see it happening tho.

We need another half - having SJ coming back in, even if briefly, would be an admission of failure in planning and reaction from management - however, Webby did joke during that last press conference that he had 5 weeks off... so never say never I guess

 

[Damo]

he'd have to grow into it of course - he was thrown in as an emergency gap filler, on debut so we were never going to get 300 kick metres, 2 tries and 4 TAs.. but he was solid. CNK would still be a gap filler for mine unless he does a pre-season there and looks the goods.

Solid sure. But he did nothing any other half could do apart from being perhaps a bit more solid defensively. Charnze literally kicked 0 metres.. only one game but with his possible partner already having a poorer kicking game than your usual halfback, we would be on a hiding to nothing.

 

[JaggedJ]

CHT to lock, Egan and CNK to the halves, Pompey to second row.

Not gonna lie, our team going to look pretty wild next year.

Just need Kosi playing that NAS bench prop role and we're set.

 

[jonesy101]

CHT to lock, Egan and CNK to the halves, Pompey to second row.

Not gonna lie, our team going to look pretty wild next year.

Just need Kosi playing that NAS bench prop role and we're set.

Not gonna happen. Lussick already has the bench prop role filled.

 

[Noitall]

CHT to lock, Egan and CNK to the halves, Pompey to second row.

Not gonna lie, our team going to look pretty wild next year.

Just need Kosi playing that NAS bench prop role and we're set.

Think it’s potentially things like footage of SJ mentioning CHT in a promo video as his position being a ball playing lock that also involved Niukore. Certainly don’t think it’s totally implausible that they try to emulate Walker’s role in CHT being a good defender and from the halves with some ball playing. Could take a season or two to get his body in the shape to handle the middle consistently, but he’s young so got the time. Egan is an ex five eighth, think people just trying to fathom the plan with us looking light in the halves. Pompey and your boy Berry may need to look at transitioning to another position because Leiataua has one spot sewn up in a matter of time and we’ve got some decent young centres looking good. Interesting that Eddie Ieremia Toeava has been getting time there in nsw cup. Think he’s really going under the radar still so young. Has been often played in the second row but also centre and prop and hasn’t looked out place in any