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	Kalani Going	S
S2	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: 2/6
Unconfirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Unconfirmed Development 2025: 3/6 (Luke Hanson, per Zero Tackle)

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 16/30
Confirmed Development 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Jackson Ford, Tohu Harris, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Adam Pompey, Taine Tuaupiki, Dylan Walker, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Kalani Going (D), Tanner Stowers-Smith (D), Demitric Vaimauga (C)

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[Zaggo]

Any one keen on Kai Pearce-Paul?

He was very in and out at Newcastle this year. Looked good at points but could also drift in and out of games. Needs to work on his consistency and willingness to do some hard graft on both sides of the ball if he's going to take the next step.

I'd take him on the proviso the club gave his attitude a good scoping.

 

[Neo]

Yep I’d take him over Nikora… SBW vibes at times.

What times?????
He was very average all year and struggled for an impact, which 3 line breaks and 2 line break assists in 22 games points to (I know stats aren’t everything but I had to look because I thought he had struggled). Also offloads at a far less rate than Nikora.
I understand recruiting a known quantity like Nikora, but if you are going on potential then you would have to back Halasima and Laban above this bloke at 600k

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Same with people acting like Stevenson is a dropkick because he only played for the ABs once.

Probably a great bloke, and great sporting talent. IMHO that last part is key, needs to be a firm no to RU players trying use the Warriors as a get out of jail card if they dont make the grade at the ABs. If a regular starter wants to code switch ala Joseph Manu then different story.

 

[run_it_str8_again]

I think that’s how Charnz got injured before the season started this year, full on 2023 NRL, 3 international games then a month of rest then time to pull his hammy. Hope the Kiwis get knocked out early this year and JFH, Charnz etc return less exhausted

No wonder they managed JFH’s minutes to 45-55min per game, this yr, he played 2023 season, 3 playoff games and 3 Pacific games, Webby needs to roll out his players like a top team rotating minutes and not AFB everyone till they bust their nuts

I remember Greg Inglis declining and thinking how he would play Indigenous all star game. Regular season. Finals. Three State of Origin games. Kangaroos calendar. Then the odd world club challenge. Then hear commentators talk about his form and loss of speed. Ha. It's a stupid way to manage players but it still occurs

 

[mrblonde]

Gee this forum has bloody high expectations of what constitutes a good career. Jerome Ropati won a World Cup playing for his country, and you're using him as an example of a dud!

Same with people acting like Stevenson is a dropkick because he only played for the ABs once.

Talk about a high bloody bar!

Withdraw and apologize. Guess I kind of tied his performances in with his injuries, which, IIRC, he had a few off especially at the back end of his career...
The point being made, I guess, was "try and ignore the NRL Immortal/Multiple Dally M Winner/Multiple Grand Final Winner/Whatever Accolade connotations of the kid's surname and just judge the kid on his own ability and output."
Same could, obviously, go the other way, too. Son being much better than father...

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

I thought KPP was pretty disappointing this year, either played within himself or he’s just a one dimensional player who is all size and not much else. Maybe it’s the former and his potential just needs to be unlocked, however suggesting you’d take him over Nikora on what we’ve seen so far is a joke.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Hopefully we make a move for Leo Thompson. We need a good Tohu replacement. Or at the very least he leaves Newcastle. I’d be keen to swap him for Bunty for next season (I realise that’s probably not gonna happen)

Then Kai Pearce-Paul also leaves.

That may cause Kalyn Ponga to see the writing on the wall. And cause a bit of a domino effect. (I wouldn’t sign him. That’ll completely blow our cap out of whack)

Hopefully Hastings stays there too. 800k for that idiot is madness.

 

[Noitall]

Hopefully we make a move for Leo Thompson. We need a good Tohu replacement. Or at the very least he leaves Newcastle. I’d be keen to swap him for Bunty for next season (I realise that’s probably not gonna happen)

Then Kai Pearce-Paul also leaves.

That may cause Kalyn Ponga to see the writing on the wall. And cause a bit of a domino effect. (I wouldn’t sign him. That’ll completely blow our cap out of whack)

Hopefully Hastings stays there too. 800k for that idiot is madness.

If we could add Thompson, I think we’ve got such an intimidating pack if you consider him, JFH, Barnett, Niukore, Ale is starting to hit the line hard, then there’s the likes of Zyon Maiu’u who gives the impression of Leniu type energy off the bench and Vaimauga (formerly Sifakula) who is becoming a scary prospect. That’s just the really scary ones with others also staunch in Walker, Clark, Laban, Capewell. I’d take Nikora over KPP, mainly because Nikora is in his peak years right now and potentially the best hole running back rower in the comp. Though KPP has a potentially big future, I’d love for Nikora to come and install some of that knowledge in our back rowers that have huge potential and wouldn’t be keen on KPP blocking their path. If we were to add Thompson and Nikora over the next couple of seasons, halves are the only glaringly areas in need of recruitment in the short term I reckon

 

[Zaggo]

If we were to add Thompson and Nikora over the next couple of seasons, halves are the only glaringly areas in need of recruitment in the short term I reckon

What about wings? If we're still relying on Kosi to be our depth we're in deep doo-doo.

Other teams seem to have an endless bounty of random backup wingers with a turn of pace, whereas we really battle with it.

 

[Noitall]

What about wings? If we're still relying on Kosi to be our depth we're in deep doo-doo.

Other teams seem to have an endless bounty of random backup wingers with a turn of pace, whereas we really battle with it.

Yeah we do lack express pace. I would start off with DWZ and RTS wings just for experience. Pasikala is obviously highly regarded in the club, not sure if he’s far enough along to debut next year? I’ll take my medicine but I’m actually a fan of Kosi and think he’s got potential, but again lacks pace. I’d like us to have a look at Mulitalo or Xavier Savage for 2026 too

 

[Warriorshopeful]

What about wings?

Had some wings on the bbq last Friday that were pretty good!!

 

[Noitall]

NRL stars with most to gain in Nov 1 feeding frenzy as big pay rises loom

NRL stars with most to gain in Nov 1 frenzy... and where they could land in big paydays

www.foxsports.com.au

Tuaupiki listed as one of the players of interest in this article. Going to be really interesting to see what the Warriors see in his future? Everyone seems to be noticing that he’s too good to be in reserve grade and the smaller zippier fullback seems to be the prototype in the modern game

 

[Noitall]

Ivan Cleary prepares for star son's Penrith exit | Sporting News Australia

As the 2025 season approaches, and with it a chance to win a fifth trophy, one member of the Cleary family will be competing in a different jersey.

www.sportingnews.com

Bit more of that article that had a quote from Ivan Cleary regarding Jett Cleary. Interesting to see Ivan say they tried to manipulate another position for Jett but halfback was the natural fit. Is this who we’ve got all our eggs in the basket for?

 

[MM51]

Big Ali Leiataua extends til 2027

 

[Makasene]

 

[Fufu]

View attachment 9829

2nd best news of the year behind Fish re-signing.

Great stuff!

 

[Fufu]

Ivan Cleary prepares for star son's Penrith exit | Sporting News Australia

As the 2025 season approaches, and with it a chance to win a fifth trophy, one member of the Cleary family will be competing in a different jersey.

www.sportingnews.com

Bit more of that article that had a quote from Ivan Cleary regarding Jett Cleary. Interesting to see Ivan say they tried to manipulate another position for Jett but halfback was the natural fit. Is this who we’ve got all our eggs in the basket for?

do you see him staying and living in NZ for the next 10 years?

Id love him to be our next #7 long term, but just cant shake the thought that we develop him, give him his shot and then he heads back "home" in 3 years. Especially in that article with the way Ivan talks about him leaving the home and mum being upset.

If he is up to it then we have 3 years to convince him to stay.

 

[CWC]

do you see him staying and living in NZ for the next 10 years?

Id love him to be our next #7 long term, but just cant shake the thought that we develop him, give him his shot and then he heads back "home" in 3 years. Especially in that article with the way Ivan talks about him leaving the home and mum being upset.

If he is up to it then we have 3 years to convince him to stay.

If he wins a premiership for us he can do anything he wants lol

 

[Riz]

Ivan Cleary prepares for star son's Penrith exit | Sporting News Australia

As the 2025 season approaches, and with it a chance to win a fifth trophy, one member of the Cleary family will be competing in a different jersey.

www.sportingnews.com

Bit more of that article that had a quote from Ivan Cleary regarding Jett Cleary. Interesting to see Ivan say they tried to manipulate another position for Jett but halfback was the natural fit. Is this who we’ve got all our eggs in the basket for?

I've got a nagging feeling that he'll never make 1st grade.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

do you see him staying and living in NZ for the next 10 years?

Id love him to be our next #7 long term, but just cant shake the thought that we develop him, give him his shot and then he heads back "home" in 3 years. Especially in that article with the way Ivan talks about him leaving the home and mum being upset.

If he is up to it then we have 3 years to convince him to stay.

He was born in NZ. Plus if we put a dynasty team around him, why would he leave?