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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[tajhay]

Everyone can go over the age of 25 ?

NZ Warriors Tigers.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

NZ Warriors Tigers.

First thing I thought of when I read my comment back

 

[Noitall]

This ob leaving chat is giving geepee vibes just wait for the announcement and take it with a grain of salt until somethings official I could just pour petrol on the fire and say oh shit I had someone with inside knowledge tell me about this yesterday but didn't believe it also told me we have a new front row we on the way would u all start trying to guess the front rower next lmao ??

Did it sound like Leo Thompson?

 

[Leon Black]

and watch them turn him into an absolute weapon.

Like Kata and Vete? You can’t turn shit into clay

 

[Noitall]

Like Kata and Vete? You can’t turn shit into clay

If you leave it long enough it dries out though and gets tough

 

[Funky Ed Koosie]

Like Kata and Vete? You can’t turn shit into clay

If anyone turns Kosi into a beast, I'm on their bandwagon. I want the kid to do well but fuck me, he's not very good.

 

[Leon Black]

Rocco Berry to Knights, Gagai getting on, his parents live in Newie, Marty coaches in local Rugby comp, Leo Thompson goes to the Warriors.Off the top of my head inspired by Phil ‘whisky nose’ Rothfield and 3 powerful West Coast IPA’s

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

and watch them turn him into an absolute weapon.

I actually don't care that players go good when they leave, they ain't good here so cut them!

 

[Billyspleen75]

From the Herald article about the new bar. Seems like a pretty big coincidence to have Shaun Stevenson there..

 

[Makasene]

"I remember he looked at me and asked what’s wrong. I said, 'You obviously don’t trust in me because if you did, I would have played a lot more minutes,'" Curran recalled."

This is the key quote.

He was a very good player for us but it is more than that. This quote shows his petulance and quite frankly a real lack of professionalism.

Perhaps a better response is more along the lines of..

"Hey coach I'm getting a lot less minutes and it feels like I'm being pushed aside. What do you need from me to be a key part of the plans?"

To then chew the coach out for contacting him after he left, just classless.

I can't see any other scenrario than Curran tossed the toys and we said goodbye.

 

[Brightman]

If anyone turns Kosi into a beast, I'm on their bandwagon. I want the kid to do well but fuck me, he's not very good.

He's good enough to be a valued member of the club, whether he plays in the NSW Cup or NRL team..

 

[Noitall]

From the Herald article about the new bar. Seems like a pretty big coincidence to have Shaun Stevenson there..
View attachment 9469

I’ve wondered for a while if Dan Carter is getting involved? Wonder if he could join in a kicking coach capacity? Finn Allen is the obvious odd one out, are they just random guests?

 

[Makasene]

The RTS clip on IG is a bit ominous.

Trying not to read too much into it but it does seem a bit cryptic.

Especially with the "...." at the bottom

 

[Blain]

Curran sounds like he was upset at not getting minutes. Webster and the club clearly didn't think he was deserving of that, he never played well enough in 2023 to demand it to be fair. Add in the off field shit. Seems an immature attitude from Curran, to expect something without potentially earning it.

This outside back, I would guess Pompey or DWZ. Pompey would make sense, as we have so many centres next season.

 

[Noitall]

The RTS clip on IG is a bit ominous.

Trying not to read too much into it but it does seem a bit cryptic.

Especially with the "...." at the bottom

Could be RTS being that Playdaball is obviously reluctant to divulge his information and that would be quite a big deal?

 

[Warriorshopeful]

We really need a decent goal kicker too, the amount of games we've dropped because of missed conversions which in turn creates more score board pressure...

 

[Billyspleen75]

I’ve wondered for a while if Dan Carter is getting involved? Wonder if he could join in a kicking coach capacity? Finn Allen is the obvious odd one out, are they just random guests?

I think they are trying to get a representative from a number of sports. Just noteworthy that of all professional rugby players in NZ they asked Stevenson

 

[timburgesstheonlyoneiknow]

Would Asi be a sensible signing for next season. Personally, I think he could provide good value

 

[Noitall]

Would Asi be a sensible signing for next season. Personally, I think he could provide good value

Pretty sure he’s signed for a super league team

 

[hornbybrown]

So for the Bulldogs this year, Curran has played in only two more games than last year and averaged only four more minutes per game. So clearly the Bulldogs don’t trust him either and he should have a sook and go find a new club