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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[Five&Last]

Most urgent re signings imo:
Taine
Charnze
Dallin
Walker

I think Charnze would be smart to test the market.

He's not in my starting 17 next year.

Which sucks because he's one the all time great effort players for this club.

But Taine is a better fullback now imo (offers speed and better playmaking) and then Pasikala is the long term fullback once he gets some first grade experience on the wing next year.

Then Ali and Berry are the long term center pairing. He's definitely not better at center than an injury free Berry and Ali should be given the opportunity to start from round 1 next year imo.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

I think Charnze would be smart to test the market.

He's not in my starting 17 next year.

Which sucks because he's one the all time great effort players for this club.

But Taine is a better fullback now imo (offers speed and better playmaking) and then Pasikala is the long term fullback once he gets some first grade experience on the wing next year.

Then Ali and Berry are the long term center pairing. He's definitely not better at center than an injury free Berry and Ali should be given the opportunity to start from round 1 next year imo.

Interesting. I’ve still got him as my starting fb personally. People have short memories. This guy is all effort, was the player of the match against Aussie 30 nil & is consistently in the top run metres in the game. His ball playing has developed over time & is just a hard worker, does all the shit stuff. I really like taine & think he suits the modern game but cnk has runs on the board & is a proven international fullback. Again, this is why this forum is great, different opinions but I think charnze just had a down year - along with 90% of the squad. I’m expecting a bounce back year in 25, but if not, taine is nipping at his heels for that starting spot

 

[Noitall]

Cleary drops NRL retirement bomb: ‘That’s good enough for me’

‘I want to be sitting back having a beer in the stand, mate.’

7news.com.au

Ivan in a latest interview says he may not coach past his current contract, which expires in 3 years. Obviously not leaning towards signing that lifetime deal they offered him and Nathan. 3 years is Jett’s deal with us, would be a handy addition for Jett to know his old man was coming over as a director of coaching, or depending on where Webster has the team by then

 

[Canonball]

Wouldn't mind a halves contingent which included TMM metcalf and Niwhai Puru if we can get him for next year [he does like the odd insta post of auckland and mt smart among his other exclusively sydney content...] - talented, level headed dude by the looks of it - we need someone else that's for sure, my preferred option would be a positional switch for Tauapiki, but that's probably dreaming

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

I think Charnze would be smart to test the market.

He's not in my starting 17 next year.

Which sucks because he's one the all time great effort players for this club.

But Taine is a better fullback now imo (offers speed and better playmaking) and then Pasikala is the long term fullback once he gets some first grade experience on the wing next year.

Then Ali and Berry are the long term center pairing. He's definitely not better at center than an injury free Berry and Ali should be given the opportunity to start from round 1 next year imo.

I kind of hope he does. I agree with you about him not being in the starting 17 next year. He will turn 30 next year and did not have the best of years. With V'landys touch NRL the game is much faster and we see teams getting younger for a reason.

 

[Natedogg]

My god this has to be the worst thread on this forum.

10's of pages of dribble talks about what if its and maybes and no actual news of recruitment lol

 

[John Nick]

My god this has to be the worst thread on this forum.

10's of pages of dribble talks about what if its and maybes and no actual news of recruitment lol

Not to mention stats. Stats for this and stats for that.
Been around football and footballers nearly all my life and have never ever heard the mention of statistics from any of the participants.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

My god this has to be the worst thread on this forum.

10's of pages of dribble talks about what if its and maybes and no actual news of recruitment lol

Dribble is being kind.

 

[MM51]

Dribble is being kind.

A whole lot of bullshit? Is that better

 

[peewee]

A whole lot of bullshit? Is that better

100%

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Laughing out loud at the doorknobs complaining about the recruitment thread, continuing to polute it with the same shit their complaining about

 

[CWC]

My god this has to be the worst thread on this forum.

10's of pages of dribble talks about what if its and maybes and no actual news of recruitment lol

Not to mention stats. Stats for this and stats for that.
Been around football and footballers nearly all my life and have never ever heard the mention of statistics from any of the participants.

Dribble is being kind.

A whole lot of bullshit? Is that better

100%

 

[Woofa]

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.

No some Dolly Bird does lol. Opearation get him hooked up and her knocked up. lol

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Laughing out loud at the doorknobs complaining about the recruitment thread, continuing to polute it with the same shit their complaining about

No, it’s jumping into this thread in the hope of reading some genuine intel and instead having to wade through fictitious rubbish. I can’t recall an offseason where this thread has been lower quality… in saying that, I’m hopeful we are working on some signings in the background.

 

[Rizzah]

No, it’s jumping into this thread in the hope of reading some genuine intel and instead having to wade through fictitious rubbish. I can’t recall an offseason where this thread has been lower quality… in saying that, I’m hopeful we are working on some signings in the background.

It's like this every year.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

It's like this every year.

Yeah to a degree, however I think this year is worse. Some genuinely dumb shit being posted. Anyway I don’t want to be accused of polluting the thread further so will leave it at that.

 

[Inruin]

Don't we have like 29/30 signed for 2025 so what signing news are we expecting?

 

[Wrighty]

Don't we have like 29/30 signed for 2025 so what signing news are we expecting?

Correct
I didn’t realise it until you asked just now
Sam Healy is a top 30 signing
And Erin Clark was a top 30 signing
That gives us 29 and typically the warriors stop at 29 at this stage until mid season
So unless we let someone go it could be our recruitment is finished this off season barring NSW cup level and flegg signings

So for those who want exciting developments in this thread you maybe SOL

 

[Inruin]

Correct
I didn’t realise it until you asked just now
Sam Healy is a top 30 signing
And Erin Clark was a top 30 signing
That gives us 29 and typically the warriors stop at 29 at this stage until mid season
So unless we let someone go it could be our recruitment is finished this off season barring NSW cup level and flegg signings

So for those who want exciting developments in this thread you maybe SOL

Lots of room to move for 2026 signings though.....

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Ah I thought it would have been 28 for next year, now that Montoya is gone.
I didn't realize we were sitting at 30 prior to Montoya leaving.

Interesting though, as my guess is that we have SJs and most of Montoya's money left, which would give us enough change to get a decent player for next year (in the 6-800k category).