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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[cock_o]

He had 21 shots at goal ?

And he only got the 4 from infront?

 

[~Navigator~]

Warriors lock up potential Johnson replacement with contract extension — Transfer Centre

Warriors lock up potential Johnson replacement with contract extension — Transfer Centre

www.foxsports.com.au

The Warriors have boosted their playmaking depth by signing versatile utility Chanel Harris-Tavita to a one year contract extension through until the end of the 2026 season.

This should give the young guys some time to prove their worthy

 

[~Navigator~]

I tell ya what I like this kid.
Toby Crosby. Interview below and some clips of him after that.

View: https://youtu.be/67S0b2ApxLk?si=Ar-RA4I3_kBVCjYB


View: https://youtube.com/shorts/bME2x1zPdcU?si=XJoD0CUaUuL1qRfZ


View: https://youtube.com/shorts/_n52F1QMdIk?si=S6pMQSew7YljaXnq

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Warriors lock up potential Johnson replacement with contract extension — Transfer Centre

Warriors lock up potential Johnson replacement with contract extension — Transfer Centre

www.foxsports.com.au

The Warriors have boosted their playmaking depth by signing versatile utility Chanel Harris-Tavita to a one year contract extension through until the end of the 2026 season.

This should give the young guys some time to prove their worthy

Luke Metcalf just fell to his knees in Chemist Warehouse

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Luke Metcalf just fell to his knees in Chemist Warehouse

Hope he didn't injure them!

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Hope

I tell ya what I like this kid.
Toby Crosby. Interview below and some clips of him after that.

View: https://youtu.be/67S0b2ApxLk?si=Ar-RA4I3_kBVCjYB


View: https://youtube.com/shorts/bME2x1zPdcU?si=XJoD0CUaUuL1qRfZ


View: https://youtube.com/shorts/_n52F1QMdIk?si=S6pMQSew7YljaXnq

Hopefully we'll keep him from union as I'd imagine they'll keep sniffing around him. Sounds like league was a decision on a whim.

 

[cock_o]

Hope


Hopefully we'll keep him from union as I'd imagine they'll keep sniffing around him. Sounds like league was a decision on a whim.

Hopefully he gets a development contract for 2025.

 

[cock_o]

So far only Tanner Stowers-Smith and Kalani Going are confirmed on development contract for 2025.
Who else will likely join them?

 

[~Navigator~]

So far only Tanner Stowers-Smith and Kalani Going are confirmed on development contract for 2025.
Who else will likely join them?

See above...lol
@20 years old hopefully he gets a crack

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

So far only Tanner Stowers-Smith and Kalani Going are confirmed on development contract for 2025.
Who else will likely join them?

Could be wrong but thought Jet Cleary is on a development contract for 2025 then the next 2 years in the 30.

 

[Wrighty]

Could be wrong but thought Jet Cleary is on a development contract for 2025 then the next 2 years in the 30.

2024 NRL Signings Tracker: Warriors extend Harris-Tavita, Leiataua

Warriors centre Ali Leiataua has inked a two-year contract extension through to the end of the 2027 season while Chanel Harris-Tavita has added another year to his deal.

www.nrl.com

NRL.com lists Jett Cleary as train and trial 2025 then development 2026 and 2027
For 2025 Development list - Halasima, TSS, Going

 

[MM51]

Bahahahhaha I can’t deal, this is the funniest thing I’ve read today

 

[Lance155]

I am worried about halfback as much as everyone else. The only thing I am sure of is I don't want TMM at 7. I am open to CHT or Metcalf as they haven't had a shot (and blown it)

 

[Five&Last]

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

People may have short memories but people also live in the past too much.

You're right in saying the "guy is all effort". But you have to bring something else to the table.

He always puts up big meters when he gets the number 1 jersey, but that's not enough anymore. We're way too one dimensional with him in that position.

Interesting discussion nonetheless. Regardless none of this will really matter once Pasikala is ready in 2-3 years given his much higher ceiling than both CNK and Taine.

 

[Falcon]

The amount of junior halves being signed is an insight to the clubs thinking that it’s a problem position to fill but there is no obvious target who is better and available than our current signings.

The fact that top halves cost a fortune and others command overs to come to Auckland means they currently see development of a player to pair with Metcalf in season ‘26/27

 

[MrFrankWhite]

As it stands....

1. ???
2. RTS
3. Leiataua
4. Berry
5. Pasikala
6. Metcalf
7. ???
8. Barnett
9. Egan
10. JFH
11. Capewell
12. Laban
13. Sifakula

14. Healy
15. Clark
16. Niukore/Zyon Maiu’u
17. Halasima

18. Zyon Maiu’u/Niukore
19. Lussick

CNK will almost definitely be re-signed and will be our fullback.

That leaves the biggest question mark over our halves. Re-sign TMM and/or CHT? We're filling up our lower grades with Aussie educated halves - is that a sign of the direction we're going? Worked for Ivan until SJ emerged.

We're not going to fill spots 20-30 with inexperienced juniors so there's going to be some movement on either the recruiting or re-signing side of things to get solid experienced depth.

The other glaring loss would be the middle ball playing of Harris and Walker. Sifakula/Clark don't add the same type of game.

In summary I could see us going after a half, a lock, a utility, and an outside back as priorities for 2026. Not necessarily marquee players, but guys who will fit a specific role in Webby's gameplan.

I disagree.

I think theres a good chance of CNK to centre since Berry doesnt have a lock on it at all. I think Webby could go a very junior heavy team next year and make a run in 2026.

 

[Wrighty]

The amount of junior halves being signed is an insight to the clubs thinking that it’s a problem position to fill but there is no obvious target who is better and available than our current signings.

The fact that top halves cost a fortune and others command overs to come to Auckland means they currently see development of a player to pair with Metcalf in season ‘26/27

Yes Falcon

I had a weird dream last night about our recruitment and a wise person in the dream LOL said we won’t be recruiting a half this off season and that we are turning to our ability to develop a half out of the several young options in our system. We also now have both Stacey and Johnson to mentor and develop these young halves so while we may have been unable before to home grow a half I think they are going to bank on that as the path forward given the extra coaching resources they have. If they do recruit a half it will be at flegg or sg ball level in keeping with this theory rather than a fully developed half.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

People may have short memories but people also live in the past too much.

You're right in saying the "guy is all effort". But you have to bring something else to the table.

Same same with Tohu

 

[Sir Arrow]

CHokerT

 

[SJ2k]

The amount of junior halves being signed is an insight to the clubs thinking that it’s a problem position to fill but there is no obvious target who is better and available than our current signings.

The fact that top halves cost a fortune and others command overs to come to Auckland means they currently see development of a player to pair with Metcalf in season ‘26/27

They have potential, if we could guarantee their health I wouldn't be too concerned. Not getting us to the top 4 but good enough to get us to the finals. The big issue is they're both fragile, especially Metcalf. We need 1 more half who has played at the NRL level, because they'll almost certainly be thrown in. Last year we had 4 and still had non halves starting for us. Honestly at this point i feel like they should be training up TT or something, because we're a half short.