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: 18/30
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, Kalani Going (D), Tanner Stowers-Smith (D), Demitric Vaimauga (C)

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[JustLikeStartingOver]

Love Dal, but didn't need to give him two more years.

 

[Billyspleen75]

When RTS' contract expires end of 2026, Pasikala and Kali will have just turned 21.
Then for 2027, you have one of Pasikala and Kali starting, with DWZ on the other wing. If Kali and Pasikala are both good enough, then they will both start and DWZ will be very handy depth.

 

[Fufu]

DWZ two year extension. Really like this re-signing. Will be on a greatly reduced deal, (he was coming off 800k), still a fantastic finisher & has found a home in Auckland. Real mana man in our group, and his finishing is up there with the best in the comp.

We’re locking up a lot of off contract nov1 available guys. Off contract November 1:

Bunty
Ale
Ford
Tohu
Kosi
TMM
CNK
Pompey
Tuaupiki
Walker

Bunty 200k
Ale
Ford 200k
Tohu
Kosi 120k
TMM
CNK
Pompey 200k
Tuaupiki
Walker 500k

Could save a bit of cash by replacing these guys with juniors on the minimum and resigning the rest.

Still enough cash for one of Mulitalo or Nikora?

 

[CWC]

When RTS' contract expires end of 2026, Pasikala and Kali will have just turned 21.
Then for 2027, you have one of Pasikala and Kali starting, with DWZ on the other wing. If Kali and Pasikala are both good enough, then they will both start and DWZ will be very handy depth.

or both could lock down the starting spots for 2028 for their prime years

They're already going to get FG development next year with old man Roger, DWZ needs maintenance at times, and MTG is rumored to be gone. Unless Webby keeps using Kosi ahead of those 2.

 

[John Nick]

Love Dal, but didn't need to give him two more years.

Agreed but if he demanded 2 years and we had no better options.
If we have better options what are they??

 

[Iridescent]

Agreed but if he demanded 2 years and we had no better options.
If we have better options what are they??

I don't see any, he is still by far the best finisher in the team and one of the best in the comp.

I'm happy with the extension.

 

[John Nick]

I don't see any, he is still by far the best finisher in the team and one of the best in the comp.

I'm happy with the extension.

On reflection we have made the only viable decision

 

[Iridescent]

On reflection we have made the only viable decision

Especially considering how many injuries we go through, the young guys will get a chance but definitely don't want to be putting all our eggs in that basket.