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	Tanah Boyd	✔	✔
6	Kurt Capewell	✔	✔
7	Erin Clark	✔	✔	✔
8	Wayde Egan	✔	✔	✔
9	James Fisher-Harris	✔	✔	✔	✔
10	Jackson Ford	✔	✔	✔
11	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔
12	Morgan Harper	✔
13	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
14	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
15	Edward Kosi	✔
16	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
17	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
18	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
19	Te Maire Martin	✔
20	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
23	Adam Pompey	✔	✔	✔
24	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔
25	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
26	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
27	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
28	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔	✔
S1	Kayliss Fatialofa	S
S2	Kalani Going	S
S3	Luke Hanson	S
S4	Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	S	✔	✔
S5	Sio Kali	S
S6	Patrick Moimoi	S
-	Kahu Capper	T	T
-	Jett Cleary	T	S	S
-	Motu Pasikala	T	✔	✔

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 28/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 23/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Tanner Stowers-Smith

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[Tragic]

Marata drops a lot of ball but a lot of it is because of the way they use him with the crash ball and the shit passes he get like bullets and never in the bread basket, it's so poorly executed it's like we don't know how to pass. It shits me.
He ain't worth 850k even if he catches every one of them mind you.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

The good news about Marata is that in November next year he'll be allowed to be approached by other teams, so you would think he's going to go gangbusters next season while he's looking for a new contract/extension.

I'm a bit torn on Niukore - I love what he can do as a player and last year was great, but this yeah injury and changing between prop and edge didn't help him so he looked fairly average. Didn't earn his massive price tag this year so I'm hoping next year we see his full worth and he absolutely belts some fuckers

I feel like the club set him up to play in the front row and that couldn't happen because of injuries to himself and the rest of the team. Hopefully next season they revisit that idea. He, Barney and JFH with sifakula is one fucken scary prop rotation.

 

[Worried2Death]

What you talkin about Will's ass?

I thought he was talking about Will Evans

 

[Wrighty]

Marata drops a lot of ball but a lot of it is because of the way they use him with the crash ball and the shit passes he get like bullets and never in the bread basket, it's so poorly executed it's like we don't know how to pass. It shits me.
He ain't worth 850k even if he catches every one of them mind you.

He plays better as a starter than off the bench

 

[Vancent]

That article makes Curran look like an arrogant, self entitled immature flog.

Still hungover 2 days after mad Monday

Didn’t take coaches feedback professionally

Instead of getting better instantly pulled the “I’m out of here card” because he knew he had options.

Proceeds to talk shit about the coach even when Webby is extending the olive branch.

Didn’t fight for his position in the team just throw a tantrum when we recruited Marata.

I was a big fan of Curran but that article makes me think we made the right decision. What a fucking cancer. Imagine him around our younger guys. That’s before we talk about the drinking, his weight, fighting teenagers and doing cocaine.

100% this. And then there’s the alleged punching a teenager, y’know - a kid…

All he did in that interview is show what sort of fella we let go, confirm it was the right decision given his unprofessional whine in this article and conveniently neglected to mention his off field issues.

Also neglects to talk about the poor conditioning he had that season which may well have been the root cause.

Curran over Marata?!? - Bwahhahahaha - yeah nah. An injured Marata all day thanks.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Curran over Marata?!? - Bwahhahahaha - yeah nah. An injured Marata all day thanks

Now I've had time to let it marinate and read all the comments. I agree. Sounds like he chucked his toys out the cot after a grown folk chat he couldn't handle.

 

[Playdaball]

Expect an announcement soon around one of our outside backs being released and not the one that I would have liked to have seen go.

 

[Wellington Warrior]

Expect an announcement soon around one of our outside backs being released and not the one that I would have liked to have seen go.

If its Taine or Ali I’ll be rioting!!!

 

[Playdaball]

If its Taine or Ali I’ll be rioting!!!

No riot required

 

[nzwarriorsfaithful]

No riot required

Just say it lol

 

[tyrael]

Do we sign James Maloney as attack coach?

 

[WahsaurusRex]

No riot required

So it’s not Ali, Taine or Big Ed…

I will riot if it is:
CNK
DWZ
RTS
Berry
Pompey

Will I still need to riot?
(just need to keep doing this game till we find out haha)

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Do we sign James Maloney as attack coach?

We will need to bring in a good defensive driving coach too then

 

[Funky Ed Koosie]

Expect an announcement soon around one of our outside backs being released and not the one that I would have liked to have seen go.

Berry to the Storm?

 

[Dantheman]

Expect an announcement soon around one of our outside backs being released and not the one that I would have liked to have seen go.

What a cock tease, just tell us

 

[Falcon]

I also believe Niukore is off-contract at the end of next season. With his current contract earning him 850k/year, I would assume the club would be in no rush to extend him, hoping for a much improved year in 2025.

….cue the ‘outstanding final year of contract season with a view to getting a new one’

 

[tyrael]

Berry to the Storm?

I would be very surprised if this happens, Webby loves him.

 

[tyrael]

We will need to bring in a good defensive driving coach too then

I'm sure Kai can talk to Izzy for the hookups.

 

[Funky Ed Koosie]

I would be very surprised if this happens, Webby loves him.

Yeah me too, if it's not Berry and if it's true, MGT or Pasikala. Can't see CNK or RTS going, possibly DWZ but really who is there that's ready to replace him (unless RTS goes to the wing which is just yuck).

 

[Tookey 2.0]

So it’s not Ali, Taine or Big Ed…

I will riot if it is:
CNK
DWZ
RTS
Berry
Pompey

Will I still need to riot?
(just need to keep doing this game till we find out haha)

I worry it's Dallin - I've always been sceptical of his one year contract extension. Off contract at the end of 2025 currently, I could see him making way and freeing up a bunch of cash for us.

Hope I'm wrong!