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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[Mr. Brownstone]

What lol surely this is parody. Watch Souths make the top 8 next year, and his record for player development is only rivalled by Bellamy imo.

He turned isaako from a reserve grader at the broncos back to an international player. Plath will play origin in the next years, denveloped under Bennett. Te whare was a groundsman who made his nrl debut & is now the qld cup final.

He’s also taken a brand new count one game from the top 8 in 2 years, losing 3 of his best players in Aitken, flegler & Gilbert. Take yeo, fisher Harris & Martin out of the panthers pack and they’re a completely different side. I think you’re underselling what Bennett has done.

Unless Bennett is coaching the Warriors next year then what’s the relevance of us signing someone that Bennett was interested in? Haven’t you just pointed out that players go better under Bennett than what they do in other systems?

 

[Playdaball]

I'm not particularly supportive of the Stevenson signing...

But we really have no insights into the clubs plans of how it would be used IF we sign him.

I fully support the move. We have a nursery of RU players here in NZ, yet the likjes of the Storm pick up 7's players - Warbrick and the othe guy they're about to sign. Meantime, we have Ed Kosi on our books.

 

[Canonball]

I'm not particularly supportive of the Stevenson signing...

But we really have no insights into the clubs plans of how it would be used IF we sign him.

that's the only interesting thing for me in this talk about him - when it was initially mentioned I went and looked at some of his game play, and pretty much fell on the side of 'huh? there's nothing there to assess, nothing resembling what you'd want in an NRL outside back'... however, if you were going to look at a union signing and train them into a position that we're currently short in (halfback) what could you do?... again, you wouldn't be looking at him... see frank white above about the donkey balls .... got to get them earlier than this, and have a master-plan of changing them into an effective operator in the relevant position... c.f Jahrome Hughes from mediocre fb to class half ...

here ends the lesson - class half full...

 

[Teets]

I fully support the move. We have a nursery of RU players here in NZ, yet the likjes of the Storm pick up 7's players - Warbrick and the othe guy they're about to sign. Meantime, we have Ed Kosi on our books.

There's plenty of young union wingers in the Warbrick mould I'd go after before Stevenson.

Younger, cheaper, more long term upside.

 

[Noitall]

There's plenty of young union wingers in the Warbrick mould I'd go after before Stevenson.

Younger, cheaper, more long term upside.

Moses Leo. Beat the storm to the punch

 

[MrFrankWhite]

yet the likjes of the Storm pick up 7's players - Warbrick and the othe guy they're about to sign.

Uhh doesnt Warbrick have a league background as well as 7s?

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Leo himself is 27 though

I get it with Warbrick at 23/24 or Stevenson at 23/24 when Wayne was keen on him, but 27/28 year old outside backs making a code switch is not the move.

If we simply must go after a Union guy, why not someone like Fehi Fineanganofo? (I don't watch 15s or 7s, I just see he was in the Olympic team, is only 22, and got himself a couple tries last week in NPC)

 

[Teets]

Uhh doesnt Warbrick have a league background as well as 7s?

Yes played for Ngongotaha I belive.

 

[nzwarriorsfaithful]

Moses Leo. Beat the storm to the punch

moses leo is also 27.

 

[Noitall]

Uhh doesnt Warbrick have a league background as well as 7s?

AFL too I believe

 

[Noitall]

Leo himself is 27 though

I get it with Warbrick at 23/24 or Stevenson at 23/24 when Wayne was keen on him, but 27/28 year old outside backs making a code switch is not the move.

If we simply must go after a Union guy, why not someone like Fehi Fineanganofo? (I don't watch 15s or 7s, I just see he was in the Olympic team, is only 22, and got himself a couple tries last week in NPC)

Perhaps they wouldn’t want to block some highly touted young outside backs to recruit a young union player? Tyrone Thompson would be handy for the union subsidy, provided his brother is coming too. Had Laumape with his interest recently, though at 31. Also Vunivalu supposedly keen on a return to league, at 28 himself

 

[SBW1]

https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/oth...1&cvid=3947524973d54bf58d8d4c6cc2341a3e&ei=14 Not sure if there would be enough room in the cap, Cobbo would be a hell of a buy for the Wahs. Predicting a few Broncs to be exiting, could be worth a look.

 

[Noitall]

https://www.msn.com/en-au/sport/oth...1&cvid=3947524973d54bf58d8d4c6cc2341a3e&ei=14 Not sure if there would be enough room in the cap, Cobbo would be a hell of a buy for the Wahs. Predicting a few Broncs to be exiting, could be worth a look.

The way he’s been playing all year seems like he’s had an eye on an exit. Staggs has said to put a decent offer to him before November as he wants to stay at broncos. Got no idea but it feels like Walsh’s offer could be what has implications at broncos?

 

[Cces]

Uhh doesnt Warbrick have a league background as well as 7s?

"He switched to rugby league briefly in 2015 in the hope of finding opportunities in the 13-aside game.

When he attended a national Māori age-group tournament swarming with talent scouts that year the only attention he attracted was from a man who told him he should try a different sport.

"There was a bloke there representing AFLNZ who said I should give it a go," Will says.

"So I spent a season playing AFL and it ended up being the first time I got to represent my county in anything, as part of the New Zealand U18s."

Will Warbrick: The 'imposter' who belongs

As part of the Hisense Upgrade Season Series, NRL.com goes in-depth with Storm winger Will Warbrick.

www.nrl.com

 

[Noitall]

valynce te whare 80m try - Google Search

Valynce Te Whare with a good try last week. He’s got some wheels for a big man

 

[CWC]

valynce te whare 80m try - Google Search

Valynce Te Whare with a good try last week. He’s got some wheels for a big man

What happened to him?

 

[Cces]

moses leo is also 27.

Didn't realise he was such a late bloomer. Only made North Harbour at 23 & NZ 7s the following year.
Roderick Solo, although not physically imposing, would be a better target.
Kitiona Vai at 6'4 & 103kg would be the prototype Wing to poach

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Only NZ is signing a guy from rugby and immediately putting him in the starting 17, a serious conversation amongst fans.

Hit tip, RU sucks donkey balls, fuck signing caste offs who can’t make the grade, the goal is to poach kids. Not sign mediocre geriatrics for their first game.

I mean the only rugby players that should be taken for the NRL are the absolute elite! Of course I would love to see somebody like Ardie Savea have a go, but the fringe guys no way!

 

[Noitall]

What happened to him?

Playing in the Queensland cup final for the dolphins. No contract for next year. Someone will find interest in a 108kg centre

 

[Tookey 2.0]

A little outside the box thinking and a bit high risk/high reward.

Charnz is getting on, and will be 30 at the end of next year. I'm guessing he's on about 500k or so.

We're likely losing Montoya at the end of this year, and would be on around 350k (ball park guess)

What about resigning CNK on a smaller contract (350k - Montoya's money) and then make a big play for Cobbo, offering him a cool mill to play full back. We're struggling to find better halves than what we have currently, but having a game breaking player from the back would ultimately help our game. He'd essentially get SJs money from this year, so we wouldn't have to move anyone on. Another year on for our juniors and out backline could look like this in 2026:

1. Cobbo
2. DWZ
3. Ali
4. Rocco/CNK
5. RTS
6. LM
7. TMM

I like Cobbo but I'm not a huge fan of him if in honest. I just think as a 22 year old who's already played 70 NRL games and 2 years for QLD would be a pretty decent asset and could build the club around him for the next 10 yrs