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	The Greatest of All-Time	✔	✔
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	✔	M
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	Marcelo Montoya	✔
22	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
23	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
24	Motu Pasikala	✔	✔	✔
25	Adam Pompey	✔
26	Demitric Sifakula	✔	C
27	Taine Tuaupiki	✔
28	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
29	Dylan Walker	✔
30	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔
D1	Kalani Going	D
D2	Tanner Stowers-Smith	D
T1	Jett Cleary	T	D	D

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, D = Development contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 30/30
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: 14/30
Confirmed Development 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Jackson Ford, Tohu Harris, Ed Kosi, Ali Leiataua, Te Maire Martin, Marcelo Montoya, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Adam Pompey, Taine Tuaupiki, Dylan Walker, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Kalani Going (D), Tanner Stowers-Smith (D), Chanel Harris-Tavita (M), Demitric Sifakula (C)

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[Wrighty]

Yeah I get what youre saying but a lot of halves aren't amazing from day one.

Thurston didn't get going til he left the Doggies, and Jahrome Hughes and Cody Walker were late bloomers too.
Most good halves have that special something about them as a young fulla but it's usually not until theyve been playing for a few years when they learn how to game manage and perform consistently. Case in point Ezra Mam - he's hugely exciting and makes some massive plays but you can probably count on one hand the amount of times he's lead the Broncos to a victory

My understanding is that Thurston although developing was a well regarded player for the bulldogs

 

[Cces]

In my limited time watching league
If you are not good by 22 you will never be either elite or nrl standard as a half

Jahrome Hughes, Cooper Cronk, Jamal Fogarty, Matt Orford, Cody Walker, Nicho Hynes & James Maloney would beg to differ

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Sure knows his way around a Cabernet Sauvignon though…
Funnily enough when I went to chile there was a bunch of guys playing rugby on the beach then when I was in Fiji they were all playing soccer

More money in playing soccer professionally?

 

[Neo]

Jahrome Hughes, Cooper Cronk, Jamal Fogarty, Matt Orford, Cody Walker, Nicho Hynes & James Mahoney would beg to differ

James Mahoney? Imagine how mouthy a combination of Maloney and Reed would be!

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

In my limited time watching league
If you are not good by 22 you will never be either elite or nrl standard as a half so high are the standards expected
1) game management
2) distribution
3) leadership
4) tactical kicking
5) calling the offensive plays and 5th play options in the red zone

Galvin is already there at 18
Strange looks the part at 19
Ethan Sanders looks the goods at 19
Dion looks atrocious and was the 4th ranked half at the rabbitohs
Illias doesn’t break his leg then we never would have seen the Dion call up to begin with

Cht was far better than Dion when Cht was the same age and cht is not nrl standard

Trick plays!

Dogs kick on the 3rd in the red zone, manly have scrum moves. Just some innovation.

 

[peewee]

Trick plays!

Dogs kick on the 3rd in the red zone, manly have scrum moves. Just some innovation.

Yes Warriors are too one dimmentional
Hope another preseason can sort a few things

 

[Noitall]

Looking at the above list of who’s off contract, or can be approached in November Leiataua is someone needing to be extended that really stands out. You can see the massive potential in this guy and hopefully he sees the Warriors as his future. I’d be keen to see the club take up Sifakula’s option and extend him also not letting them get to market. I don’t hide my fondness for Pompey but would probably hold off for now with him seemingly keen to stay in NZ and keep that hunger for a new contract and extend him later in the year. Even if other centres have claimed the position, he offers good experienced outside back depth, and even a progression to second row? Depending on our plan around our halves, I’d look to extend TMM and keep him as our experienced halve going with Metcalf and CHT and guiding young guns through with SJ off field. Again depending on what our plans are on the wing, I’d look to give DWZ another season, he has defensive woes but we don’t have a finisher like him and his early set carries are massive. Tough one on Tom Ale but I’d hold off for now. Would like to see a leap forward but definitely moving in the right direction. Speculation Bunty, Montoya, Ford could be told they can explore their options but if they stayed I would have no problem with them getting to market. Tohu would have to be a year to year decision for me at this point. Judging by recent article that mentioned Dylan Walker, there’s obviously an interest in extending him? Tuaupiki has shown he’s got something there worth persevering with and would have no problem in seeing him extended, really hoping he can own that fullback role. Mutual option between CHT and the club so would hold off an extension at this point, also with CNK if Tuaupiki can claim that fullback role. Wouldn’t like to see Kosi blocking any paths but would be happy for him to stay as depth for his final season, I do think there’s a good player in there though. TSS on a development contract is a good place for him, he was on extended team sheets so hopefully can debut next season and see if he handles first grade. Kalani Going also on a development contract is handy, I’d be keen to see him third fiddle lock behind Walker and Clark and Tohu off the bench, though happy wherever they see Tohu’s role. Sorry for the long winded post, was bored

 

[Billyspleen75]

 

[nzwarriorsfaithful]

View attachment 9601

Great signings. Means lussick is gone, best hooker in nsw cup this guy.

 

[Playdaball]

Highlight of Lussick Warriors career - the mana wave celebration. Let's hope he finds a decent club and works out a 2 for 1 special ... Freddy and Ed

 

[Inruin]

Great signings. Means lussick is gone, best hooker in nsw cup this guy.

must admit when I first heard we were looking at this guy I thought it was because there might have been concerns around Egan.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Yes Warriors are too one dimmentional
Hope another preseason can sort a few things

Hard out, even mixing it up just a few times a game - kicking early in the set, banana kicks or kicking against the grain, spiral bombs, 40/20 attempts...mix it up a bit and we'll get another repeat set or the odd try from these kinda things

 

[CWC]

So if Lussick is gone then we have

Egan starting, Healey off bench
CHT and Roach backup (starting?) hookers

If they don't sign any halves then CHT to focus on 7 and 9 at Cup and start in FG when TMM/Egan/Healey go down

 

[tajhay]

best hooker in nsw cup this guy.

Is he? Because he isnt even the starting hooker for Newtown Jets.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Great signings. Means lussick is gone, best hooker in nsw cup this guy.

Was he stuck behind Jayden Berrell in NSW Cup or different team?

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Is he? Because he isnt even the starting hooker for Newtown Jets.

I think that answers my question

 

[snake77]

It is good to have the Healey signing confirmed. It ends the speculation.

It is a decent length contract first up. Although that can change quickly. Let's hope he plays well, gets time in first grade and enjoys life in Auckland.

Webster said a few weeks ago they had a few signings to announce. Hopefully not just Clarke and Healey and we get another surprise or two.

 

[Noitall]

Good to see a signing and one sharks obviously gutted to lose with a fan coming over to ask if this forum had heard anything? Interesting signed until 2027, just like Egan. Is he viewed as someone to come off the bench and spell Egan, or like Inruin says, is there concerns over Egan’s future?

 

[nzwarriorsfaithful]

Is he? Because he isnt even the starting hooker for Newtown Jets.

Played about 60mins a game at hooker
Also have you not seen Egan benched for lussick? Doesn’t mean he’s better…

 

[tajhay]

Played about 60mins a game at hooker
Also have you not seen Egan benched for lussick? Doesn’t mean he’s better…

No he hasnt. He has averaged around 60 mins a game at starting Hooker when Berrell has been unavailable. When Berrell has been been available, he has averaged around 30 mins compared to Berrell at 50. He has been understudy to Berrell all season. This is very different comparison to Egan/Lussick.

I get that people are excited and like to laud plaudits on new recruits, but to say he is the best hooker in the nsw comp, when he is not the starting hooker for the Jets, nor gets the most time onfield from the two options indicates a different story.