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: 30/30
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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[Tragic]

Thought you would have taught your mrs better than that. Hope you’ve got it sorted for her to take a picture next time and take it home to you so you can identify them to us. Impressive she knew what Webster looked like all the same

Maybe she likes gingers, hope she doesnt run into Evil Mush, no way she could resist a ginger rock star.

 

[Aman 2.0]

Kosi just needs to get smarter, faster, better at defense and attack and he could be anything.

 

[Wrighty]

Tackle percentages in 2024
Ed Kosi 76%
Marcelo Montoya 77%
Dallin 79%
Fox 86%

 

[juju]

Tackle percentages in 2024
Ed Kosi 76%
Marcelo Montoya 77%
Dallin 79%
Fox 86%

Not sure the Fox would of been that high in our system this year though

 

[John Nick]

Not sure the Fox would of been that high in our system this year though

Exactly. Footy stats are nearly always misleading.

 

[tajhay]

Exactly. Footy stats are nearly always misleading.

perhaps, but stats or no stats, there is nothing in the world that suggests Kosi who is average player at best at NSW cup is a better option than someone who has represented NSW and Australia.

 

[Boston Boy]

Montoya can be a road bump out wide at times. DWZ can be absolutely atrocious in putting his body in positions to accomplish a good tackle. No doubt in my mind the JAC would be an upgrade defensively.

 

[John Nick]

perhaps, but stats or no stats, there is nothing in the world that suggests Kosi who is average player at best at NSW cup is a better option than someone who has represented NSW and Australia.

Agreed
I was referring to stats in general.
Take for example hit ups yardage stats.
Hit up yardage off your own line are more valuable than mid field yardage imo

 

[Tookey 2.0]

JAc is busted and past it.

Also does drugs and lies about it.

Also a clown and would not fit into the slow and easy NZ lifestyle or warriors culture.

We will probably sign him.

JAC is busted and past it?
I don't think 52 games across his last 3 years would be considered busted? A few of our boys would be pretty happy with that effort I think.
He's also scored tries at 0.7 and 0.8 per game across those 3 years despite being in a shit team. To put that in to context he was 0.7, 0.8 and 1.0 in his last 3 years in the Storm set up. Sooo....I would hardly call that past it.

How is he a clown? I can only recall him being in trouble once in his career (although I haven't checked, sonam happy to be proven wrong).

And he does drugs? Oh no! I'm sure a good deal of the NRL do, along with lots of other people in society. It's not as big of a problem as you make out.

Yeah he lied about it, to me that's the biggest issue here. But again, as far as I can tell, this has been a once off in his career to date?

 

[John Nick]

JAC is busted and past it?
I don't think 52 games across his last 3 years would be considered busted? A few of our boys would be pretty happy with that effort I think.
He's also scored tries at 0.7 and 0.8 per game across those 3 years despite being in a shit team. To put that in to context he was 0.7, 0.8 and 1.0 in his last 3 years in the Storm set up. Sooo....I would hardly call that past it.

How is he a clown? I can only recall him being in trouble once in his career (although I haven't checked, sonam happy to be proven wrong).

And he does drugs? Oh no! I'm sure a good deal of the NRL do, along with lots of other people in society. It's not as big of a problem as you make out.

Yeah he lied about it, to me that's the biggest issue here. But again, as far as I can tell, this has been a once off in his career to date?

Recreational activities have been happening in the NRL for many many years.
Tugger Coleman didn't get the nickname because he was a wanker

 

[Warriorsfan92]

This chat around Kosi vs JAC is apples and oranges. JAC is on 750k a year, for a winger. Thats terrible, terrible cap management. Kosi on the other hand will be on minimum. If I’m being honest, I’d prefer we release Kosi as soon as possible, however as fucked as it sounds I’d rather have Kosi on minimum than pay JAC anything over 500k, any day

By the way, I bet this makes some members cream with their Willison fetish.

 

[jonesy101]

JAC is busted and past it?
I don't think 52 games across his last 3 years would be considered busted? A few of our boys would be pretty happy with that effort I think.
He's also scored tries at 0.7 and 0.8 per game across those 3 years despite being in a shit team. To put that in to context he was 0.7, 0.8 and 1.0 in his last 3 years in the Storm set up. Sooo....I would hardly call that past it.

How is he a clown? I can only recall him being in trouble once in his career (although I haven't checked, sonam happy to be proven wrong).

And he does drugs? Oh no! I'm sure a good deal of the NRL do, along with lots of other people in society. It's not as big of a problem as you make out.

Yeah he lied about it, to me that's the biggest issue here. But again, as far as I can tell, this has been a once off in his career to date?

I agree with all of your points up until the generalization that a good deal of the NRL do drugs. It's an elite sport and the Bulldogs were heading into their first finals appearance in years. He's a senior player so no excuses.

 

[Jaffa J]

I would take JAC in a heartbeat Bulldogs will have to chip in but no debate here imo

 

[Tragic]

Recreational activities have been happening in the NRL for many many years.
Tugger Coleman didn't get the nickname because he was a wanker

What was he tugging then?

 

[JaggedJ]

What an exciting off season. We're signing JAC, Willison, and an advertising agency.

 

[John Nick]

What was he tugging then?

An elbow or an ankle or..

 

[cock_o]

Kosi just needs to get smarter, faster, better at defense and attack and he could be anything.

Yip he's got everything else. Shorts, Boots, Shirt.

 

[Bay39er]

Tackle percentages in 2024
Ed Kosi 76%
Marcelo Montoya 77%
Dallin 79%
Fox 86%

What are the stats for Ed, DWZ & MM coming off the wing and allowing their opposite to stroll in for a try?

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

What are the stats for Ed, DWZ & MM coming off the wing and allowing their opposite to stroll in for a try?

DWZ would lead the comp

 

[watcher]

ONe factor not being mentioned is the teams skill set particulary catching and passing.. i like Ali and Rocco because they have handling and passing skills. If Montoya, DWZ and Kosi got better service it stands to reason their stats would be better.