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: 19/30
Confirmed Development 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Tohu Harris, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Adam Pompey, Taine Tuaupiki, Dylan Walker, Kalani Going (D), Tanner Stowers-Smith (D), Demitric Vaimauga (C)

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[Noitall]

I think you'll find that this was in reference to an All Black who has signed with the Roosters. Plenty of chatter starting to develop around this in union circles

Any ideas who it is?

 

[The Warrior Waka]

I would rather sign someone to run water in the top 30 than Kosi again

Maybe... I still rather have Kosi than this Solomon Alaimalo bloke.

 

[Billyspleen75]

I think you'll find that this was in reference to an All Black who has signed with the Roosters. Plenty of chatter starting to develop around this in union circles

Oh yeah sure. I didn't hear any other context to the comment. Any indication who it is?

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Roosters can have Berry.

 

[PhilsySH35]

Jeeze you should be a coach with those kinda gems

Someone call Webby, quick!

as if, just saying dal's a liability, the games about defence not offcence!

 

[BigUCE]

Jackson Ford extends for a further 2 seasons.

 

[CWC]

Wonder if he got a pay rise?

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Two-year extension for Ford​

Second rower Jackson Ford is the latest player to recommit to the One New Zealand Warriors after signing a two-year contract extension to the end of the 2027 NRL season.

The deal, stretching his stay to five seasons, follows Ali Leiataua, Chanel Harris-Tavita and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak all being secured on new terms recently.

Initially signed on a two-year deal from the St George Illawarra Dragons last season, the 26-year-old Ford was then extended to the end of 2025 after his breakout 2023 campaign.

“Coming to the Warriors has been a great career move for Jackson,” said One New Zealand Warriors general manager recruitment, pathways and development Andrew McFadden.

“He immediately impressed with his work ethic and attitude, establishing himself as a first-choice back rower for us over the last two seasons.”

Ford missed just three of his first 46 games at the club until a knee injury sidelined him for the last five games of the 2024 campaign.

“Jackson has been terrific from the moment he arrived at the club,” said One New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster.

“He works so hard every minute he’s on the field and competes on everything. The longer and harder a game gets, the better Jacko gets.”

Ford made only 33 NRL appearances across four seasons with the Dragons, the majority of them from the bench, but earned selection as a starting second rower at the start of his first season and filled that role for 35 of his first 36 appearances. Later in the 2024 campaign he was switched to the front row.

Consistently playing the full 80 minutes, he has averaged 103 metres and 36 tackles in his 43 games for the Warriors.

 

[Kestrel84]

Will we see Ford in the front row more? Surely he is blocking our young backrowers if he stays there?

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Im a fan of Ford, especially at prop. Wonder if we will hear some Tohu news...

 

[Leon Black]

Any ideas who it is?

Shaun Stevenson

 

[Falcon]

Two-year extension for Ford​

Second rower Jackson Ford is the latest player to recommit to the One New Zealand Warriors after signing a two-year contract extension to the end of the 2027 NRL season.

The deal, stretching his stay to five seasons, follows Ali Leiataua, Chanel Harris-Tavita and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak all being secured on new terms recently.

Initially signed on a two-year deal from the St George Illawarra Dragons last season, the 26-year-old Ford was then extended to the end of 2025 after his breakout 2023 campaign.

“Coming to the Warriors has been a great career move for Jackson,” said One New Zealand Warriors general manager recruitment, pathways and development Andrew McFadden.

“He immediately impressed with his work ethic and attitude, establishing himself as a first-choice back rower for us over the last two seasons.”

Ford missed just three of his first 46 games at the club until a knee injury sidelined him for the last five games of the 2024 campaign.

“Jackson has been terrific from the moment he arrived at the club,” said One New Zealand Warriors head coach Andrew Webster.

“He works so hard every minute he’s on the field and competes on everything. The longer and harder a game gets, the better Jacko gets.”

Ford made only 33 NRL appearances across four seasons with the Dragons, the majority of them from the bench, but earned selection as a starting second rower at the start of his first season and filled that role for 35 of his first 36 appearances. Later in the 2024 campaign he was switched to the front row.

Consistently playing the full 80 minutes, he has averaged 103 metres and 36 tackles in his 43 games for the Warriors.

Ford is an excellent player to have in the squad with his big engine and strong work and training ethic. Has some work ons but overall a good resigning.

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Like that it isn't a geriatric signing.. Good for the young forwards to look up to the work ethic of him, Clark, Fish, and Barnett for the next three years as well.

If he is going to keep being in the FG squad regularly, he has got to clean up the ruck penalties and drop balls, has to, has to, has to. A move to the middle (and not running him into the ground for 80 minutes) will hopefully help with that.

Pretty much kills any hopes (delusions? lol) of getting a Leo or Xavier you'd have to think, which is a bit guts

 

[Whiteknight]

If that is true then next year we should see

Metcalf
CNK
Ali
Berry
RTS
DWZ
TT
As the backline

 

[CWC]

Would not be happy if Ford is taking up a bench spot ahead of the juniors, but would be fine for him as a depth player who fills in for JFH/Barney as a starter or when everyone start to drop like flies

He can be very good when he cleaned up his knock ons and penalties though, did they until the team started collapsing after the Storm game

 

[snake77]

From a recruitment point of view it is good to have an Australian come here and improve and then extend their stay. We have had quite a few get homesick or need to go home due to family issues. They are more likely to get homesick if the team isn't winning, they aren't playing well, or the club doesn't seem like it is managed well.

From that point of view, it is good to have him extended. Like Barnett moving to the Warriors has helped his career.

The next thing is what position will he be playing?
2023 he was out wider playing big minutes. The main issue there is his hand when he is running through on-set plays. 2024 he got moved around a bit. In the middle he looked good. If we move both him and Niukore we look to be pretty heavy on middles.

 

[Evil_Mush]

Ford needs some serious "run through gaps" training, maybe get him to sprint full tilt through a forest avoiding all the trees or something

Getting the obstruction errors out of his game alone will be an exponential benefit!

 

[Naynay]

From a recruitment point of view it is good to have an Australian come here and improve and then extend their stay. We have had quite a few get homesick or need to go home due to family issues. They are more likely to get homesick if the team isn't winning, they aren't playing well, or the club doesn't seem like it is managed well.

From that point of view, it is good to have him extended. Like Barnett moving to the Warriors has helped his career.

The next thing is what position will he be playing?
2023 he was out wider playing big minutes. The main issue there is his hand when he is running through on-set plays. 2024 he got moved around a bit. In the middle he looked good. If we move both him and Niukore we look to be pretty heavy on middles.

I think he’s probably the perfect bench cover, i honestly wouldnt mind him just being on the bench and covers whoever is needed, anywhere from 3rd defender in would be a solid point to put him in.

I like him as a second rower but I do agree we need the young second rowers to have a chance at starting (either Laban or Halasima) even he could swap with Capewell and Capewell to the bench since he is getting a bit older. Mold Ford into our 80 min workhorse second rower

 

[Ever Hopeful]

There's a lot to like about Ford, but I always felt like he was playing a game that was quicker than his skillset, hence a lot of unforced errors/penalties/obstructions when tired. I also get the feeling he is playing near his ceiling, but I love being proven wrong.

Prop suits him better for me.

 

[JaggedJ]

Interesting.

Could be a case of not wanting to lose too much experience too quickly. If Walker and Harris both leave it will leave an experience gap but would still open the door for juniors, keeping in mind that Capewell will also be off contract one year earlier than Ford now.

Looks like Webby has a progression plan, we'll see if it works.

2025 - Bunty, Harris, Walker
2026 - Capewell, Niukore
2027 - Barnett, Clark, Ford

Up to the juniors now to step up or force us back to the market for replacements.