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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[nzwarrior51]

On a side note, I wonder how Dylan Walker is going since his family moved back to NSW?

I saw him in the pre season training videos the other day.
I’m assuming he’ll see out his contract and probably head back but hope he is well above all else.

 

[juju]

Shaun Stevenson has been named in the chiefs squad.

I think we can put that in the rene ranger basket now.

 

[cock_o]

Solomon Alaimalo also named in Super Rugby squad.

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

Not every team will do this, but if your top 30 was 2 players at every position, plus a standard interchange (3 forwards + hooker) that’s 30.

And that’s what we have with an extra forward instead of a final outside back

In the cut someone to sign someone stage of things – Ale, Bunty and Pompey would seem the ones with the hardest path to first grade combined with contract running out this year.

 

[Playdaball]

Setu Tu off to the Tigers ( East’s in Brisbane , not in Sydney)

 

[Riz]

Setu Tu off to the Tigers ( East’s in Brisbane , not in Sydney)

He got an upgrade at the end of last season right? So does that take us back to 29/30?

 

[Playdaball]

He got an upgrade at the end of last season right? So does that take us back to 29/30?

Must do. Maybe time to get a fast winger?

No not Shaun Stevenson.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

He got an upgrade at the end of last season right? So does that take us back to 29/30?

I thought he was upgraded this year, close to the July date where we needed x amount of players signed to the top 30 contracts, but don't think he had anything from nek year?

So, I don't think we've opened up a spot unfortunately

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Setu Tu off to the Tigers ( East’s in Brisbane , not in Sydney)

Speaking of Cup guys, Moala Graham-Taufa hasn't left like was going around; he was in the videos of the training recently at CKB

 

[Boston Boy]

Speaking of Cup guys, Moala Graham-Taufa hasn't left like was going around; he was in the videos of the training recently at CKB

He’s got a lot of upside and not far off Rocco and Pompey if I’m honest. Has played well in first grade.

 

[CWC]

MGT should be first drop winger if he’s still in the team, and 2 juniors right behind him, and Kosi should be emergency replacement

Unfortunately Webby will use the Uno reverse card on me

 

[Funky Ed Koosie]

Must do. Maybe time to get a fast winger?

No not Shaun Stevenson.

Jaaaaaaaammmmeeeessss Lllllooooowwwwweeeee?

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Jaaaaaaaammmmeeeessss Lllllooooowwwwweeeee?

He was offered an u20s contract but turned it down many years back, what could’ve been

 

[Completion Rate]

He was offered an u20s contract but turned it down many years back, what could’ve been

Should've been an All Black but was blocked by a flagging Julian Savea picked on reputation.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Should've been an All Black but was blocked by a flagging Julian Savea picked on reputation.

Left NZ at 24, as they said he was too far down the pecking order & has now set up his family & life in Ireland whilst also having an incredibly successful international career.

 

[hornbybrown]

Anyone else surprised at our lack of activity since November 1st? We have quite a bit of money coming off the books. I expected us to be more active

 

[Milking!]

I’m hoping that all our recruiting bandwidth is being spent romancing Leo Thompson to be part of the Wahs revival. Him, Barney, Fish with the young lions coming through would be awesome!

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Anyone else surprised at our lack of activity since November 1st? We have quite a bit of money coming off the books. I expected us to be more active

If you look at the list it says we have our top 30. I think we have 29 because Pasikala logically should be on a supplementary contract. Unless we get someone out of the 30 I cannot see us recruiting anyone else. Generally most clubs like to keep a spot open in case of a mid season signing.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Anyone heard anything about Tom Ale? I see he has no contract for next year. Have always like his effort but does not seem to be rated by Webster from what I have seen.

 

[JaggedJ]

Anyone else surprised at our lack of activity since November 1st? We have quite a bit of money coming off the books. I expected us to be more active

No because it's exactly like this every year.

Media hypes and hypes it up to get clicks while interest is still somewhat high after the season.

Deals don't get done on Nov 1st and even if they did we wouldn't hear about it for a couple of weeks at a bare minimum with the cooling off period.

Throw on top of that the players who don't want to be distracted while on international duty and what we're left is pretty much a nothing November that the media have milked for all it's worth.