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	Jett Cleary	✔	S	S
9	Wayde Egan	✔	✔	✔
10	James Fisher-Harris	✔	✔	✔	✔
11	Jackson Ford	✔	✔	✔
12	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
13	Morgan Harper	✔
14	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
15	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
16	Edward Kosi	✔
17	Jacob Laban	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
18	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
19	Jye Linnane	✔	✔	✔	✔
20	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
21	Te Maire Martin	✔	✔
22	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
23	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔	✔
24	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
25	Adam Pompey	✔	✔	✔
26	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔	✔	✔
27	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
28	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
29	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
30	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
-	Morgan Gannon	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Haizyn Mellars	✔	✔	✔
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Top 30 2026: 29/30
Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos), Haizyn Mellars (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
2026 Losses: Edward Kosi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper
Can negotiate with other clubs from Nov 1, 2025 (Entering final year) : Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Te Maire Martin, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[Playdaball]

We should push for this year and throw in a player too … Pompey, Lussick, Kosi etc

 

[Falcon]

Is now the time we cash in our player swap request for AFB?

 

[Dippa]

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/nPQ9Q73dgS8?si=R6ljxp6M55wrBlcv

Picture a Warriors jersey on Tom Hazelton when you see this short clip.

It's the perfect formula for how we want to play - fast and direct.

Massive get if we can land this signature, and he is only 26!

 

[CWC]

He tasted the brownies and decided to bail

He can spell our props for 50-60min, should be happy with that workload

Would be really good if he can come this year, if not, is he the replacement for Walker??

 

[Blain]

We should push for this year and throw in a player too … Pompey, Lussick, Kosi etc

It's not the NBA unfortunately.

 

[Playdaball]

It's not the NBA unfortunately.

Shuan Lane For Raymond FM, a few years ago ...

 

[Hazza]

Warriorholic: What’s up whanau I have scoop for that outside back…

Honestly though I have a low bar so the current pack is already wetting my pants and this will send me over the edge. Talk about tunnel vision recruitment overkill though

Is this a rumour or confirmed

 

[CWC]

Is this a rumour or confirmed

mainstream media rumor he's seen in AKL visiting Wahs gym, no words from officials

 

[PhilsySH35]

This situation is a bit crazy to me.

But I feel for Kosi. He's copping hate but what is he supposed to do, say 'no I don't want to play'.

The coach is picking him so that's where the finger needs to be pointed. Cappy too, how are we in a position that first drop is Kosi.

I get a sense the coaches are hoping he comes right. He was good for a while. Unfortunately "hope" is not a strategy

agree, he won't always be like this, just need to believe in the poor bugger, I'm sure they picked him for a reason, he can't be as bad as everyone makes out. I believe in cappy and andy.

 

[Zaggo]

But I feel for Kosi. He's copping hate but what is he supposed to do, say 'no I don't want to play'.

He's supposed to catch the ball and be in position!

 

[Boston Boy]

mainstream media rumor he's seen in AKL visiting Wahs gym, no words from official

Willy Mason and Horo also confirmed Hazelton flew to NZ after his trial match (or something like that). They intimated it was to look around the club etc. Would be an awesome I signing, but theres no doubt theres other options namely Dragons and others which is close to home.

 

[Hazza]

mainstream media rumor he's seen in AKL visiting Wahs gym, no words from officials

I mean who is the back

 

[Jonesy69]

Willy Mason and Horo also confirmed Hazelton flew to NZ after his trial match (or something like that). They intimated it was to look around the club etc. Would be an awesome I signing, but theres no doubt theres other options namely Dragons and others which is close to home.

He’s too young to go the dragons. They will sign him when he’s 30+

 

[Horriors2013]

I rate him - when it first came out a year ago that we were looking at BHU I said we should be going after Hazelton instead. He’s not elite tier but he’s a proper first grader.

Yup.Remember you calling it. I'd take him in a heartbeat.

 

[Makasene]

Sharks just don't lose players they want to keep eh

In general that is true for any club not considered a basket case (ahem Tigers, Dragons...)

The reporting is that Hazleton can stay but would have to accept less money than he is being offered elsewhere. At 26 he is actually silly not to take the money and I'm sure his agent will be saying as such!

Sounds to me like he will be playing elsewhere in 2026, absolutely no freaking way is he going to be released early, Sharks are gunning for the Prem this year - easy money top 4 bet in my opinion.

 

[Makasene]

Interestingly, Sharks fans don't seem too fazed about losing him.

They are speculating that this is being manager driven. Melbourne released an official statement distancing themsleves and Flanghan has come out to suggest they would have him but at a price...not exactly a glowing endorsement.

Would make sense why he would get on a plane to NZ, he has not been offered what he wants....yet.

 

[Ramps]

Hazleton is a gun! He would be a great addition to our pack, really hope we get him. Would love Barnett at 13 with Hazleton and Fish as our starting props.

Stonestreet would be awesome too but doubt coming here is securing him a first grade spot more so than Sharks if that's what is motivating him. Doubt we would be offering him the kind of money to bring him over just to be a backup winger to DWZ and RTS.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Hazleton is a gun! He would be a great addition to our pack, really hope we get him. Would love Barnett at 13 with Hazleton and Fish as our starting props.

Stonestreet would be awesome too but doubt coming here is securing him a first grade spot more so than Sharks if that's what is motivating him. Doubt we would be offering him the kind of money to bring him over just to be a backup winger to DWZ and RTS.

Agree. The tricky thing is, there’s a vacant with spot now, but when dwz returns, him and rts have those spots in lock. So essentially the proposition is:

Come to our club for a pay increase, to again be third string winger. This is the exact situation stonestreet is in right now, with a better side.

I think the offer would be a starting centre spot, but they have the ability to play in the wing, too. Someone like a Fifita, talau, hiroti, Anderson.

I actually really liked the look of hiroti in the trials and all stars game.

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

Usually would say: Andy and Andy – no more forwards you psychos, spend some money on the backs - but he’s not old and worn out, not THAT expensive, barney won’t go forever, Niukore might get tapped on the shoulder and he’d be a good fit – actually think interchange is his best spot, keep the tempo high when the starters are off.

If Metcalf has a good start to the season they are going to have to pay him, that probably ends up our ‘marquee spine signing’*

*amazing spot he’s found himself in, injured for two years, if he carves for two months, big contract.

 

[Jonesy69]

Usually would say: Andy and Andy – no more forwards you psychos, spend some money on the backs - but he’s not old and worn out, not THAT expensive, barney won’t go forever, Niukore might get tapped on the shoulder and he’d be a good fit – actually think interchange is his best spot, keep the tempo high when the starters are off.

If Metcalf has a good start to the season they are going to have to pay him, that probably ends up our ‘marquee spine signing’*

*amazing spot he’s found himself in, injured for two years, if he carves for two months, big contract.

Also have to remember that Bunty and Ale are off-contract at the end of this season. I don’t see us keeping both of them.