Recruitment Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention

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📝 Summary:

The forum focuses extensively on the Warriors' 2025/2026 contract situations, recruitment targets, and roster evaluations. Key discussions revolve around Marcelo Montoya's departure to the Tigers #223#230, which fans attribute to backline depth and family considerations, while debating Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's potential shift to wing. Erin Clark's signing as a middle forward #342 generates mixed reactions about his role conversion from hooker. Notable contract concerns include Bunty Afoa's uncertain future #391 and priority re-signings for young talents like Ali Leiataua. Positional debates feature strong opinions about Tohu Harris' reduced role #427, Mitch Barnett's workload management #401, and Jackson Ford's utility value #402. Recruitment speculation highlights interest in Leo Thompson #393#403 amid salary cap constraints. Critical analyses of departing players emerge, including Josh Curran's criticism of Andrew Webster #51#115932 and Jazz Tevaga's emotional exit #437. Fans consistently urge roster upgrades to address goal-kicking deficiencies and spine depth ahead of 2025.

🏷️ Tags:

Player Contracts, Outside Backs, Forward Recruitment

📊 Data Source: Based on ALL posts in thread (total: 9546 posts) | ⏱️ Total Generation Time: 20s
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Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention Discussion
-Player20252026202720282029
1Bunty Afoa
2Tom Ale
3Mitchell Barnett
4Rocco Berry
5Tanah Boyd
6Kurt Capewell
7Erin Clark
8Jett ClearySS
9Wayde Egan
10James Fisher-Harris
11Jackson Ford
12Leka Halasima
13Morgan Harper
14Chanel Harris-Tavita
15Sam Healey
16Edward Kosi
17Jacob Laban
18Ali Leiataua
19Jye Linnane
20Freddy Lussick
21Te Maire Martin
22Luke Metcalf
23Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
24Marata Niukore
25Adam Pompey
26Tanner Stowers-Smith
27Taine Tuaupiki
28Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
29Demitric Vaimauga
30Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
S1Kayliss FatialofaS
S2Kalani GoingS
S3Luke HansonS
S4Eddie Ieremia-ToeavaS
S5Sio KaliS
S6Patrick MoimoiS
-Kahu CapperTT
-Morgan Gannon-
-Motu PasikalaT??
C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Top 30 2025: 30/30
Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Top 30 2026: 27/30
Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos)
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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NZWarriors.com

Looks like we've been shopping in the value bin this week.

Double ACL Jye Linnane and concussion Gannon.

Let's see if the Moneyball route is the best way forward, but I'm really hoping we have a Ponga or Manu under our Easter tree
With just the day before information coming out that Gannon is staying put in England, you never know now about the possibility other players that were mentioned and the chances of getting them over?
 
Is he, Gannon, coming to us potentially, as a lock or as a second rower primarily?
Compromise Shrug GIF
 
Andrew Webster doesn't even make sense to me, which is why I want it to die. What does it even mean - he's too buddy-buddy and blurs professional lines? He's weak and doesn't have the ruthlessness required?

I think he has done a great job with the resources available (not many coaches could lose AFB, SJ, Harris, Walker, and band together a bunch of limited players the way he has). Two criticism levelled at him have been his bench use and a hesitancy to bring youth through too quickly. Neither, which should earn a "Andrew Webster" nickname, and he probably got the youth thing right.

Andrew Webster would suggest he has favourites. I don't know if I see that, he favours experience (so does Bennett) and consistency of combinations, and we just don't have the depth to turf aside the unfashionable players. I think we have tried to be quite cut-throat in the choices around retention, we just don't have some of the advantages we need there. Jazz, CNK, TMM, Montoya. Bunty was told to look around.

Andrew Webster doesn't seem clever, and it seems like an unwarranted, antagonistic label on a good coach who we are lucky to have. Is there something I'm missing?
 
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Andrew Webster doesn't even make sense to me, which is why I want it to die. What does it even mean - he's too buddy-buddy and blurs professional lines? He's weak and doesn't have the ruthlessness required?

I think he has done a s great job with the resources available. Two criticism levelled at him have been his bench use and a hesitancy to bring youth through too quickly. Neither, which should earn a "Andrew Webster" nickname, and he probably got the youth thing right.

Andrew Webster would suggest he has favourites. I don't know if I see that, he favours experience (so does Bennett), and we just don't have the depth to turf aside the unfashionable players. I think we have tried to be quite cut-throat in the choices around retention, we just don't have some of the advantages we need there. Jazz, CNK, TMM, Montoya. Bunty was told to look around.

Andrew Webster doesn't seem clever, and it seems like an unwarranted, antagonistic label on a good coach who we are lucky to have. Is there something I'm missing?
I think thinking about what his name means is like people who focus on māori names like Waka Kotahi or why should we have signs that say Kura where a sign that says school will suffice.

Who cares what his nickname is. A big guy being called Tiny, do you ever question it?

My own opinion says, let's grumble at the shit that actually wins us games. What he's doing and not doing.

Before I get called derailing this thread, I'm still waiting on someone fast. That dolphins v storm game really highlighted that. Even their forwards Kerr and Stone looked fast.
 
I think thinking about what his name means is like people who focus on māori names like Waka Kotahi or why should we have signs that say Kura where a sign that says school will suffice.

Who cares what his nickname is. A big guy being called Tiny, do you ever question it?

My own opinion says, let's grumble at the shit that actually wins us games. What he's doing and not doing.

Before I get called derailing this thread, I'm still waiting on someone fast. That dolphins v storm game really highlighted that. Even their forwards Kerr and Stone looked fast.
Because it is disrespectful towards a man most of us respect highly. Webster has mana, and seems to treat our players, fans and club with fidelity.

And Tiny makes sense, it is ironic. Andrew Webster, doesn't seem to have logic. Even Princess was given to SJ by the players in jest. Andrew Webster does not seem to have that history, and has been created to criticise.

I'll leave it now too, as I don't want to derail the thread either.
 
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