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	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

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

---

This thread is solely for Warriors recruitment and retention discussion. Any posts not related to the above will be deleted.

Repeat offenders will have their access to this page limited.

Please be mindful of what you are posting in this thread before clicking the reply button. Zero Tolerance for off-topic chat.

 

[sup42]

Thanks for posting it, always enjoy hearing people passing on legitimate rumours they’ve heard. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him here next year. The club is very confidential and people like Denan Kemp mentioning they’d heard it on his podcast that was on here further makes it a real possibility

Agreed, the rumor is a good one. Not a Rene Ranger one. And hey, logically we are in the best position we have ever been to be in the conversation, even that is worth the discussion even if Manu returns to the Roosters.

 

[CWC]

Thanks for posting it, always enjoy hearing people passing on legitimate rumours they’ve heard. I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him here next year. The club is very confidential and people like Denan Kemp mentioning they’d heard it on his podcast that was on here further makes it a real possibility

Actually I think they were suspecting something fishy with him going to rugby then to us, did he get out of his contract early?

If we ever hear any report it will be 24 hours before the announcement given how good the management at keeping bombshells these days

 

[Noitall]

Actually I think they were suspecting something fishy with him going to rugby then to us, did he get out of his contract early?

If we ever hear any report it will be 24 hours before the announcement given how good the management at keeping bombshells these days

NZ rugby saying he won’t be offered a contract makes me think rugby is now out for him? Unless he stays overseas and pockets some big coin. Initially it was a wanting to return to NZ speculation that was doing the rounds, then it became he could go to Sydney. Roosters said he won’t be going there, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. We’ve got a fair chunk of cash to spend and I don’t see Gannon getting a huge salary. I’m not convinced that CNK has been extended to stay fullback either, will be interesting to see where we look to boost

 

[3rdstriker]

Have been a member since the old old site. If I was going to post crap for giggles i wouldnt have waited over a decade Have been upfront that I don’t know the strength of my source only that they do have access to players and management and spent social time in the dressing room on Friday night.
With each passing day looks like it was more smoke than fire but am hoping we may yet be pleasantly surprised.

Nice mate good legit rumours are what keeps us going.
Just been tough with April fools timing around a massive signing and people not wanting to get their hopes up.

 

[VB89]

I laughed with your post not at it.

The only reason I could see Manu doing a NSW cup stint is if he asks for it to get the feel back.

Unlikely he would though. For him it would be like a Kiwi coming home from America, jumping in a car, and driving on the correct side of the road - it might feel a little weird for a few minutes, but not unfamiliar.

Also these Rugby players are pretty fit right? even though backs might not do the same game load (I dunno, I am truly ignorant of the vagaries of the other code).

100% mate. Love your analogy.

I think there is big conditioning difference between Union and League but wouldn't expect an ex player of Manu's capability to struggle getting back to game speed quickly.

 

[Kav1]

Neame's contract ends at the end of 2026 so we can talk to him at the end of this season

2025 NRL Signings Tracker: Rabbitohs sign Kosi; Manly release Sipley

Warriors outside back Ed Kosi is on the move after signing a two-year deal with the Rabbitohs while the Sea Eagles have agreed to release Toafofoa Sipley from the final year of his contract.

www.nrl.com

Are you sure about that? The Cowboy's website says under his profile that he is contracted until the end of the 2025 season

 

[tajhay]

Are you sure about that? The Cowboy's website says under his profile that he is contracted until the end of the 2025 season

The cowboys website isnt updated (well his bio page anyway). The NRL signings tracker is the closest source of truth you will find.

He was originally contracted till end of 2025, and then signed a one year extension as per below:

Cowboys add additional year for Neame - NRL News

The North Queensland Cowboys have acted swiftly to keep young forward Griffin Neame for a further year. Already contracted for season 2025, the Cowboys added 2026 to Neame’s contract, in what cements a nice young core for the club. The Greymouth local moved to the Cowboys in 2019 and after...

www.nrlnews.com

 

[chrisnz]

Something of a patern forming around our recruitment now all of a sudden last 2 being gannon and cnk there has been some info being leaked or the situation definitely being highlighted - gannons situation looked like it was unlikely for a bit with Brad Arthur shutting it down and no real guarantee if we were chasing him or not and cnk going overseas didn't play out the way the reports suggested. Manu is definitely being chased I believe weather he does land here who knows

 

[cock_o]

Something of a patern forming around our recruitment now all of a sudden last 2 being gannon and cnk there has been some info being leaked or the situation definitely being highlighted - gannons situation looked like it was unlikely for a bit with Brad Arthur shutting it down and no real guarantee if we were chasing him or not and cnk going overseas didn't play out the way the reports suggested. Manu is definitely being chased I believe weather he does land here who knows

I just can't see why they would of extended CNK if Manu was coming.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

I just can't see why they would of extended CNK if Manu was coming.

Manu the centre?

 

[CWC]

Something of a patern forming around our recruitment now all of a sudden last 2 being gannon and cnk there has been some info being leaked or the situation definitely being highlighted - gannons situation looked like it was unlikely for a bit with Brad Arthur shutting it down and no real guarantee if we were chasing him or not and cnk going overseas didn't play out the way the reports suggested. Manu is definitely being chased I believe weather he does land here who knows

Yup I believe they were/are after Ponga/Manu, those persisting rumors for the other 2 ended up extending/signing, small world. SMH reported Manu wants to come home and now NZRU rejected him, I mean where is he gonna go, Black Caps?

 

[Get them onside ref!]

Yup I believe they were/are after Ponga/Manu, those persisting rumors for the other 2 ended up extending/signing, small world. SMH reported Manu wants to come home and now NZRU rejected him, I mean where is he gonna go, Black Caps?

Yep
Right age

 

[Ever Hopeful]

I'm pretty sure there was never a Ponga rumour except for the one started on this forum. Factors that led to this discussion were Ponga's involvement in the Māori All Stars, and a call for him to play for the Kiwis, a perceived unhappiness at Newcastle, questions around Newcastles cap balance with the signing of Brown and the Warriors ample cap space for an elite signing. All of which made it a more logical pondering than usual, but still forum chatter.

Speculation around Manu was given oxygen by an actual comment of interest by the club.

 

[Worried2Death]

I'm pretty sure there was never a Ponga rumour except for the one started on this forum. Factors that led to this discussion were Ponga's involvement in the Māori All Stars, and a call for him to play for the Kiwis, a perceived unhappiness at Newcastle, questions around Newcastles cap balance with the signing of Brown and the Warriors ample cap space for an elite signing. All of which made it a more logical pondering than usual, but still forum chatter.

I thought Warriorholic started it, or maybe he saw it here first

 

[Ref]

A trendy saying of late is;
Hiding in plain sight.
Kotoni Staggs is hiding in plain sight.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Manu the centre?

Nah we got Berry! HEY DUTCHEY

 

[Tookey 2.0]

A trendy saying of late is;
Hiding in plain sight.
Kotoni Staggs is hiding in plain sight.

Would absolutely be a Warriors thing to do to sign a player in a position where quite well off in.

Come on down Kotoni!

 

[Defence]

Would absolutely be a Warriors thing to do to sign a player in a position where quite well off in.

Come on down Kotoni!

I like berry and Ali, actually I quite like all our first choice backs- even the depth guys like tmm and Pompey but… as a collective I still feel we’re missing a lil something something… if we wanna trouble the top sides or put scores on the mediocre ones we’re probably still just a little short on firepower esp once a couple of injuries hit which is inevitable in today’s game.
If we had the chance to add a staggs, manu, cobbo or ponga I think u gotta pull the trigger.

 

[kos]

I like berry and Ali, actually I quite like all our first choice backs- even the depth guys like tmm and Pompey but… as a collective I still feel we’re missing a lil something something… if we wanna trouble the top sides or put scores on the mediocre ones we’re probably still just a little short on firepower esp once a couple of injuries hit which is inevitable in today’s game.
If we had the chance to add a staggs, manu, cobbo or ponga I think u gotta pull the trigger.

I was just thinking
Brian Kelly
Phillip Sami

Staggs Cobbo Manu would be an upgrade at the Titans
Sami and Kelly seemingly in those positions since forever

 

[Makasene]

I just can't see why they would of extended CNK if Manu was coming.

There would have been a deadline with CNK - especially with overseas offers.

It's still a squad and I don't imagine his deal is major bucks.