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
-	Morgan Gannon	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Jye Linnane	-	✔	✔	✔
-	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: 25/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Jye Linnane (Newcastle Knights), Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos)
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Tanner Stowers-Smith
Off Contract from 01/11/25: Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Jacob Laban, Freddy Lussick, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[SouthernWorrier]

Three roosters halves are 22-23 years old in Savala, Walker, Smith and Chad is the old man out at 34 who ironically they signed on a 1 year deal. Sounds like a good plan we could follow.

Young halves are such a crap shoot... how many 'next big thing' juniors get touted every year. It looks like Cappy is filling the cupboard with options and seeing who rises to the top. Some exciting prospects but even then maybe 1 in 5 will kick on to regular 1st grade.

 

[juju]

He is on a development contract, They have 5 halves (with DCE rumoured to be on the way for two years to replace Chad) and another on a development contract. So we would have the same with Jett on a development contract if we signed Boyd and TMM to a one year extension. Sounds good to me.

If they get DCE it's likely Sandon Smith leaves... and have already jettisoned players to seemingly fit him

No clubs have 4 halves of the quality of Luke, CHT, TMM, Tannah - plus a 5th prospect on a multi year deal in the 30.
& 3 hookers in the top 30

Suspect the club will definitely want to be rebalancing the squad by losing Lussick's final year and playing it by ear on the Tannah / TMM situation at seasons end.

 

[Inruin]

Young halves are such a crap shoot... how many 'next big thing' juniors get touted every year. It looks like Cappy is filling the cupboard with options and seeing who rises to the top. Some exciting prospects but even then maybe 1 in 5 will kick on to regular 1st grade.

Definitely the way to go. There is a clear plan to stock us up with promising juniors in these positions from Australia and hope there is the odd Shaun Johnson or Stacey Jones that filters through from locally. We seem to have the forwards covered development wise. Our outside backs appear to be a bit of a conundrum. Surely we should be able to get some fast, skillful wings/centers coming through? That is our next issue - replacing RTS and DWZ. Hopefully we head down the path that many teams seem to be able to do and have versatile wing/centers that are equally comfortable playing either position. I can see us looking to Australia for an outside back signing soon

 

[Theking267]

The issue you have if you re-sign Martin & keep Boyd is that you don’t want TMM to play in the centres or at lock. The way Lussick has been used this year playing prop. Although it’s kinda work out now with Sam probably being the 14th man going forward in NRL & Lussick being the starting hooker in Cup.

 

[juju]

The issue you have if you re-sign Martin & keep Boyd is that you don’t want TMM to play in the centres or at lock. The way Lussick has been used this year playing prop. Although it’s kinda work out now with Sam probably being the 14th man going forward in NRL & Lussick being the starting hooker in Cup.

The way they have been playing Lussick in cup is not so subtlety telling him you have no future at the club.
To his credit he hasn't dropped his lip.

 

[kos]

The way they have been playing Lussick in cup is not so subtlety telling him you have no future at the club.
To his credit he hasn't dropped his lip.

And in a couple of games I have seen actually done ok at prop.

 

[Noitall]

And in a couple of games I have seen actually done ok at prop.

Don’t see a huge amount of player turnover under Webster. Releases are usually for compassionate reasons, get the feeling he gives players in the squad first opportunity to have a go at developing into the position or role we need. Would say that’s a big part of his popularity, his trust in his squad. Not many players in the entire squad that can only play one position either

 

[juju]

And in a couple of games I have seen actually done ok at prop.

He actually has hasn't he.

Can't be an easy situation for him....

 

[kos]

He actually has hasn't he.

Can't be an easy situation for him....

Good on him. I hope recruiters from other clubs notice he is a solid player and maintains a good attitude
Good maturity

 

[run_it_str8_again]

And in a couple of games I have seen actually done ok at prop.

I've been impressed that he didn't push for a release and adapted. Now he has the ability to play specialist 9. Prop . And likely lock. As a nine he might be borderline ball playing lock.

 

[kos]

I've been impressed that he didn't push for a release and adapted. Now he has the ability to play specialist 9. Prop . And likely lock. As a nine he might be borderline ball playing lock.

He s a smaller version of Jazz with less penalty pulling sbility

 

[Makasene]

View: https://youtu.be/U2ZJw73ysBs?si=CwyzedeB2o5hHOZP


Great interview with Cappy.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

View: https://youtu.be/U2ZJw73ysBs?si=CwyzedeB2o5hHOZP


Great interview with Cappy.

Sounds like hes found his niche. Always come across as a nice guy with a footy brain, regardless of what happened

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Sounds like hes found his niche. Always come across as a nice guy with a footy brain, regardless of what happened

Finding the right seat on the bus is as important as getting the right people on it. Fred Lussick is a funny but poignant example