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: 26/30
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, Te Maire Martin
Can negotiate with other clubs from Nov 1, 2025 (Entering final year) : Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[Leon Black]

Ponga at 27, playing fullback? I’d take that in a heartbeat. Sure, we’d likely have to let a few forwards go, maybe some aging outside backs—but pair him with Luke and Egan and it’s pure fucking

All we’d need is a steady, low-cost 6 to steer the ship. With that forward pack? We’d be scary AF.

Let’s be real, he hasn’t had a proper 6, 7, or 9. Not even a ball-playing lock. And some of those coaches, absolute duds!

KP wouldn’t cop the ire of Knights fans either, only snipes from us palooka’s Those against, book in for a brain scan!

Fuck me 4 years ago we’d be happy with a signing of the calibre of Kane Evans. Now we’re knocking back Lamborghini’s

 

[3rdstriker]

Ponga at 27, playing fullback? I’d take that in a heartbeat. Sure, we’d likely have to let a few forwards go, maybe some aging outside backs—but pair him with Luke and Egan and it’s pure fucking

All we’d need is a steady, low-cost 6 to steer the ship. With that forward pack? We’d be scary AF.

Let’s be real, he hasn’t had a proper 6, 7, or 9. Not even a ball-playing lock. And some of those coaches, absolute duds!

KP wouldn’t cop the ire of Knights fans either, only snipes from us palooka’s Those against, book in for a brain scan!

Fuck me 4 years ago we’d be happy with a signing of the calibre of Kane Evans. Now we’re knocking back Lamborghini’s

Yeah mate, kp would almost stuffup the current mix haha.

 

[Five&Last]

That has been said in a few older articles before, but he isn't listed in this one.

Issac Moses manages Flanagan, O'Brien, Payten, and Siebold
George Mimis manages Cleary, Ciraldo, Des, and Ryles
Matthew Desira manages Benji
David Riolo manages Fitzgibbon

No mention of Robinson, Madge, Wayne, Woolf, Bellamy, Sticky, or Webby.

To add to that, here is all of the Cove-managed players as well, so we can blacklist them from this thread lol

John Bateman
Kenny Bromwich
Luke Brooks
Jahream Bula
Ethan Bullemor
Reuben Cotter
Matt Eisenhuth
Lachlan Galvin
Dean Ieremia
Sione Katoa
Felise Kaufusi
David Klemmer
Matthew Lodge
Dylan Lucas
Heilum Luki
Kurt Mann
Jordan McLean
Mitch Moses
Kodi Nikorima
Sean O'Sullivan
Will Penisini
Richard Penisini
Kotoni Staggs
Jaydn Su'a
Blaize Talagi
Tommy Talau
Tevita Tatola
Enari Tatola
Brandom Tumeth
Jake Turpin
Semi Valemei
Billy Walters

Great list and agreed

Lets set up an auto ban feature for anyone who mentions one of these players as a recruitment target

 

[Cces]

No mention of Robinson, Madge, Wayne, Woolf, Bellamy, Sticky, or Webby.

Woolf was, potentially is still, with Cove. Definitely was when coaching St Helens and having discussions with Mark Robinson about Warriors vacancy a few years back

 

[dylpickle]

View attachment 13074
Nau mai, haere mai KP. Home is calling.

We'd probably sign him and play him at lock since webby likes playing everyone else out of position.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Huge.

 

[warmode1]

View attachment 13080

Is that to the end of 2029?

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Is that to the end of 2029?

Yes

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Fantastic news. Very interesting from their management though, how much do we guess both have been signed on?

Both have shown fantastic talent but have been locked up before 20 games, so imo should be reasonably priced for us?

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Jeeze I hope we didn't piss Jake Friend off at any point (or who ever that is) as he's got some of our top young fullas. Leka, Laban, and Vaimauga all to the Roosters?

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

Sick, don’t even care about the money, they seem like hard workers and they can’t get homesick. Skies the limit

 

[roguei]

Huge.

View attachment 13080

Let's Go!!! That's some of the best news all year.

 

[BlackToko88]

Good to snap them up. Could see Perth trying to lure Leka for sure.

Building nicely:
Demi - 2028
Ali - 2027
Leka and Laban - 2028

Hopefully we can secure metcalf

 

[Theking267]

Laban to take over from Capewell in 27. Leka’s already the starting second rower in 25. Should the starting second row combination by 27

 

[Noitall]

Laban to take over from Capewell in 27. Leka’s already the starting second rower in 25. Should the starting second row combination by 27

Reckon that’s about right, another season of Capewell setting standards. Would hate to lose him too early as the broncos recognised, but think our guys are a lot more grounded than them over there too

 

[CWC]

That's so awesome, these 2 are literally our long term second row combo

Perfect timing too, we don't need to worry about Leka's Nov 1 2026 mark, we'll know if he continues to be a rockstar or fall off by end of 2028, where he'll be 22/23, and extend for another big 5-ish year contract if he reaches his potential as the marquee player

 

[sup42]

Laban is a relief.

I was not worried about Leka. The club know what they have there. Pleased they know Laban is a future star of a different kind also.

That Try Laban scored this week, his first NRL Try, is absolute text book Laban, he has done that before, more than one, followed the kick, plucked the ball out of the air, found the turf. It is a specialty of his.

Laban reminds me of Hugh McGahan at the same age. A defensive backrower who was highly fluid when he ran - Ali Lauitiiti ran like that, you can just see it...he glides....that Try where he regathers a bobble from a mid air challenge for the ball, twists and slam dunks it is what I am talking about....that is classic Ali Lauitiiti mobility for a large body.

Laban has a unique combination of Traits for a young Warriors product, Size, mobility, engine, hand eye coordination.

If you were to critcize his game (some have started already) he when compared to Leka and Demitric lacks explosive power and off the mark speed.

Give Laban time and patience, he will be the most balanced forward of the lot. His game is a defensive game and he has been blessed with the ability to fool the defence in critical moments because teams will see him as a tacklebot.

 

[Noitall]

'Terrific examples of the talent in New Zealand': Warriors extend young forward duo | Sporting News Australia

The New Zealand Warriors have secured two of their brightest young stars, with Leka Halasima and Jacob Laban re-signing on long-term deals that will keep them at the club through 2029.

www.sportingnews.com

Judging by that very last part that Webster mentions about the future, would expect to see TSS extended soon

 

[Falcon]

Andrew McFadden will be running the rule over the rest of the NSW Cup side to be sure he signs his other ‘keeps’ before Nov.1

 

[Naynay]

Laban is a relief.

I was not worried about Leka. The club know what they have there. Pleased they know Laban is a future star of a different kind also.

That Try Laban scored this week, his first NRL Try, is absolute text book Laban, he has done that before, more than one, followed the kick, plucked the ball out of the air, found the turf. It is a specialty of his.

Laban reminds me of Hugh McGahan at the same age. A defensive backrower who was highly fluid when he ran - Ali Lauitiiti ran like that, you can just see it...he glides....that Try where he regathers a bobble from a mid air challenge for the ball, twists and slam dunks it is what I am talking about....that is classic Ali Lauitiiti mobility for a large body.

Laban has a unique combination of Traits for a young Warriors product, Size, mobility, engine, hand eye coordination.

If you were to critcize his game (some have started already) he when compared to Leka and Demitric lacks explosive power and off the mark speed.

Give Laban time and patience, he will be the most balanced forward of the lot. His game is a defensive game and he has been blessed with the ability to fool the defence in critical moments because teams will see him as a tacklebot.

I agree, i think the hype has been he is more an athlete then Leka, but Leka is the damaging second rower, they will be good balance when they both get their starting spots.

Hes been unlucky that Capewell has been so good so he won’t get to start until capewell falls off. Not sure hes a good bench player.