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, Freddy Lussick, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[sup42]

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.

Yeah they will balance out well. Laban is at that tricky point where because he is defensive he needs NRL time to expand his fitness and therefore get to the forty to fifty tackle level that someone like Capewell can as a hardened Backrower.

So he's not gonna get there in cup, but you can't waste a spot carrying him.

Personally I think two years of patience is the key which is why this contract news is so pleasing.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

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.

Something about Laban this year. Not sure what it is, but I get the feeling he's still a while off hitting his peak while still impressing every game.

 

[Cces]

Great to retain 2 players who have come through the pathway. As others have said, they are potentially 2 players who could line up alongside each other for 100+ games.
Where does the narrative that Laban is some form of defensive specialist though? NRL career tackle efficiency is 93.8% which is solid. That is exactly the same rate that Halasima has for season 2025 and I haven't seen anyone giving him any plaudits for it

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Great to retain 2 players who have come through the pathway. As others have said, they are potentially 2 players who could line up alongside each other for 100+ games.
Where does the narrative that Laban is some form of defensive specialist though? NRL career tackle efficiency is 93.8% which is solid. That is exactly the same rate that Halasima has for season 2025 and I haven't seen anyone giving him any plaudits for it

Laban is the energizer bunny. He's the complete opposite to say Marata. He's the guy who will make 3 back to back to back tackles out of marker and then pressure the kicker

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Awesome to have Laban & Leka locked in!
Could you imagine a potential future backrow of Laban & Bishop Neal with Leka @ Lock? Oooouuweeee!

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

God, it's hard to not be excited about the future of this club.

Well played, Warriors recruitment. Well played.

 

[watcher]

I seea lot of posts that come under the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
As to the halves, they are under the radar until they are needed. Two guys in Cup woth NRL experience. Good insurance.

We have had Ali, Leka, Jacob TSS as homegrowns come through. There are plenty of others as well. How well will they develop we will have to wait and see.

One guy who could become a good Bench middle is Crosby.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

I am so happy to see these two locked in. They both look the 200 plus gamers!

Shit man this is getting tight! Capewell, Niukore, Toeava, Fatialofa.

I can't see Capewell beyond next year, but also niukore is playing well, Toeava and Fatialofa are charging uo behind.

Where do we see Toeava amd Fatialofas Final Positions?

 

[sup42]

Great to retain 2 players who have come through the pathway. As others have said, they are potentially 2 players who could line up alongside each other for 100+ games.
Where does the narrative that Laban is some form of defensive specialist though? NRL career tackle efficiency is 93.8% which is solid. That is exactly the same rate that Halasima has for season 2025 and I haven't seen anyone giving him any plaudits for it

Leka has been getting praise as a defensive player of late.

If Laban isn't in the frame to become a defensive workhorse for the Warriors at a club that has Leka, Dimitric, Fatialofa, and Crosby then I don't what Labans career path is.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

The front row is so intriguing.

We have Fish, Barnett, Vaimauga, and Ford who are first 17, and Bunty, Ale, and Smith behind.

I think Smith should be signed next in the front row. Do we k ow what Crosby contract situation is?

I would love if the club got Crosby and Salalilo on development contracts for the next two seasons.

Then let Ale go and keep bunty for two more years. Buntys experience with Crosby Smith and Salalilo would be huge in the cup team when he can.

Ale is ready to fly, I wouldn't stand in his way.

 

[cock_o]

MGT signed to Rabbitohs for 26

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

MGT signed to Rabbitohs for 26

Good on him! Well done warriors for getting this kid back home and building him up for an NRL oppertunity.

 

[Noitall]

MGT signed to Rabbitohs for 26

Still only 23. Feels like he’s been around for a while since getting a debut at the roosters

 

[Lance155]

I need to watch Laban more closely, haven't formed an opinion on him yet. What player would people say he is similar to at this stage?

 

[cock_o]

The front row is so intriguing.

We have Fish, Barnett, Vaimauga, and Ford who are first 17, and Bunty, Ale, and Smith behind.

I think Smith should be signed next in the front row. Do we k ow what Crosby contract situation is?

I would love if the club got Crosby and Salalilo on development contracts for the next two seasons.

Then let Ale go and keep bunty for two more years. Buntys experience with Crosby Smith and Salalilo would be huge in the cup team when he can.

Ale is ready to fly, I wouldn't stand in his way.

Also I think when everyone is fit and with the young backrowers coming through Niukore plays more and more front row.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Also I think when everyone is fit and with the young backrowers coming through Niukore plays more and more front row.

Even then, who drops out of the rotation?

 

[3rdstriker]

Good on him! Well done warriors for getting this kid back home and building him up for an NRL oppertunity.

Definitely, we're slowly starting to turn into a nursery, bit like the storm and Panthers.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Definitely, we're slowly starting to turn into a nursery, bit like the storm and Panthers.

We just have to make sure we're keeping the best and have someone who's good at identifying emerging players.

 

[Dannevegas]

MGT signed to Rabbitohs for 26

Do we have something against young, fast backs?
A bit shit letting him go, without giving a real opportunity.
Backs is where we lack our starting back 3 are all 30+.
As long as we don’t re-sign Morgan Harper

 

[1995warriorsfan]

Do we have something against young, fast backs?
A bit shit letting him go, without giving a real opportunity.
Backs is where we lack our starting back 3 are all 30+.
As long as we don’t re-sign Morgan Harper

I wouldn't stress about that. We still plenty of $$$ in the cap.