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: 26/30
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
Can negotiate with others clubs from 01/11/25 (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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[MrFrankWhite]

Next year is the last year for BOTH Marata and Capewell. Manly have more chance of signing one of those two.

 

[sup42]

I think at the same time there are ones that we’re going to have to let go because what’s behind them is too valuable or not far away

Ale and Bunty two spots there.

Ideally by the time the kids are coming up we are an entrenched top four side.

Given our game day experience and all around good vibes, it will be refreshing to see McFadden able to speak with the same authority about taking pay cuts on signing that the Roosters, Storm and supposedly Penrith were able to dictate.

Ideally we follow the Storm model. Barely skipping beats as we let big Salaries go for young alternates.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Next year is the last year for BOTH Marata and Capewell. Manly have more chance of signing one of those two.

Marata I'd be okay with. Our young guys have twice the punch and three times the belief in our system.

Capewell I'd be sad to see the back of, especially if he has another stellar year.

 

[Noitall]

Ale and Bunty two spots there.

Ideally by the time the kids are coming up we are an entrenched top four side.

Given our game day experience and all around good vibes, it will be refreshing to see McFadden able to speak with the same authority about taking pay cuts on signing that the Roosters, Storm and supposedly Penrith were able to dictate.

Ideally we follow the Storm model. Barely skipping beats as we let big Salaries go for young alternates.

Will be boring when this is just the retention thread

 

[Muddogz]

I like Fatialofa and hope we keep him, but he’d be mad not to at least consider his options. We’ve just resigned two Backrowers for three years who are in their early twenties and signed Gannon for three years.

Theres also EIT and Bishop Neal coming through in a couple of years. Not to mention Capewell may get extended if he continues to play in the form he’s been in.

There would certainly be easier pathways to first grade out there. Just hope he likes our pitch better.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

If Fatialofa takes up the deal for next year with another club then im okay with it. We can't honestly say he's ahead of any of our backrowers or centres at this stage.

I hope he sees more development here rather than move to a shithouse club like manly. If im Fatialofa unless its not penrith, roosters, storm or dogs I wouldn't even consider it.

The warriors are a great place to be and if he doesn't want to be apart of that then fine.

 

[Noitall]

I like Fatialofa and hope we keep him, but he’d be mad not to at least consider his options. We’ve just resigned two Backrowers for three years who are in their early twenties and signed Gannon for three years.

Theres also EIT and Bishop Neal coming through in a couple of years. Not to mention Capewell may get extended if he continues to play in the form he’s been in.

There would certainly be easier pathways to first grade out there. Just hope he likes our pitch better.

And you can’t blame them if a good offer is put in front of them. You’re only one or two serious injuries away from ending a career

 

[Noitall]

If Fatialofa takes up the deal for next year with another club then im okay with it. We can't honestly say he's ahead of any of our backrowers or centres at this stage.

I hope he sees more development here rather than move to a shithouse club like manly. If im Fatialofa unless its not penrith, roosters, storm or dogs I wouldn't even consider it.

The warriors are a great place to be and if he doesn't want to be apart of that then fine.

Looking at the stats between Fatialofa and EIT, there’s not a lot between them this season apart from the obvious difference in size. The big difference is line breaks and tries though for Fatialofa. They actually complement each other, close to another version of Laban and Halasima

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

The annoying thing about all this is, Fatialofa looks like a manly type player. The kid could be the next Steve Matai!

Oh well we can't have them all, but I would imagine there is room in the top 30 next year for him?

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Capewell I'd be sad to see the back of, especially if he has another stellar year.

sure but Capewell v Fatialofa? Thats a "thanks for the service Capes, heres a massive contract at the Bears" from me

 

[sup42]

sure but Capewell v Fatialofa? Thats a "thanks for the service Capes, heres a massive contract at the Bears" from me

I am leaning that way too.

Nothing on Capes, but we need to start letting older players go before they have a decline.

The only reason I am of that mind set is that the timing feels right in terms of where the club is at themselves.

They are successfully transitioning young forwards as I type, last year was too soon to be fair....this year it is all go....the conveyer belt is moving and the foundations are solid.

I am not one to say get rid of a Capewell coz some random Junior is scoring a hundred Trys in cup. But I think McFadden and Webster have a good feel now....I think they have proof of concept, they have proved the model and the timing of brining NSW cup Juniors through....first they crawled, then they walked, now they are running....next year it will be time to fly boys fly.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

I am leaning that way too.

Nothing on Capes, but we need to start letting older players go before they have a decline.

The only reason I am of that mind set is that the timing feels right in terms of where the club is at themselves.

They are successfully transitioning young forwards as I type, last year was too soon to be fair....this year it is all go....the conveyer belt is moving and the foundations are solid.

I am not one to say get rid of a Capewell coz some random Junior is scoring a hundred Trys in cup. But I think McFadden and Webster have a good feel now....I think they have proof of concept, they have proved the model and the timing of brining NSW cup Juniors through....first they crawled, then they walked, now they are running....next year it will be time to fly boys fly.

I think Capewell seeing out his contract will be the perfect time. It gives Laban one more crucial year of development and should easily be ready to lock down come 2027.

 

[Noitall]

I am leaning that way too.

Nothing on Capes, but we need to start letting older players go before they have a decline.

The only reason I am of that mind set is that the timing feels right in terms of where the club is at themselves.

They are successfully transitioning young forwards as I type, last year was too soon to be fair....this year it is all go....the conveyer belt is moving and the foundations are solid.

I am not one to say get rid of a Capewell coz some random Junior is scoring a hundred Trys in cup. But I think McFadden and Webster have a good feel now....I think they have proof of concept, they have proved the model and the timing of brining NSW cup Juniors through....first they crawled, then they walked, now they are running....next year it will be time to fly boys fly.

Big call. I’m looking forward to seeing the team without Capewell this weekend since we’ve been without all our leaders at one stage or another apart from Capewell and done ok. I go on about the broncos looking like they let him go too early, but perhaps he saw the writing on the wall too and was only too happy to depart? He’s still yet to debut Fatialofa, but his shift into nsw cup seems like he’d be able to cope with the step up in time

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Big call. I’m looking forward to seeing the team without Capewell this weekend since we’ve been without all our leaders at one stage or another apart from Capewell and done ok. I go on about the broncos looking like they let him go too early, but perhaps he saw the writing on the wall too and was only too happy to depart? He’s still yet to debut Fatialofa, but his shift into nsw cup seems like he’d be able to cope with the step up in time

Same thing might happen again. Pretty sure the Bears would be willing to pay more for his services than we would, even if we were going to re-sign him.

 

[Blain]

The annoying thing about all this is, Fatialofa looks like a manly type player. The kid could be the next Steve Matai!

Oh well we can't have them all, but I would imagine there is room in the top 30 next year for him?

There is plenty of room next year. We are 2 short of 30 for this year I believe. Gannon and Jye are coming, but you can bet at least a couple out of Harper, Kosi, Ale, TMM and Lussick won't be retained. Lussick has a deal for next year, but can see him getting some money and a early release.

 

[sup42]

There is plenty of room next year. We are 2 short of 30 for this year I believe. Gannon and Jye are coming, but you can bet at least a couple out of Harper, Kosi, Ale, TMM and Lussick won't be retained. Lussick has a deal for next year, but can see him getting some money and a early release.

Yes and when you stack the numbers on a Rugby League field, we actually need both of Fatialofa and Crosby.

People keep thinking we only need starting forwards and Bench forwards.

We actually need at least one or two, ideally four backrowers and or middles cycling around NSW cup for injury cover and form loss that can come up.

 

[Noitall]

Same thing might happen again. Pretty sure the Bears would be willing to pay more for his services than we would, even if we were going to re-sign him.

In saying that, hopefully our young guys can stay grounded. Looks like some of the broncos team is pretty up themselves

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

sure but Capewell v Fatialofa? Thats a "thanks for the service Capes, heres a massive contract at the Bears" from me

I said I'd be sad. I didn't say anything about it not being an inevitability.

 

[Wrighty]

I don't ever remember our youth being coveted by other teams before. Heading into unchartered territory here. Hope we keep Crosby away from Manly.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

I don't ever remember our youth being coveted by other teams before. Heading into unchartered territory here. Hope we keep Crosby away from Manly.

They either went early straight out of school before they started at the Warriors or waited later when they had more history to judge - Papalii, Katoa… Kata