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	Jye Linnane	✔	✔	✔	✔
19	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
20	Te Maire Martin	✔
21	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
22	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔	✔
23	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
24	Adam Pompey	✔	✔	✔
25	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔	✔	✔
26	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
27	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
28	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
29	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: 29/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 26/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: 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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[slime]

I agree, but what dont we see that Webby does?

I wonder about this too... I looked at Ale's output in NSW Cup and he's basically leading several forward stats: tackle breaks, post contact metres*, total running metres*, average running metres, + tackle efficiency is around 93%, in line with everyone in the team. I try to watch NSW Cup every time it's televised, and his play stands out and backs up those good stats. I would like to see him have another shot at first grade before his time runs out here.

All I can think of is that we don't see much of what players are like at training and what's going on behind the scenes. Strange about the absence recently but maybe it was a personal matter.

* Going is slightly ahead in these two categories but has played 5 extra games.

 

[watcher]

Douhei is in the Moses as agent camp.
Rules him out.

OK, didnt know that why dont they de register him they have before

 

[kos]

I wonder about this too... I looked at Ale's output in NSW Cup and he's basically leading several forward stats: tackle breaks, post contact metres*, total running metres*, average running metres, + tackle efficiency is around 93%, in line with everyone in the team. I try to watch NSW Cup every time it's televised, and his play stands out and backs up those good stats. I would like to see him have another shot at first grade before his time runs out here.

All I can think of is that we don't see much of what players are like at training and what's going on behind the scenes. Strange about the absence recently but maybe it was a personal matter.

* Going is slightly ahead in these two categories but has played 5 extra games.

Be fascinating to see these statistics broken down as an average per game.
Be fascinating again to compare Ale s and Bunty s statistics per game versus Marata when he is playing prop.
Ford is an interesting one -keeps breaking my low expectations.
but Coach AW does flog him for too many minutes.

Yeah be nice to see a comparison average statistics per game for all our props.

 

[Cces]

Vaimauga bro

At times but there was a 6 minute stint where neither was on the park at the weekend where our middle was Ford, JFH & TSS

 

[Kav1]

Riki seems to get a fair bit of smack on this forum but there’s no doubting his ability.
Webby makes everyone better.

A Kiwi rep and coming from the Bronx - say no more.

 

[CWC]

So since Roger is leaving in 2027 and Dallin/CNK are aging we should really throw the kitchen sink at Herbie?

 

[3rdstriker]

So since Roger is leaving in 2027 and Dallin/CNK are aging we should really throw the kitchen sink at Herbie?

Promotion from within seems to be working these days, chuck Norris/Tuaupiki maybe ready to step up, or find a young potential speedster on the outer @ a club and save that kitchen sink for a couple of gems elsewhere.

 

[Wrighty]

I think we should identify what NZ is capable of producing and recruit all the other positions.

1) Second Rowers
2) Wings
3) Fullbacks
4) Maybe props
5) Centres

We are never going to produce a half. SJ was a fluke and came from touch. CHT is really good and from Kiwi stock and pathways but 50% of you blokes want to replace him as soon as Metcalf is fit so he has not won the forum over as a success story.

I don't think we should recruit Farnworth. I think either Ali Leiataua will come good or Berry will or some other prospect will.

I think Lock is a hard position to play so I think we should also be recruiting for locks.
Tino is off contract in 2027 and approachable November 1. I would go after him as our marquee signing this off season.
I think if we got him we have to be a contender to win it all. Tapine sort of treated our pack as little bitches to be honest. Tino is an Enforcer and does the enforcing for the Titans. We would be a real mean team with him along side Barnett and Fish in their final years.

One draw back on my home town production line theory is that the only wing we seem to have produced in the last 5 years is Ed Kosi.

Just a mediocre recruitment post on a Thursday night.

 

[Wrighty]

Promotion from within seems to be working these days, chuck Norris/Tuaupiki maybe ready to step up, or find a young potential speedster on the outer @ a club and save that kitchen sink for a couple of gems elsewhere.

This is basically what i am saying in my much longer winded post. Great minds etc.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Phins set to offer Herbie 1mill/yr

 

[Stalefish540]

Phins set to offer Herbie 1mill/yr

Not even Heyzeus himself is worth 1mil as a centre.

 

[CWC]

I think we should identify what NZ is capable of producing and recruit all the other positions.

1) Second Rowers
2) Wings
3) Fullbacks
4) Maybe props
5) Centres

We are never going to produce a half. SJ was a fluke and came from touch. CHT is really good and from Kiwi stock and pathways but 50% of you blokes want to replace him as soon as Metcalf is fit so he has not won the forum over as a success story.

I don't think we should recruit Farnworth. I think either Ali Leiataua will come good or Berry will or some other prospect will.

I think Lock is a hard position to play so I think we should also be recruiting for locks.
Tino is off contract in 2027 and approachable November 1. I would go after him as our marquee signing this off season.
I think if we got him we have to be a contender to win it all. Tapine sort of treated our pack as little bitches to be honest. Tino is an Enforcer and does the enforcing for the Titans. We would be a real mean team with him along side Barnett and Fish in their final years.

One draw back on my home town production line theory is that the only wing we seem to have produced in the last 5 years is Ed Kosi.

Just a mediocre recruitment post on a Thursday night.

We have a pipeline of props coming up, packed with second rowers, Clark, Demi and Gannon are all locks, 7 halfbacks to see who sticks Capewell is arguably our best centre, CNK/TT at the back, aging wings at least one leaving and the back up is Kosi

We should be producing gun wingers but that’s as bad as our local half stock right now

 

[Wrighty]

We have a pipeline of props coming up, packed with second rowers, Clark, Demi and Gannon are all locks, 7 halfbacks to see who sticks Capewell is arguably our best centre, CNK/TT at the back, aging wings at least one leaving and the back up is Kosi

We should be producing gun wingers but that’s as bad as our local half stock right now

Maybe we have always been bad at producing wingers. I can't think of many good NZ wingers except for Roger and maybe Ritchie Blackmore back in the day. People used to rave about Nightengale but I saw nothing special in him. At one stage Sam Panapa was our bright hope at wing.

 

[CWC]

Maybe we have always been bad at producing wingers. I can't think of many good NZ wingers except for Roger and maybe Ritchie Blackmore back in the day. People used to rave about Nightengale but I saw nothing special in him. At one stage Sam Panapa was our bright hope at wing.

Hm we had Fafili, Manu, Meli, Hape, Toopi (very fast centre), Fus, and then prop wings since Covid lol, I have no idea how many were home grown though, maybe we need 5 years to produce young gun wingers from the Wahs hype post 2023

 

[Teets]

Maybe we have always been bad at producing wingers. I can't think of many good NZ wingers except for Roger and maybe Ritchie Blackmore back in the day. People used to rave about Nightengale but I saw nothing special.

Fijian wingers. How we've never developed any I'll never know. They're incredible. Aussie league understands this. NZ union understands this.

Down here whichever union club can afford the best Fijians usually wins the Waikato premiership.

If only we could afford a few in Waikato league.

 

[PhilsySH35]

He's back this week after what was suggested as bereavement leave. While he, or Bunty, are probably on the cusp of losing their spot he's a 26 year old with 40'ish NRL games & 50 (this weekend) Reserve grade games and has a good motor when he gets regular minutes. His versatility is a POD too.
Salalilo needs a pathway but I think Webster is too conservative to risk having to play Vaimauga, TSS & Salalilo all in a game day 17 early next season if an injury crisis occurs before Barnett returns.

someone posted awhile back regarding transitioning the younger players to first grade, these players are young men and we need to be cautious and not rush them into first grade, too soon (NRL one of the toughest comps in the world), I mean Brake spoke about how it was a physical shock to her body getting tackled league styles in training , so can imagine how first grade affects ligaments, muscles, joints, cartilage etc, I mean these guys are 18 - 25 years of age - still growing not fully mature, I reckon there are a quantity of young men who no longer play our butiful game bos their bodies are unable to handle to brutality of this game. point being think carefully moving them to first grade, I want them in 1st grade asap, liked how cuddlez handled tanner-smith (and others) move to 1st grade. totally trust and confident with Webby!