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	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Haizyn Mellars	✔	✔	✔
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Top 30 2026: 29/30
Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos), Haizyn Mellars (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
2026 Losses: Edward Kosi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper
Can negotiate with other clubs from Nov 1, 2025 (Entering final year) : Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Te Maire Martin, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[Five&Last]

Ali has shown signs… I think he still has age and time on his side. Watch some of his tries, it’s clear he is hard to stop and when fit and confident a definite X-factor player.

You could see either he or Rocco signed by the Storm and we have Eli Katoa 2.0 not Kata or Vete busts!

His x factor is overrated though

Like he is a bit of a weight bully out there.

Give me a fully fit Berry over Ali every day of the week.

 

[Cces]

Disagree. None of his replacements have measured up to his package - defends hard - very low number of misses, has quick feet at the line, excellent passing

Berry has tackled at less than 85% efficiency this season and only has 2 Try Assists across his last 23 games.
Internal promotion should suffice for most positions in the next few years but right Centre/Wing is the glaring spot we need to look elsewhere going forward

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Berry has tackled at less than 85% efficiency this season and only has 2 Try Assists across his last 23 games.
Internal promotion should suffice for most positions in the next few years but right Centre/Wing is the glaring spot we need to look elsewhere going forward

He's had a couple of weaker 1 on 1s that have stood out, but generally he is pretty good. Surely a lot of that 15% is from his kick chase pressure.

 

[Falcon]

Will DWZ get the ‘we can’t offer you a contract extension so if you can get a multi year deal elsewhere you can leave next year with our blessing’ chat.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Disagree. None of his replacements have measured up to his package - defends hard - very low number of misses, has quick feet at the line, excellent passing and can score a try. Ali goes missing during games. Kurt got showed up in speed by Best.

What do we do for the 20 games a season Berry can’t take the field?

 

[Billyspleen75]

Deine Mariner is still the obvious one.
Out of favour at Brisbane
They need to free up money to re sign Shibasaki
Is a winger and a center

 

[Blain]

Deine Mariner is still the obvious one.
Out of favour at Brisbane
They need to free up money to re sign Shibasaki
Is a winger and a center

I like the call, but I don't think they will let him walk to keep Shiba. He's been labelled a future star for a few years now.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Berry has tackled at less than 85% efficiency this season and only has 2 Try Assists across his last 23 games.
Internal promotion should suffice for most positions in the next few years but right Centre/Wing is the glaring spot we need to look elsewhere going forward

And he was defending with DWZ two weeks ago when they leaked the tries to the Tigers down our right edge. Overrated by some on here even before considering how injury prone he is. Def behind Pompey & I hope Ali overtakes him soon as well.

 

[Leon Black]

As a starting fb he's played 11 games for us.
Not including the 2 games he went off injured (including the weekends game against Newcastle) he averages 184 meters a game and 0.7 try assists....

Averaging a tick under 120m as a winger, which is probably a bit short but not poor by any stretch

Yep agree, all stat based ARM does my head in, TT offers way more in try assists and other areas CNK lacks. See it in NSW Cup week in week out. Not to mention those 2 tackles he made on the weekend. Highly underrated, massively under appreciated. Then we have the ‘he is too small’ club as well. Same peeps would have Kini here in a heartbeat

 

[Horriors2013]

Berry has tackled at less than 85% efficiency this season and only has 2 Try Assists across his last 23 games.
Internal promotion should suffice for most positions in the next few years but right Centre/Wing is the glaring spot we need to look elsewhere going forward

I don't care. You're drawing from bad data. 2 try assists. I remember him doing more than that in one game. Same game DWZ scored a double if I remember correctly. The only weakness, but a big one is his injuries. That's what prevents him going next level.

 

[Horriors2013]

And he was defending with DWZ two weeks ago when they leaked the tries to the Tigers down our right edge. Overrated by some on here even before considering how injury prone he is. Def behind Pompey & I hope Ali overtakes him soon as well.

Pompey is left. Ali and Berry are right side.

 

[Horriors2013]

What do we do for the 20 games a season Berry can’t take the field?

Yup. That's the problem.

 

[jonesy101]

Ali has only played 15 FG games. That's a tiny sample size. What's evident is that does have a very good knack for line breaks and tackle busts.

 

[Noitall]

Ali has only played 15 FG games. That's a tiny sample size. What's evident is that does have a very good knack for line breaks and tackle busts.

Against sharks last year, think it was that last game? He was busting tackles left right and centre

 

[Cces]

I don't care. You're drawing from bad data.

You can ignore the NRL's own data if you prefer to hold onto the misguided belief that his missed tackle stats are low & he has excellent passing.
If he was fit, I've no doubt he'd get picked this weekend & could make a decent go of it but people overestimate his ability to the point where you are ignoring facts because they don't paint him in a glowing light.
Ben Henry was available more often for selection then Berry has been to begin his career. Hell, at 33 years of age & after multiple knee reconstructions that ended his pro career, Ben Henry has actually played more Rugby League games than Berry has over the last 2 years!
There should be no consideration to extend him until he strings a run of matches together without breaking down

 

[CWC]

Think Ali busted defenders around halfway vs dolphins, then sharks that directly lead to a try last year, bullied his way to a try vs Roosters this year, shifted to the left and that was the end of his form for 2025

 

[Boston Boy]

Think Ali busted defenders around halfway vs dolphins, then sharks that directly lead to a try last year, bullied his way to a try vs Roosters this year, shifted to the left and that was the end of his form for 2025

Yep, Ali was starting to become a real weapon. Close to the line he was very hard to stop and the Warriors were starting to figure out how to get him in those spots where he was devastating in attack. Next thing he was moved for Berry (Berry was no where near the attacking threat of Ali, but perhaps a better defender), then Berry got injured and we kept Ali on the other side waiting for Berry to come back. We have not ever got Ali into spots on the other side there anywhere near as threatening, and his form kind of tanked. I think we all love Berry's effort game, his hard chase and working from marker but I believe SJ made him look better than he was and now with vanilla halves with less ball playing and speed threat at the line than SJ and Metcalf (respectively) we need some strike out there to break the line to help our attack.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Pompey is left. Ali and Berry are right side.

And your point? Doesn’t change the fact Berry is overrated for some reason that escapes me.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

DCE to 7 and Metcalf to 6 for one year? Left field suggestion here at around 28:50:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz-VhpfIeUI&t=2440s

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

DCE to 7 and Metcalf to 6 for one year? Left field suggestion here at around 28:50:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz-VhpfIeUI&t=2440s

No! Just back Boyd all the way!