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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[CWC]

RTS is our back of the year

Release him we have Kali, Mellars, Pompey and Dallin as wing stocks next year

 

[Tookey 2.0]

RTS is our back of the year

Release him we have Kali, Mellars, Pompey and Dallin as wing stocks next year

Id be happy if that resulted in us securing big Tino or Herbie, but I don't think there's many others on the market that would make it worth losing Roger early

 

[CWC]

Id be happy if that resulted in us securing big Tino or Herbie, but I don't think there's many others on the market that would make it worth losing Roger early

I’d be happy to lose Marata for Herbie, instant premiership contender

Typo on Google and this is what it said

 

[Playdaball]

Not sure if this has been answered previously …

Is Mellars a top 30 squad member for next year and beyond?

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Not sure if this has been answered previously …

Is Mellars a top 30 squad member for next year and beyond?

It hasn't been answered. Though apparently he was offered a year's extension at Souths (in their top 30). Hearing that, suggests that maybe he is, or perhaps a development deal that turns into top 30 in future years (like Cleary). Hopefully the latter with an injury provision.

 

[Cces]

Not sure if this has been answered previously …

Is Mellars a top 30 squad member for next year and beyond?

NRL website has him included in Top 30 for '26-'28. Asterisk next to his name though

 

[CWC]

Boy EIT looked fantastic tonight!

2026
Fish/Barney
Cape/Laban
Clark

Bench - Healey/Ford/Demi/Leka
Reserves - prop/second row - Marata/EIT/TSS/Fats
13 cover Gannon
2-3 junior props to debut when ready

I’d have Marata as first drop prop, I think Laban and Leka offer more now, but Webby might keep him at 12 due to salary

Our Cup pack might look like Marata/TSS/EIT/Fats/Gannon/Healey

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Ive seen enough from RTS to extend a further season. I wouldn't mind CHT getting a three year extension.

 

[Noitall]

Dragons forum reckons Luke Metcalf will be offered a 4 year deal come November to go link up with his old mate Daniel Atkinson

 

[JaggedJ]

If we value him and he wants to be here we get it done before Nov 1.

Otherwise he's probably going to leave and all our eggs go in the Cleary, Linnane, Thompson baskets.

 

[Warriors55]

Lock him up right now!!! We need that Metcalf/Cleary combo to win a premiership.

I look at it like this with a player like Metcalf and even Rocco. Would you rather a dependable player who never gets injured and will lead you into the 8 sometimes but you never win anything. Or would you rather have a player who is more easily injured but 1 of every 3 years he is mostly injury free and in that 1 year you have a great chance of winning a premiership.

Give me the second option any day of the week.

Metcalf is worth $1m. Make it happen.

I think long term that Jett Cleary is going to be even better than Metcalf but he is not there yet. These two in combination over the next 3 years could be something special.

Jett Cleary is the priority in my opinion but I dont think upgrading Metcalf will impact anything for Jett at this stage. I would give Metcalf a 3 year deal. $1m per season.

And even if he does get injured again next year, Jett will be pretty much ready for first grade anyway.

 

[Wrighty]

My vote is let Metcalf go to another club due to being injury prone. Just my opinion. He isn't so good that he warrants great patience.

 

[Warriors55]

My vote is let Metcalf go to another club due to being injury prone. Just my opinion. He isn't so good that he warrants great patience.

That is a big call Wrighty.

In that situation, what if Jett decides to go back to Penrith with his Dad. If we were to lose both Metcalf and Jett that will go down as one of the biggest stuff ups in our history. We need to keep both of them but at the very least one of them. If Metcalf left that means we are putting all our hopes on Jett Cleary to stay long term.

What is it about Metcalf that makes you think he not that good to warrant the patience?

 

[Wrighty]

That is a big call Wrighty.

In that situation, what if Jett decides to go back to Penrith with his Dad. If we were to lose both Metcalf and Jett that will go down as one of the biggest stuff ups in our history. We need to keep both of them but at the very least one of them. If Metcalf left that means we are putting all our hopes on Jett Cleary to stay long term.

What is it about Metcalf that makes you think he not that good to warrant the patience?

Hi Warriors

The fact he insists on being the goal kicker despite being very very mediocre at it and I value goal kicking.

The winning of the game last night was Boyd kicking a penalty to go up 20-18. I saw the Titans drop their lips at that point. Maybe Metcalf misses that penalty.

If Metcalf this year had let Pompey do all the goal kicking, and I view Pompey as being much better, then I could get in behind Metcalf. But I see Metcalf keeping the kicking.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

My vote is let Metcalf go to another club due to being injury prone. Just my opinion. He isn't so good that he warrants great patience.

While I agree, the fact we’re signing plentiful injury prone players means we are comfortable with the injury risk.

I think we will try to resign Metcalf but on a fair deal to the club to factor in injury potential..

If I was the warriors, to compensate for the ‘cheaper’ deals we pay for injury prone talent, we should be heavily investing in physio and injury recovery infrastructure to support our ‘rehabilitation club’ point of difference.

 

[Dannevegas]

My vote is let Metcalf go to another club due to being injury prone. Just my opinion. He isn't so good that he warrants great patience.

Keep him 100%. I can’t see any other realistic half option winning us a premiership

 

[Dannevegas]

Hi Warriors

The fact he insists on being the goal kicker despite being very very mediocre at it and I value goal kicking.

The winning of the game last night was Boyd kicking a penalty to go up 20-18. I saw the Titans drop their lips at that point. Maybe Metcalf misses that penalty.

If Metcalf this year had let Pompey do all the goal kicking, and I view Pompey as being much better, then I could get in behind Metcalf. But I see Metcalf keeping the kicking.

He’s pretty average at goal kicking not gonna lie, but he stands up in the big moments and kicks them when it matters. Pompey shat the bed in the prelim against the broncs, kicking 0%

 

[Warriors55]

Hi Warriors

The fact he insists on being the goal kicker despite being very very mediocre at it and I value goal kicking.

The winning of the game last night was Boyd kicking a penalty to go up 20-18. I saw the Titans drop their lips at that point. Maybe Metcalf misses that penalty.

If Metcalf this year had let Pompey do all the goal kicking, and I view Pompey as being much better, then I could get in behind Metcalf. But I see Metcalf keeping the kicking.

Hi Wrighty.

Tanah is definitely a superior goal kicker to Metcalf. I am not sold on Pompey as primary goal kicker.

I think even if Metcalf were to stay, if he was paired in the halves with Tanah or Jett long-term, he would probably not be doing the goal kicking.

But yes if it was 6. CHT and 7. Metcalf, Metcalf would most likely be kicking over Pompey. But Metcalf offers such a superior attacking and creative threat that I would be fine with that situation. It's not like Metcalf is a horrible goal kicker. I feel this season's kicking stats are below what he is capable of.

We all hate when tries are not converted - me included. But what is most important, is which combination is going to generate the most points for us.

Would you be happy with a 6. Metcalf, 7 Boyd combination with Boyd kicking and with Jett replacing Boyd at some point?

 

[Wrighty]

While I agree, the fact we’re signing plentiful injury prone players means we are comfortable with the injury risk.

I think we will try to resign Metcalf but on a fair deal to the club to factor in injury potential..

If I was the warriors, to compensate for the ‘cheaper’ deals we pay for injury prone talent, we should be heavily investing in physio and injury recovery infrastructure to support our ‘rehabilitation club’ point of difference.

If the Warriors make an offer that factors in injury potential then they will also wait and time that offer to the middle of next year to see how he recovers, if he does, from his ACL. Will he still be able to run at pace? My "man" Gerard Beale never had the same pace or side step after his significant shattered leg recovery. Metcalf is all about speed. He scores tries rather than creating tries for others, That is a gross simplification but it holds in most cases. If he can't have X factor speed after his recovery then he is finished as a force in the NRL. The Warriors will be aware of that and will wait ten to twelve games after he recovers to see how he pulls up before calibrating an offer.
HOWEVER, other clubs will swoop on November 1 and offer him $1m. Guaranteed they do. He is not going to wait another 8 months for the warriors to form a view.

We either offer him $1M and make no deductions for his injury potential or let him walk. Those are the options. There is no middle ground. And I say based on offering $1M being untenable for such an injury prone player. Let him walk,

 

[Wrighty]

Hi Wrighty.

Tanah is definitely a superior goal kicker to Metcalf. I am not sold on Pompey as primary goal kicker.

I think even if Metcalf were to stay, if he was paired in the halves with Tanah or Jett long-term, he would probably not be doing the goal kicking.

But yes if it was 6. CHT and 7. Metcalf, Metcalf would most likely be kicking over Pompey. But Metcalf offers such a superior attacking and creative threat that I would be fine with that situation. It's not like Metcalf is a horrible goal kicker. I feel this season's kicking stats are below what he is capable of.

We all hate when tries are not converted - me included. But what is most important, is which combination is going to generate the most points for us.

Would you be happy with a 6. Metcalf, 7 Boyd combination with Boyd kicking and with Jett replacing Boyd at some point?

There are a lot of "If's" in there. CHT is our 6 and will be until injured.