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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[sydneywarrior92]

Would the club consider taking back payten if he was moved on from Cowboys.

as an assistant? Maybe as a solely attacking coach. His sides can't defend but boy can they attack.

 

[CWC]

Warriors coach caught off guard by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s R360 links

The New Zealand coach insists that he had no idea about the shock talks.

www.zerotackle.com

Was a while ago that Webster said he hadn’t heard about the RTS interest from that union comp in the works. RTS says the club is aware, yet Webster says he knows nothing about it. Must be playing it down in the media? Sounds like he’s open to extending, going to union for the money or another nrl team

Well if he’s open to extension I’d offer him one more year until one of the youngsters can overtake him, it’s best for the club

Can always use the early release for that Arabia money printer league if he deteriorates like Tohu suddenly

 

[Matiunz]

Would the club consider taking back payten if he was moved on from Cowboys.

Wasn’t he a bit of a snake?

 

[Noitall]

Well if he’s open to extension I’d offer him one more year until one of the youngsters can overtake him, it’s best for the club

Can always use the early release for that Arabia money printer league if he deteriorates like Tohu suddenly

He’ll be 33 next year in his final year and a 1 year extension would make him 34. I agree I’d offer him a one year extension, but the union offer or another club might offer longer if he wants to play on? Could be if we’re a genuine shot in 2027, he could stay on for one season? Could be someone else ready by then too?

 

[Noitall]

Wasn’t he a bit of a snake?

He’s an Isaac Moses represented coach. Don’t think they’d want him back

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

as an assistant? Maybe as a solely attacking coach. His sides can't defend but boy can they attack.

Yeah as an assistant.

 

[CWC]

He’ll be 33 next year in his final year and a 1 year extension would make him 34. I agree I’d offer him a one year extension, but the union offer or another club might offer longer if he wants to play on? Could be if we’re a genuine shot in 2027, he could stay on for one season? Could be someone else ready by then too?

We’ve got one season to see if the juniors are ready, otherwise I fear we have a big drop in quality in ‘27 either through his aging or lack of talented players, then there’s Dallin’s spot as well, wonder if they’re recruiting more outside backs or all in on homegrown

 

[JaggedJ]

A lot will depend on the juniours progress and also where the club sees their long term positions.

Pasikala and Norris you'd assume will get some time in NSW Cup next year when injuries/suspension strike.

2. DWZ
3. Berry
4. Pompey
5. RTS

2. Mellers
3. Leiataua
4. Pasikala/Kali
5. Kali/Norris

Maybe one more outside back signing or they'll keep someone like Tu around the squad to fill the lower grade gaps.

Fine line between having enough ready bodies for all grades and keeping pathways open for juniors to learn and grow.

 

[Boston Boy]

as an assistant? Maybe as a solely attacking coach. His sides can't defend but boy can they attack.

No way, he is too strong a personality. Webby doesn't need that Drama. It would change the culture of the club I think.

 

[Playdaball]

No way, he is too strong a personality. Webby doesn't need that Drama. It would change the culture of the club I think.

Puppets only ?

 

[Playdaball]

A lot will depend on the juniours progress and also where the club sees their long term positions.

Pasikala and Norris you'd assume will get some time in NSW Cup next year when injuries/suspension strike.

2. DWZ
3. Berry
4. Pompey
5. RTS

2. Mellers
3. Leiataua
4. Pasikala/Kali
5. Kali/Norris

Maybe one more outside back signing or they'll keep someone like Tu around the squad to fill the lower grade gaps.

Fine line between having enough ready bodies for all grades and keeping pathways open for juniors to learn and grow.

I still believe that we are at least one fast wing / centre short .
Our depth , as can be seen this year, is not great.
Ali and Berry are injury prone ( surely can’t miss as many games in 2026), Adam has had a good season but is limited and has reached his ceiling , RTS is aging but still a champion , DWZ hasn’t had a great season and whilst out of form there was nobody to replace him - so couldn’t be dropped, Capewell has been filling in a centre - not ideal.
TT was playing wing as coach couldn’t trust the likes of Kosi, Harper etc.
Mellars is still a rookie as is Kali .

 

[Ref]

Webby said in an Insta interview that Kali is good enough now ability wise.
Just working on improving aspects of his game.
I think he will own a wing spot by 2027.

 

[Boston Boy]

Puppets only ?

No 1 its not going to happen.
No 2 the dude nearly destabilised the club on the way out last time. He's clearly hard to handle, which you can risk as your head coach but not as an assistant. The set up is good culture wise now, it would be madness to risk what we have with a move like that.

 

[Playdaball]

The one who took the knights backwards after 3 years & had a merry go round of halves? Not to mention his monotone voice, I couldnt stand that if he did our media. No thanks.

Assistant Coach wouldn’t speak too much to the media.
I think more of the guy who was assistant coach at the Storm and the Roosters - AOB.
Plus he also took the Knights to the finals a few times .
Some coaches are not always good head coaches but great Assistants eg Steve Kearney , Jason Taylor, Tony Kemp .