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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[Damo]

He was a centre at age group level, and just looking at him, his play style has centre written all over him IMO.

Erin Clark was a half at age group level but I see your point, he's much closer to that time than Clark.
I see him more as a gun 2nd Rower than Centre. I feel like people are trying to shoehorn him in to fix a problem position rather than letting him continue excelling in the position he is doing very well in.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Erin Clark was a half at age group level but I see your point, he's much closer to that time than Clark.
I see him more as a gun 2nd Rower than Centre. I feel like people are trying to shoehorn him in to fix a problem position rather than letting him continue excelling in the position he is doing very well in.

Perhaps when Capewell and Niukore leave, if Laban and Gannon play middle, he could definitely play there.

 

[Warriors55]

I think Webby knows CNK is not the answer long term at full back and I think that's why he was linked to a Super League move for 2026 before he was resigned. The club was probably checking the market to make sure there were no better options before confirming an extension.

The issue is the two year extension. I can see 2027 being a potential issue for us. I hope that over the off season he fixes his body because he looks like he has played busted for us a lot of the season. And it makes sense as he has been used as a battering ram which is most likely what he was told to do. Would like to see some more ball playing from him if he is our fullback next year.

Edit - I actually just read an article which suggested we actually may have wanted to sign him but he wanted more and we gave more which is interesting.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Erin Clark was a half at age group level but I see your point, he's much closer to that time than Clark.
I see him more as a gun 2nd Rower than Centre. I feel like people are trying to shoehorn him in to fix a problem position rather than letting him continue excelling in the position he is doing very well in.

Yeah it's tricky because even with Niukore and Capewell potentially done this time next year, we have Leka, Laban and Fatialofa and EIT who are all edges that are highly rated and will likely be commanding a spot in FG very soon.

I dont think we'd be able to keep all 4 as edges and have them all in the game day 17, so out of that group how would you manage to have them all in the team at the same time. Someone would have to change up their role so I'm keen to hear your thoughts Damo

 

[CWC]

I think Webby knows CNK is not the answer long term at full back and I think that's why he was linked to a Super League move for 2026 before he was resigned. The club was probably checking the market to make sure there were no better options before confirming an extension.

The issue is the two year extension. I can see 2027 being a potential issue for us. I hope that over the off season he fixes his body because he looks like he has played busted for us a lot of the season. And it makes sense as he has been used as a battering ram which is most likely what he was told to do. Would like to see some more ball playing from him if he is our fullback next year.

Edit - I actually just read an article which suggested we actually may have wanted to sign him but he wanted more and we gave more which is interesting.

We probably wanted to extend him as a depth outside back and balk if he wanted too much of overs, at the end we couldn't sign anyone else. Warriorholic was suggesting Ponga and recently Chevy Stewart, and he's proven to be right more often than wrong.

Linnane just runs like a Papenhuyzen btw...

 

[CWC]

Yeah it's tricky because even with Niukore and Capewell potentially done this time next year, we have Leka, Laban and Fatialofa and EIT who are all edges that are highly rated and will likely be commanding a spot in FG very soon.

I dont think we'd be able to keep all 4 as edges and have them all in the game day 17, so out of that group how would you manage to have them all in the team at the same time. Someone would have to change up their role so I'm keen to hear your thoughts Damo

Leka/Laban edges, EIT bench prop/lock and Fats bench 2nd row?

 

[Warriors55]

We probably wanted to extend him as a depth outside back and balk if he wanted too much of overs, at the end we couldn't sign anyone else. Warriorholic was suggesting Ponga and recently Chevy Stewart, and he's proven to be right more often than wrong.

Linnane just runs like a Papenhuyzen btw...

That makes sense, thanks for the info.

I was thinking we were interested in Ponga and possibly Joey Manu but neither ended up happening.

CNK would provide great depth as a wider squad member and mentor for the NSW cup boys but I could see him going to super league if he wasn't in first grade.

 

[SouthernWorrier]

.... I feel like people are trying to shoehorn him in to fix a problem position rather than letting him continue excelling in the position he is doing very well in.

I feel this is 75% of this forum's content sometimes! Let's recruit and develop well, and leave lads to excel in their core roles.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Leka/Laban edges, EIT bench prop/lock and Fats bench 2nd row?

Yeah likely what will happen but then we only have 2 spots on the bench left for Healey, Ford, Demi, Gannon, TSS, and what other players Niukore, Capewell, and TMMs money buys us.

I dunno, good problems to have anyways, but yeah just saying that shoehorning is always going to be a thing when we seem to be so flush with edges.
(Funny thing is we've already moved Mitch and Ford from edge to prop too)

 

[Zaggo]

I feel this is 75% of this forum's content sometimes! Let's recruit and develop well, and leave lads to excel in their core roles.

CNK to lock, CHT to hooker, Halasima to centre, Berry to fullback... I even saw someone suggesting Tohu come back next year after spending time with a sprint coach in the off season!

When it comes to having too many options, there's usually one or two guys injured so often the problem resolves itself. This year we were debating how to fit in Berry, Leiataua and Pompey.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Erin Clark was a half at age group level but I see your point, he's much closer to that time than Clark.
I see him more as a gun 2nd Rower than Centre. I feel like people are trying to shoehorn him in to fix a problem position rather than letting him continue excelling in the position he is doing very well in.

I think this is a bad take. Many players have started in one position and excelled in another.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

We hes certainly not ahead of

Capewell
Halasima
Laban
Toeava
Gannon

Just seems logical because hes explosive, a good defender, to develop better than our current centres. More importantly, hes durable so far.

I view toeava as a middle forward & gannon was identified as the Walker replacement, but yes he’s down the pecking order imo. With marata & Capewell moving on in 27, he’ll be a bench edge

 

[CWC]

Yeah likely what will happen but then we only have 2 spots on the bench left for Healey, Ford, Demi, Gannon, TSS, and what other players Niukore, Capewell, and TMMs money buys us.

I dunno, good problems to have anyways, but yeah just saying that shoehorning is always going to be a thing when we seem to be so flush with edges.
(Funny thing is we've already moved Mitch and Ford from edge to prop too)

Healey/EIT/Demi/Fats should be pretty gangster, I don’t think Gannon’s going to be there until Barney or Fish wanes and we move Demi or Clark to prop. Ford should be first drop prop especially in 2027. TSS looks to be a career good depth forward like Bunty or Jazz, not a first 17 trying to win a title

But maybe Webby will play Healey/Gannon/Ford/Demi and keep EIT and Fats in reserves

 

[The Warrior Waka]

We hes certainly not ahead of

Gannon

The Gannon glaze is too much! Where TF is the proof he is ahead of anyone? His highlights are alright. Doesn't make your pringle tingle.

The rest is word of mouth, In a comp that would sit 2nd to NSW Cup.

 

[Tragic]

Where is the EIT to prop stuff coming from? Dude is lanky asf. Laban is about the same height and he must have 10 kg on him, I can kinda maybe see Laban making prop next year but EIT seems like a forum pipe dream.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Where is the EIT to prop stuff coming from? Dude is lanky asf. Laban is about the same height and he must have 10 kg on him, I can kinda maybe see Laban making prop next year but EIT seems like a forum pipe dream.

Because he’s played middle in most, if not all his first grade games?

 

[Five&Last]

Not sure where this fascination with Fatialofa being a centre has come from. He has never started there in Cup, and has hardly filled in there either.

He played majority of his 2024 NSW cup games at center

 

[Damo]

He played majority of his 2024 NSW cup games at center

He played 1 at centre. Rest off the bench

 

[Five&Last]

He played 1 at centre. Rest off the bench

Which he came on at center in.

 

[Damo]

Which he came on at center in.

I very much doubt that happened for 8 games.