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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[Dannevegas]

Titans fan chipping in here… I’m going to be biased because Lofi is probably my least favourite Titan ever since following this side since 2007, and thats saying something considering all of the geeks that have worn that jersey lol.

But I think Lofi would just be a better fit for you guys than us overall, whatever combination of Pompey/Leiataua/Berry (when he isnt in hospital) are fine centres next to Lofi. Plus, you guys need speed big time.

He can genuinely sniff out a try with little space, but frankly other than that he suuuucks on defense, both in contact and reading shape (may be more of a Brian Kelly problem granted), is actually a really bad decision maker with ball in hand and with one player infront of him. He actually botched a few easy 4 pointers because he decided to boot the ball dead or threw a BS pass. He’s also poor in yardage and will likely never be much better than he is, considering his body shape. Was absolutely attrocious under the high ball for a large period of his career aswell.

Definitely hope for you guys he is at least neutral on defence and yardage, and he’s a worthwhile asset for you to take a swing on no doubt, but as of right now he’s just a Special Teams guy who does one thing (at an elite level for sure)very well, and would round out to be at best slightly below average everywhere else.

Fine enough move though for you overall, I can certainly see the excitement for you guys when you take a look at tries scored etc, and Webster is one hell of a coach and I’m sure he’ll do his best with him!.
With that being said pls trade Leiataua or something for him, pls?

Yep he’s ass. You’s can keep him. Cheers

 

[Mark_O'Dare]

Thanks you guys can have Berry, Kosi is taken unfortunately

Ford was clumsy af but he’s a key bench prop these days, and Metcalf became a dally m calibre halfback, so hopefully Webby sorts his game out. Is AKP toxic for the dressing room? We had that with AFB and he derailed our season.

What do you think of Boyd right now, pretty much on par or any surprises? Seems to choke a bit. Cheers!

Dude. I would unironically love Rocco Berry on the Titans, and he’d be a great fit for the 6 games he’d be healthy Y’all not a fan of him here??.

Yeah I totally get that, I will just say that most of Lofi’s issues are IMO just mostly unfixable, there aren’t many worlds where he just becomes a great yardage guy, good defender or even just a decent game IQ sadly. Metcalf and Ford I think had at least decent feels for the game and were going to stick around to some extent, but I will say Webby has squeezed some serious juice out of both of them, and I’m not sure what more you could do with Lofi who is strictly a play-finisher. Also, could be wrong but strictly reading between the lines I don’t think he’s necessarily the #1 locker room guy.

I actually had my first post on here a year ago about Boyd!, think it ended up being pretty accurate, he certainly is what he is in the sense of a fine backup 7 to raise the floor of that position in your top 30, but not a guy you really want starting there for more than like, 4 games lol. And yes, big time deer-in-the-headlights mostly, think he’ll bounce around a bit.

 

[Mark_O'Dare]

Yep he’s ass. You’s can keep him. Cheers

No thanks, we’re gonna go ahead and sign some dweeb for like 400k with his cap space any day now, he’s yours

 

[Tragic]

I would not be surprised if DWZ goes into medical retirement - his forearm/wrist is fucked. He's always holding it. The rest of his body is moving slower too. He's lost that sharpness. But the rumours about RTS moving to Rugby360 next year have been strong .

Been rubbing that jaw every game for 3 years too. The weight of all that hair is taking its toll.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

So if we can find a home for DWZ next year that I'd be okay on a one year flyer on AKP. But nobody will be interested in DWZ.

I'd rather take a gamble on unproven talent like Mellars, Kali, Norris, Pasikala in that order.

Kali has earned his top 30 spot in the past 12 weeks and signing a Titans reject shouldn't mess that up.

Traditionally a wing was used to blood juniors into the backline. The statistically lowest paid position, lowest ball touches, lowest impact on a game result position. Perfect for starting juniors younger.

It’s amazing we have two highly paid players on our wings and don’t blood our young backs.

 

[Muddogz]

I think AKP is worth the punt, he may only have pace, but its comfortably more pace than anyone else in the NRL. He wont break the bank so if he flops it wont be the end of the world.

Would provide a point of difference to this team something we badly need.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Dude. I would unironically love Rocco Berry on the Titans, and he’d be a great fit for the 6 games he’d be healthy Y’all not a fan of him here??.

Yeah I totally get that, I will just say that most of Lofi’s issues are IMO just mostly unfixable, there aren’t many worlds where he just becomes a great yardage guy, good defender or even just a decent game IQ sadly. Metcalf and Ford I think had at least decent feels for the game and were going to stick around to some extent, but I will say Webby has squeezed some serious juice out of both of them, and I’m not sure what more you could do with Lofi who is strictly a play-finisher. Also, could be wrong but strictly reading between the lines I don’t think he’s necessarily the #1 locker room guy.

I actually had my first post on here a year ago about Boyd!, think it ended up being pretty accurate, he certainly is what he is in the sense of a fine backup 7 to raise the floor of that position in your top 30, but not a guy you really want starting there for more than like, 4 games lol. And yes, big time deer-in-the-headlights mostly, think he’ll bounce around a bit.

The Titans atm strike me like the 2012-2018 Warriors. A place where players careers die. Bar a 1-2 individuals, have the Titans improved any players in the last 5 years? Seems a good number leave and get better..

 

[JaggedJ]

We need speed. D is a concern, but at the same time the Titans have consistently been the worse defensive team his entire career and he can't be worse than DWZ drifting in like the titanic seeking out an iceberg.

I'm more concerned with kick defusal and bringing the ball out of trouble because that's where DWZ/RTS really excel and I'm not sure where we'd compensate for that as AKP isn't that player.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

If Mellars can stay injury free, I think he might surprise people.

Certainly what McFadden thinks.

 

[Rick O’Shay]

Will be interesting to see how AKP is used if he comes here. Don't recall having anyone with his blistering pace so will be a new experience. If they can create the smallest bit of space either on the outside or in broken play this guy will be gone.
Wouldn't it be great to finally get see someone in a Wah's jersey scoring end to end tries

 

[Warriors55]

Deju of the forum proclaiming Tannah Boyd to be our next game managing messiah.

DWZ has pace as well. He's still shit.

AKP is not what we need.

Can you explain how he's better than Kali?

Assuming if you've never watched him play, do you not think if the Titan's don't want him that's a pretty major red flag?

I never said I haven't watched him play. I said I haven't watched enough of him to make a firm judgement. I have seen him play 4-5 times over a full game but I have never specifically focused on him as someone we might recruit.

Are you being serious when you say DWZ has as much pace as AKP. You are joking right? He is not even close.

And when did I say he was better than Kali? Show me one post where I have said that. I posted my ideal backline for next year and I had AKP and Kali both as wingers in one of my two scenarios.

Not many people on here had Tannah Boyd as our next game managing messiah and I was certainly not one of those. He is just the best of what we have at the moment.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

The Titans atm strike me like the 2012-2018 Warriors. A place where players careers die. Bar a 1-2 individuals, have the Titans improved any players in the last 5 years? Seems a good number leave and get better..

Brutal assessment.

I guess that's why your username isn't 'MrBeatAroundTheBush'

But yeah, I see a lot of similarities between how we were run in that period too. Thank Christ all that is over. Touch wood.

 

[Tragic]

Will be interesting to see how AKP is used if he comes here. Don't recall having anyone with his blistering pace so will be a new experience. I

Lee Oudenryn, Skinny Byrne.
Both fast, both flops.
AKP will be our first in a while. The foundations we have now are a lot better than what those other two walked into.

 

[Noitall]

Lee Oudenryn, Skinny Byrne.
Both fast, both flops.
AKP will be our first in a while. The foundations we have now are a lot better than what those other two walked into.

The thing to be encouraged about is all our signings seem very deliberate, so there’s obviously a plan in place. They don’t go for every player that comes onto the market, so the fact there’s been some noise in recent times around AKP seems to me they’ve identified him as someone who can add something to the squad. His attitude can’t be too bad or you’d assume Erin Clark or Taine Tuaupiki would have warned the club against him having been on the same teams in the past. I would imagine there’s a bit of ego there, but confidence is necessary

 

[Wah u talkin about Wallis]

Has the Kiwi league retirement Village opened, looks like Nas will be chairman. Leave a spot for The Cheese.

 

[Noitall]

Has the Kiwi league retirement Village opened, looks like Nas will be chairman. Leave a spot for The Cheese.

Is NAS coming to Warriors?