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	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Braelan Marsh	-	?	?	?
-	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), Braelan Marsh (Redcliffe Dolphins), 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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[Maddogg]

I reckon we're all good in the forwards squad. It's backs that we need, probably a centre and a winger. Rocco keeps getting injured. RTS is probably heading to the Saudi union team and DWZ best years are behind him. We need some backs with real speed and good defensive reads. Would love a gun centre like Herbie Farnworth or Bradman Best. Or Timiko, Warbrick, Mulitalo who have played for the kiwis..

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

I not comfortable with it being called Dodge. It is just difficult to compare. There are different head winds and tail winds in each match. There are different ground conditions in each park. They are not running on a running track with regulation spikes.
There are three or four dudes out in front. Saab, Hammer, De Groot (must be a fluke) and I forget who else. Then Khan at 35.9 kmh in 5th place and then the other dudes in the top ten are 35.6 down to 35.1 - ie there is cluster on 35 clicks including Khan. The real express is the three at the top who are getting up to 38kmh. Remember the list is 2024. Saab has really deteriorated in 2025. Fox is not what he used to be so wouldn't even be in 7th anymore now. So I don't share your view - I think for 2024 it seems believable. Khao Pereira never struck me as quick as the Hammer. But if Saab has gone downhill as I say in 2025 and de Groot fluked his 2024 rating then that makes Khan Perieira 3rd in the NRL - which is pretty good to have on your resume.

I know you disagree based on your examples of SJ chasing down Jennings etc. I am stating my counter opinion.

Edit Dominic Young has also slowed down in 2025 which could make a 1 2 of Hammer first by a couple of Kms and Khan Periers leading the chasing pack.

Biggest thing is fatigue.

At the start of a game players can run faster than 80 minutes in. And the work load of each individual player determines their energy.

Hence a player (say DWZ) might outsprint his opposite winger at the start of the game but being a prop wing like DWZ, by the end of the game his opposite might be able to run down a significantly more fatigued DWZ.

This is where us as fans see fatigue influenced mismatch-ups and make sometimes unfair comparisons from one off situations.