Recruitment Warriors 2026/2027 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2026/2027 Recruitment and Retention Discussion​

Player	2026​	2027​	2028​	2029​	2030​
Mitchell Barnett	✔​	✔​
Rocco Berry	✔​
Tanah Boyd	✔​
Kurt Capewell	✔​
Erin Clark	✔​	✔​
Wayde Egan	✔​	✔​
Kayliss Fatialofa	✔​	✔​
James Fisher-Harris	✔​	✔​	✔​
Jackson Ford	✔​	✔​
Morgan Gannon	✔​	✔​	✔​
Leka Halasima	✔​	✔​	✔​	✔​
Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔​
Sam Healey	✔​	✔​
Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	✔​	✔​
Alofiana Khan-Pereira	✔​	✔​	✔​
Jacob Laban	✔​	✔​	✔​	✔​
Ali Leiataua	✔​	✔​
Jye Linnane	✔​	✔​	✔​
Freddy Lussick	✔​
Te Maire Martin	✔​
Haizyn Mellars	✔​	✔​	✔​
Luke Metcalf	✔​	✔​	✔​
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔​	✔​
Marata Niukore	✔​
Adam Pompey	✔​	✔​
Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔​	✔​	✔​
Taine Tuaupiki	✔​
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔​
Demitric Vaimauga	✔​	✔​	✔​
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔​	✔​
Jett Cleary	S​	U​
Sio Kali	U​
Braelan Marsh	U​	U​	U​
Motu Pasikala	U​	U​

✔ = Signed to Top 30, C = Club option, M = Mutual Option, P = Player option, S = Signed to supplementary list, U = Unclear

2026 Top 30: 30/30
2026 Supplementary: 1/6

2027 Top 30: 21/30
2027 Supplementary: 0/6

2027 Gains: Nil
2027 Losses: Nil

Off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2027: Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Te Maire Martin, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Will be off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2028 from November 1st, 2026: Mitchell Barnett, Erin Clark, Jett Cleary, Wayde Egan, Kayliss Fatialofa, Jackson Ford, Sam Healey, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Ali Leiataua, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Motu Pasikala, Adam Pompey, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Jake White from the Aussie schoolboys team is a prospect to keep an eye on for both Warriors and Kiwis down the track.

194cm 113kg playing under 17s last year. Farkin unit! Bonus is, He looks like a Trbojevic brother too!

 

[The Undertaker]

Where there is smoke…

Ponga coming here would be logical. Compassionate release incoming?

 

[Dannevegas]

Where there is smoke…

Ponga coming here would be logical. Compassionate release incoming?

If we did manage to get him for 27, I think he’d get an early release. No point wasting another year in Newy when he can win a comp with us next year

 

[The Warrior Waka]

If we did manage to get him for 27, I think he’d get an early release. No point wasting another year in Newy when he can win a comp with us next year

Off season. We're bored, The Journos are bored. Let's give the sheep shaggers false hope again. Next they'll photoshop Joey Tapine, Will Jordan into the Ponga - Cappy photo and say Kiwi & All Black meet at Warriors pub. With no context. Just to make us all get stiffy's.

 

[Worried2Death]

Where there is smoke…

Ponga coming here would be logical. Compassionate release incoming?

Does there have to be a reason for a compassionate release, or can he just say he's homesick?

Don't get me wrong I'm sorry for what he's going through and I hope the NRL have the utmost compassion, he's suffered enough playing for the Knights.

 

[CWC]

Does there have to be a reason for a compassionate release, or can he just say he's homesick?

Don't get me wrong I'm sorry for what he's going through, and I hope the NRL have the utmost compassion, he's suffered enough having to play the Knights.

Dad or grandparents gets a medical certificate to say they have immuno disease or mental illness and he needs to go home to look after him *cough* and just to be good sport we give them Marata for half price and Freddy to back up Crossland or replace Leo Thompson

 

[JaggedJ]

Can't wait for Ponga to join Matai, Manu, Watmough and Ranger in our first ever premiership side.

 

[CWC]

Off season. We're bored, The Journos are bored. Let's give the sheep shaggers false hope again. Next they'll photoshop Joey Tapine, Will Jordan into the Ponga - Cappy photo and say Kiwi & All Black meet at Warriors pub. With no context. Just to make us all get stiffy's.

I mean, the photo is confirmed real and current, and he participated in a public event hosted by the Warriors with a bunch of, um, warriors, the paparazzi did catch Capewell shagging Webby by the harbour in '24 and there was an AI signing of AKP last month

Imagine Metcalf mid year rumored to be talking to the drags, publicly states his root is in Sydney, then appears at a pub owned by the drags as guest speaker invited by a bunch of dragons grooming him on and off stage and talking with their recruitment manager in the public that 2 year extension might not be a sure thing

 

[Leon Black]

This is a wild idea but could A K Pereira play FB?

Hell no

 

[Leon Black]

I’d be surprised if Ponga isn’t in NZ either playing for us or Super Rugby in 27. It’s not been one or two sightings or rumblings, it’s been quite a few.

The connection to home, plus, he sees the Warriors as a team he has closest roots too, a decent half in Luka and a side stacked with young hungry forwards .

2 + 2 =5

 

[Wrighty]

Take the case it is all innocent. That is pretty porn star by McFadden for showing up to the event and casually ending up in a conversation with Kalyn.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

I mean, the photo is confirmed real and current,

Current? Wasn't it taken in 2023?
And was the big guy with the leg tattoo there too? Lol

 

[sup42]

Can't wait for Ponga to join Matai, Manu, Watmough and Ranger in our first ever premiership side.

Tapine is special according to all the frustrated basement dwellers in here, If I were a Doctor I would prescribe daily wanking for them.

 

[Five&Last]

Jake White from the Aussie schoolboys team is a prospect to keep an eye on for both Warriors and Kiwis down the track. Won't be Origin eligible so that's good for Kiwis.

Is he linked to the Warriors? Says he's signed with Sharks

Bunch of gun Kiwis in that Aussie Schoolboys team particularly Antonio Verhoeven. And also David Bryenton.

 

[Five&Last]

I dont see Ratcliffe playing under 19s.

I guarantee he will. If you're age eligible you'll play there (at least prior to Flegg commencing). Same with Bishop.

Only one who might not is Jack Thompson because he was captaining Flegg this year and we have a bunch of other halves in the U19 grade we would want to give a shot to (Tyson Hansen, Wiremu Makea, Hicknley Ioaka and Ashton Ulaula-Ieremia).

 

[WAH MAN]

Take the case it is all innocent. That is pretty porn star by McFadden for showing up to the event and casually ending up in a conversation with Kalyn.

Cappy - Hey KP. Did your agent get my email?

KP - What email?

Cappy - That's the one .

Can I shout you a kale smoothie?

KP - Yes. Yes indeed.

Does there have to be a reason for a compassionate release, or can he just say he's homesick?

Don't get me wrong I'm sorry for what he's going through and I hope the NRL have the utmost compassion, he's suffered enough playing for the Knights.

Yep. Multi million dollar suffering. I'd hate to have to endure such punishment.

 

[WAH MAN]

Take the case it is all innocent. That is pretty porn star by McFadden for showing up to the event and casually ending up in a conversation with Kalyn.

Cappy - Hey KP. Did your agent get my email?

KP - What email?

Cappy - That's the one .

Can I shout you a kale smoothie?

KP - Yes. Yes indeed.

Does there have to be a reason for a compassionate release, or can he just say he's homesick?

Don't get me wrong I'm sorry for what he's going through and I hope the NRL have the utmost compassion, he's suffered enough playing for the Knights.

Yep. Multi million dollar suffering. I'd hate to have to endure such punishment.

 

[Five&Last]

Can't see KP leaving Newcastle for the same goal. His life looks pretty great there. His mrs is from there, all his mates are there, they're building or built a house, he's treated like a god in Newy when he goes for his morning coffee/dog walk.

He honestly looks pretty unmotivated and flat the last few years. I just don't think the NRL excites him anymore. Can't even see him going Bulldogs like the reports have mentioned.

I can see only two reasons for him leaving Newcastle.

1) He wants to chase the AB dream, gets an early release to sign with Blue or Hurricanes next year. Now or never really. If doesn't do it next year, he's not making the RWC squad.

2) He chases the early retirement pathway by signing with R360.

 

[Worried2Death]

Yep. Multi million dollar suffering. I'd hate to have to endure such punishment.

Hope Cappy's there for him in his despair

 

[CWC]

Current? Wasn't it taken in 2023?
And was the big guy with the leg tattoo there too? Lol

No 2023 is misinformation, the bar wasn't even built yet

Somebody literally posted the entire behind the paywall report in this thread, I'd encourage you to read it before fluffing more weird statements