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	✔​	✔​
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	✔​	✔​	✔​
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	✔​	✔​
Connor Bowden	U​	U​	✔​
Jett Cleary	S​	U​
Kayliss Fatialofa	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: 28/30
2026 Supplementary: 2/6

2027 Top 30: 20/30
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 Undertaker]

Prediction - Ponga signs for 2027 to us and is released by knights claiming they need to balance their cap.

He’d make us so much better.

Bet you he’s talking to Mitch about his experience… the guy wants premierships. We are the best club for him to honour his roots…

It makes sense.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Prediction - Ponga signs for 2027 to us and is released by knights claiming they need to balance their cap.

He’d make us so much better.

Bet you he’s talking to Mitch about his experience… the guy wants premierships. We are the best club for him to honour his roots…

It makes sense.

Hope so, and agree he’s exactly the type of x-factor we need

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Great so KP can come here and bludge for the next few years.

Can you name any one else that's come over in the last few years and has bludged?

I have faith that if something like this does happen, we're going to get it right.

 

[Falcon]

Can you name any one else that's come over in the last few years and has bludged?

I have faith that if something like this does happen, we're going to get it right.

Agree, they have stated in the past the individual has to also have the personal qualities they like after the Lodge fiasco where the wrong personality disrupted the team.
Thankfully those days of signing ‘F’Wits’ are behind us. ()

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Can you name any one else that's come over in the last few years and has bludged?

I have faith that if something like this does happen, we're going to get it right.

How many "superstar" spine players that cbf playing have we signed? We take handworkers who are on the outer and lift their game. Ponga doesnt fit that description at all

 

[MrFrankWhite]

He’d make us so much better.

Seems to make the Knights worse when he plays

 

[Cces]

Seems to make the Knights worse when he plays

They've won 2 out of their last 16 he's missed compared to winning 7 of the last 16 he's played

 

[Tookey 2.0]

How many "superstar" spine players that cbf playing have we signed? We take handworkers who are on the outer and lift their game. Ponga doesnt fit that description at all

That's your assessment, and imo a poor one at that

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

That's your assessment, and imo a poor one at that

1 - he’s not a superstar?
2 - he’s not a spine player?
3 - cbf playing - could be, he’s injured a lot
4 - have we signed - ahhh…, we haven’t signed him!

 

[Brightman]

Can you name any one else that's come over in the last few years and has bludged?

I have faith that if something like this does happen, we're going to get it right.

M.A.R.A.T.A.

TBF to Marata he's consistently copped some hard luck injuries but at his price and what the team is screaming for i'd far rather Ponga..

 

[Tookey 2.0]

M.A.R.A.T.A.

TBF to Marata he's consistently copped some hard luck injuries but at his price and what the team is screaming for i'd far rather Ponga..

To be fair to Marata, we paid him on potential and at the time there were thoughts that he could have been one of the better 2nd rowers in the game and he just hasn't come on at all. A few injuries and he was pushed from edge to prop and back again, but yeah he's really the only guy I would say hasnt improved.
Was also signed before Webby's time too

 

[KO WAI RA]

Gona b a long pre season famz judging by sum posts!!!!
Boi’s got tha war paint on already….lol
If we bringing back the R word then let’s round it out wit the F_G_T word also….
Circle of life ain’t always PC….

Kaylyn would b epic & we due for a marquee signature…..!!!!

 

[Cces]

If we bringing back the R word then let’s round it out wit the F_G_T word also….
Circle of life ain’t always PC….

Fight? Or a bundle of sticks? Might need another _ if that was a Wheel of Fortune style attempt at a homophobic slur.

Ponga would be our biggest signing since RTS in 2015 & probably our most high profile recruit of all time. I'm doubtful it'll happen but we can live in hope

 

[Leon Black]

Anyone saying we shouldn’t sign Ponga is delusional — CNK in 2027? Or banking on Jye Linnane or some fantasy prospect?

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Still reckon that’s Cam George in the photo.

 

[Wrighty]

I am against the Ponga fantasy land / just a hypothetical at this stage signing based on
1) How injury prone he is - he played 13 games this year and 16 the year before
2) He will be 29 in March 2027. And an explosive player with an elusive step like him doesn't age well.

HOWEVER, if we could get him now and it was 2026, 2027, 2028 then I would say yes obviously
But a signing for 2027 (29 years old), 2028 (30 years old), 2029 (31 years old) is getting too much into a Warriors retirement package special for a has been star territory.

 

[Dannevegas]

Seems to make the Knights worse when he plays

I think the knights rely on him too much when he plays rather than working with him. Imagine him behind our pack and working with Metcalf and Leka and Ali running off him.
He’d get the best out of our backs as well, being the link man.
Would only go for this if it was 26 and beyond tho

 

[gambler03]

My mate saw Kalyn Ponga at Auckland airport last Saturday (not yesterday).

 

[Mudders]

My Uncle seen Kayln in rebel sport trying on a warriors jersey

 

[Cces]

My mate saw Kalyn Ponga at Auckland airport last Saturday (not yesterday).

He spoke at this event last weekend

Sione ain't happy with someone