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	✔​	✔​	✔​
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​
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: 29/30
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

 

[Noitall]

Sounds more like a grid iron player.

True. I hadn’t thought of that. Totally does

 

[Tragic]

The best centres are lanky like Crichton, Inglis and Toopi, then there is a tier of more direct guys like Staggs, Timoko.
If you accept that then Leka is unlikely to be a top tier Centre unless he totally changes his shape. So probably more risk that you totally mess up his progression if you try change him.

 

[Noitall]

Create your own team formation

I was reading the Panthers forum the other day. There was a sighting of him pulling children from a burning building before rescuing a cat who had got itself stuck in a tree.

Didn't even need to leave the ground. He simply shook the tree before breaking the sound barrier to catch the kitty before it could hit the ground.

The kids were in awe - the cat didn't care and went about its day.

Just while I see you still there, I miss your posts about messiah Rocco Berry, is he going to earn an extension do you reckon?

 

[SouthernWorrier]

Leiataua needs a big season. He still needs to do more in first grade to prove he's not just a size bully that's come through the ranks outplaying other outside backs because he's bigger than them, then struggles against first graders where he doesn't have that advantage. Showed a little bit of skill in NSW cup towards the back end of the season. Needs to build on that. But these young guys coming through in Putoko, Norris, Kali and Pasikala have speed and electric running games.

Leiataua, Berry, Charnze and Pompey doesn't scream a lot of try scoring ability.

Agree completely Ali needs to step it up, but for mine he is as but a prospect as Leka if he can deliver on his potential, whether that's attitude as well as injury I have no idea. Injury and form must have been a little humbling in 2024, let's hope he realises he has something to prove and comes into the year with renewed focus. The ga,e (and warriors in particular) is full of 'might have beens'.

Leka, hard no at Centre for me. An instinctive dynamic runner, good on him for helping out but woefully out of water as an actual centre (positionally and passing) and I'd rather we didn't divert his progress trying to fit a square peg in a round hold. He can be a match winner in his actual position, why fuckerize with that just because we lack depth elsewhere & he looked amazing in broken play well wide of the ruck a couple of times? yes to 'wide running back rower'. Still not a centre.

 

[WAH MAN]

Dallins best spot is now in super league!

Until that happens.....as above

 

[Noitall]

Agree completely Ali needs to step it up, but for mine he is as but a prospect as Leka if he can deliver on his potential, whether that's attitude as well as injury I have no idea. Injury and form must have been a little humbling in 2024, let's hope he realises he has something to prove and comes into the year with renewed focus. The ga,e (and warriors in particular) is full of 'might have beens'.

Leka, hard no at Centre for me. An instinctive dynamic runner, good on him for helping out but woefully out of water as an actual centre (positionally and passing) and I'd rather we didn't divert his progress trying to fit a square peg in a round hold. He can be a match winner in his actual position, why fuckerize with that just because we lack depth elsewhere & he looked amazing in broken play well wide of the ruck a couple of times? yes to 'wide running back rower'. Still not a centre.

Reckon we’ll see if Leiataua is a lip dropper? When our development line starts kicking in, everyone will be watching over their shoulder

 

[Playdaball]

I listened to the Warriorholic on Martin Devlin’s Podcast and he made some interesting points around our depth .
He stated that we were short on fullbacks - only CNK and TT. You could also include DWZ and TMM - both played FB, 1st grade.
Short on wingers - only 3 players in that position -RTS, DWZ and AKP.
Short on centres - RB, AP and AL ( 2 of those are injury prone) .
All fair assumptions.
I still think we’re short on a big prop, Warriorholic thinks we’re covered with Demetric and Erin.
He also mentioned that if we had an attacking Fullback such as Ponga, we’d be a better side .
Interesting ….

 

[Cces]

I listened to the Warriorholic on Martin Devlin’s Podcast and he made some interesting points around our depth .
He stated that we were short on fullbacks - only CNK and TT. You could also include DWZ and TMM - both played FB, 1st grade.
Short on wingers - only 3 players in that position -RTS, DWZ and AKP.
Short on centres - RB, AP and AL ( 2 of those are injury prone) .
All fair assumptions.
I still think we’re short on a big prop, Warriorholic thinks we’re covered with Demetric and Erin.
He also mentioned that if we had an attacking Fullback such as Ponga, we’d be a better side .
Interesting ….

Mellars is another Wing option.
It's easy to say we lack depth when you consider everyone a specialist, like it appears he does based on your overview of what he said.
You rightly point out that TT & DWZ can cover Fullback. Tuaupiki played more NRL on the Wing in 2025, Webster has picked Pompey on the Wing before too & has picked CNK at Centre as well

 

[Noitall]

He also mentioned that if we had an attacking Fullback such as Ponga, we’d be a better side .
Interesting ….

I’d love to know who Sione Faumuina was dirty on for leaking the pictures to media when he set that event up and speculation started and Ponga was speaking to McFadden? Or CG depending on the angle?

 

[SouthernWorrier]

Reckon we’ll see if Leiataua is a lip dropper? When our development line starts kicking in, everyone will be watching over their shoulder

we should know wither way this year. I'm hoping not. Good depth means you keep pushing for that extra 1%... in fitness, strength, decision making under pressure. We haven't had that at centre. But it's coming through from the juniors if nothing else, and Ali and Berry are going to have to stay on the field. Berry, fit is 100% a first grader. Ali has shown magic glimpses but still has to earn those stripes.

The 'low grade bully, first grade bust' cycle isn't such a thing with the pathway we have now, but a strong NSW side is crucial as that's where these lads test themselves against grown men and fringe first graders. I have high hopes for Neal, but let's assess over 10 x NSW games before we get too excited.

The 'space' created by Penrith's raid will be useful for this but I suspect they'll miss Going's leadership on and off the field.

 

[Noitall]

we should know wither way this year. I'm hoping not. Good depth means you keep pushing for that extra 1%... in fitness, strength, decision making under pressure. We haven't had that at centre. But it's coming through from the juniors if nothing else, and Ali and Berry are going to have to stay on the field. Berry, fit is 100% a first grader. Ali has shown magic glimpses but still has to earn those stripes.

The 'low grade bully, first grade bust' cycle isn't such a thing with the pathway we have now, but a strong NSW side is crucial as that's where these lads test themselves against grown men and fringe first graders. I have high hopes for Neal, but let's assess over 10 x NSW games before we get too excited.

The 'space' created by Penrith's raid will be useful for this but I suspect they'll miss Going's leadership on and off the field.

I reckon Berry is an injury away from his Warriors career over, which would be devastating because he is nrl quality but the games he’s managed since debut is too few. Leiataua I thought was interesting how they shifted him from right centre to left before he made his way out of first grade. Pompey’s biggest asset is his ability to stay healthy, to which I haven’t just cursed him. I believe he’s our best centre at setting his winger up with Berry following and both our best defensive centres