Recruitment Warriors 2026/2027 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2026/2027 Recruitment and Retention Discussion​

Player	2026​	2027​	2028​	2029​	2030​
Grant Anderson	-​	✔​	✔​	✔​
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	✔​	✔​	✔​
William Warbrick	-​	✔​	✔​	✔​
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔​	M​
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: 22/30
2027 Supplementary: 0/6

2027 Gains: Grant Anderson (Brisbane Broncos), William Warbrick (Melbourne Storm)
2027 Losses: Mitchell Barnett (Brisbane Broncos), Marata Niukore (Newcastle Knights), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Wakefield Trinity)

Off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2027: Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Te Maire Martin
Will be off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2028 from November 1st, 2026: 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

 

[Inruin]

Thank you for the clarification.....but you would not want to re-sign him on a one year deal?

Depends on the money. I'd sign him for another year, which I think the Warriors are looking at but not on his current money which is why I guess he is exploring other options to maximize his final payday.

 

[ShaunJohnson7]

Depends on the money. I'd sign him for another year, which I think the Warriors are looking at but not on his current money which is why I guess he is exploring other options to maximize his final payday.

Absolutely, we need to find the middle ground for a still excellent player but something that works for us cap wise.

 

[Buzz Killington]

The article I posted showed his baby was born in October 2019 & the Warriors relocated in May 2020. It was a shit situation, & I ain't going to judge his decision, but the math of him missing the first year of his sons life is an exaggeration

I don't want to argue with anyone. Both points are valid and corona was awful. Roger left. I would have left too. I would keep Roger if its possible. He is playing well and young players look up to him.

• 2020 Season: Tuivasa-Sheck was famously the only New Zealand Warriors player who did not have his family join him in the team's biosecurity bubble in Australia. He spent over 150 days away from his partner and two young children, watching milestones like his son crawling for the first time via video call.
• 2021 Season Plans: At the start of 2021, he initially planned for his family to join him in Australia around February to make the relocation more manageable.
• Early Exit: However, due to the unpredictable nature of the trans-Tasman travel bubble and further COVID-19 outbreaks, he ultimately chose to leave the NRL and the Warriors early in July 2021. He returned to New Zealand to be with his family before the border closed completely, which also allowed him to begin his transition to rugby union with the Auckland Blues.

 

[watcher]

Yeah Tanah was going to pass to Ali, but he saw that he couldn't be arsed so he went himself, Ali was left in the dust of two forwards.

Pretty clear Ali is our natural selection Darwin candidate....how many rounds till the axe comes down and he is weeded out of our spotless dna?

Easily solved, CNK to Centre, where you know he will defend well and chase kicks like a huntaway dog. TT to FB.

As to the Halves, Boyd is steering the team well. I know he can do it, but would Metcalf taking Boyds place be disruptive?

 

[ShaunJohnson7]

Easily solved, CNK to Centre, where you know he will defend well and chase kicks like a huntaway dog. TT to FB.

As to the Halves, Boyd is steering the team well. I know he can do it, but would Metcalf taking Boyds place be disruptive?

Agree with CNK to centre.

With Metcalf are you suggesting we drop Boys in that instance?

 

[MrFrankWhite]

But he's still really good? And one of the most professional athletes you see.. ..plus supremely talented.....those guys always last longer. Billy Slater being a great example as an outside back.

Theres a thing all opportunity cost. Squeezing 1 more year out of RTS (at a high price too) might cost us a signing that is around for 3-4 years

 

[ShaunJohnson7]

Theres a thing all opportunity cost. Squeezing 1 more year out of RTS (at a high price too) might cost us a signing that is around for 3-4 years

That's fine, if that opportunity arises then no worries, if not then we re-sign on a one year deal which doesn't impact any future cap space for us

 

[MrFrankWhite]

That's fine, if that opportunity arises then no worries, if not then we re-sign on a one year deal which doesn't impact any future cap space for us

ahh Warbrick, Grant Anderson, promoting a junior...

 

[Sammyw]

Take it with a grain of salt but someone I know who’s extremely tied in with Perth Bears planning said they stopped pursuing Marata because he wanted to remain in NZ, family first for him. Obviously this doesn’t mean he won’t decide to sign with Newcastle if the dollars are right

 

[ShaunJohnson7]

ahh Warbrick, Grant Anderson, promoting a junior...

You are talking about an all time great here who's still playing well. I know you don't like the older players much but if he maintains this form, hopefully the sensible decision is made.....that's if he even wants it

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I know you don't like the older players much

You get me wrong, I hate seeing them play a year longer than they should.

 

[ShaunJohnson7]

You get me wrong, I hate seeing them play a year longer than they should.

What is suggesting to you that's the case with RTS?

 

[Makasene]

I agree, we need to lock him in ASAP. I said in the preseason we’d end up needing all of Barney’s money to re-sign him, and he’s been absolutely outstanding. Either way, we should be in a strong salary cap position by the end of the season to give him his payday.

He can't be approached until Nov but you would have to assume that if his trajectory continues, there will be clubs throwing chips for 2028.

I don't think there is any possibility we can match what he would be offered.

One thing we have in our favor that the clubs who will now offer Boyd a million dollar contract don't have, is that Boyd knows he struggled outside of the Warriors environment, and that this club helped him find his power.

That is worth a lot for someone that struggled through the type of failure that Boyd has experienced his whole career.

We also have the future best forward pack in the NRL coming online for the next several seasons. A very attractive prospect for a halfback.

Certainly aside from geography the Warriors have a lot to offer Boyd.

And Boyd knows that the Warriors were careful in how they approached Metcalf's sudden market value sky rocketing, we were patient, we let Metcalf stay on less that he was 'worth' to us and basically in the end gave him what he wanted without paying more than we wanted to part with.

And in Metcalfs case, we ignored the media rumblings, the approaches of the big boys in Sydney, Webster was very cool on the subject of Metcalf when pressed before the big contract.

I expect the club will tie up Boyd if Boyd is in a personal situation to stay on in NZ longer term.

Boyd is 25, peak for a halfback starts there, and in the modern game it extends into the 30s for long kickers and distributors.

Metcalf is 27, on shakey legs, and still learning to do what Tanah Boyd can already excel at (core seven skills, especially kicking).

It is a no brainer for this club to sign Boyd, and I assume we will have the cap space to do so at a rate that Boyd would consider fair (you are going to have to pay 900k ish for Boyd assuming he goes on this season healthy- Marata and Barney money no worries).

I like the sentiment.

But you best believe I'm going to take a chance on myself for a multi-year milly contract

 

[sup42]

He's a contract guy...tonight was the best I've seen him since he signed even though he's the oldest he's ever been....he was outstanding. You take that guy but as we know, you sign him long term, you probably don't get that. That's fine, we get that guy this season

Reminds me a lot of so many players.

I was reading the Leeds Rhinos postmatch thread last year when Sam Lisone carved up big time like a prime NRL enforcer......the sentiment from their fans was 'We don't need him, it's contract year, he is just another one that continually plays for contracts then slacks off'

I kinda had a Ptsd flash back reading that, felt deep sorrow for Stephen Kearney who was the first coach to really push the Warriors playing group to new standards in fitness, discipline, and defensive quality.

Hopefully one day if Kearney ever returns to these Shores the Warriors use his undoubted strengths in assistant coaching and many years of understanding the Storms methodology.

He would make a fantastic support role guy to our young under coaches, he could teach them a lot about the off field aspects of the game.

 

[watcher]

Agree with CNK to centre.

With Metcalf are you suggesting we drop Boys in that instance?

What I am saying is that unless Boyd drops off a cliff form wise or injury, it may be counter productive to the team to have someone else at 7. I have no doubt Metcalf can do it though.

 

[Brightman]

I kinda had a Ptsd flash back reading that, felt deep sorrow for Stephen Kearney who was the first coach to really push the Warriors playing group to new standards in fitness, discipline, and defensive quality.

I can appreciate this, even Webster has referenced this..

 

[Makasene]

David Riccio broke the Warbrick signing news, he's spoken again yesterday.

Reiterated Warbrick is done, also said he expects Grant Anderson to be part of the Barny deal.

They are working on a deal for next year first. Once sorted, enquiries will be made about a possible immediate transfer. No word if that means Barny goes the other way immediately.
- I cannot see the Broncs letting him go this year without getting Barny.
- I don't think we need Anderson this year if it meant losing Barny.

I totally support what the club is doing, they are (presumably) moving on DWZ & RTS.

RTS situation was that we are open to matching.

DWZ situation is quiet. He is here next year but have to think the club will also formally suggest he goes to market and probably released next year - unless he wants to play cup his final year; which I would support.

I'm excited that there is obvious direction to outside backs now, forward pack stacked, spend where you need it.

 

[tajhay]

Yeah expect Grant Anderson to sign up for the Warriors. Both Barnett and Anderson managed by same agent - Gavin Orr.

Whilst not thrilled with the signing, if it means he replaces the "depth" we lost with Kosi, MGT, Harper, im all for it. And who knows, our upcoming youngsters may need to see that there is another hardworking challenger for these positions...

 

[rugged]

this next contract will be Roger’s last NRL one you would think - he will be trying to maximise term and dollars.

Happy to keep him but wouldn’t pay overs to do so.

 

[Horriors2013]

You are talking about an all time great here who's still playing well. I know you don't like the older players much but if he maintains this form, hopefully the sensible decision is made.....that's if he even wants it

If he wants it I'd keep both wingers for another year. Not more unless form is compelling.