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

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I would take NAS if we released Marata

 

[SouthernWorrier]

I would take NAS if we released Marata

nah, not me. I though Marata did ok this year. Not awesome, but far better than 24 now we're not trying to convert him into a prop.
I remember Nas tearing us apart and I'd love that guy on our team. But fitness+attitude wise we'd have to see evidence he could still be that guy and could adapt his style to stay on the field. can't see it.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

nah, not me. I though Marata did ok this year. Not awesome, but far better than 24 now we're not trying to convert him into a prop.
I remember Nas tearing us apart and I'd love that guy on our team. But fitness+attitude wise we'd have to see evidence he could still be that guy and could adapt his style to stay on the field. can't see it.

While I concur, Marata is on NAS money and blocking Leka and Laban. Plus we still don’t have a wrecking ball

 

[SouthernWorrier]

While I concur, Marata is on NAS money and blocking Leka and Laban. Plus we still don’t have a wrecking ball

I feel you Frank - but for me NAS isnt that guy and $$ aside I feel we're better served by Marata despite the stick he gets on here.

 

[Completion Rate]

Just a thought: We were most deadly this year running off an offload.

NAS got them in him.

 

[Noitall]

Just a thought: We were most deadly this year running off an offload.

NAS got them in him.

Vaimauga has one too. They could come on and create chaos

 

[SouthernWorrier]

Vaimauga has one too. They could come on and create chaos

agree, and seems like a smart bloke who manages the risk well: Any idea why he dialled back on them? Definitely dried up the last few games which was baffling because they were so effective at breaking up opposition defences

 

[Noitall]

agree, and seems like a smart bloke who manages the risk well: Any idea why he dialled back on them? Definitely dried up the last few games which was baffling because they were so effective at breaking up opposition defences

Watching him on SJ’s show he mentioned that he’s been given a licence and mentioned Agar a bit for memory? I’m not sure why it became scarce, perhaps they were just wanting to play as risk free as possible? This is why I’ve been going on about NAS, because not only do I think he’d bring impact if it worked out, but I could see this guy going to another level feeding off it. I’ve met someone on a site who went to school with him and said he’s an angry guy. Always seems to be laughing around in videos so seems to be able to channel it in the right areas, and learned quickly after that weak shove on Cleary that got him a sin bin. I think he’s going to be our enforcer in years to come

 

[Bluecat]

I would love NAS for a season. Maybe even two
But maybe pay him for the minutes he plays rather than per season? I don't want another Matt Lodge or Kane Evans that spends nearly as much time suspended as they do playing.
If NAS keeps getting in trouble with the judiciary as a Storm player imagine how much more time he'll get out of the game doing the same stuff as a Warrior

 

[Wrighty]

The only justification I can see plausible for NAS. as I agree with Bluecat's concerns about the judiciary, is if early doors recovery profile elements to Barnett's knee look shaky and we are bringing in NAS as extra middle depth in case Barnett never recovers.

If Barnett is forecasted to recover then we don't need or want someone who will only play 12 games per year and was suspended for the last two GFs.

Middles Depth 2026 without NAS

1 JFH
2 Barnett
3 Vaimauga
4 Ford
5 TSS
6 EIT
Laban and Niukore can also play in the middle

 

[Noitall]

The only justification I can see plausible for NAS. as I agree with Bluecat's concerns about the judiciary, is if early doors recovery profile elements to Barnett's knee look shaky and we are bringing in NAS as extra middle depth in case Barnett never recovers.

If Barnett is forecasted to recover then we don't need or want someone who will only play 12 games per year and was suspended for the last two GFs.

Middles Depth 2026 without NAS

1 JFH
2 Barnett
3 Vaimauga
4 Ford
5 TSS
6 EIT
Laban and Niukore can also play in the middle

It doesn’t change for me that even with our strongest pack at times this season we were beaten like raiders and storm as initial examples. I think recent interest in Moale confirms the club thinks we need more too. I look at recent middle forward targets too that have been confirmed before Moale was mentioned and Seyfarth and Hazelton were apparent targets and to me it seemed we were after some height?

 

[Warriorsfan92]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid021AARpyT3RZYreJnCtnXZDp4KUAFMePBQ27UhNj4CiGc6Jkmwb3vdYFAaJQ6XAPXcl&id=100063526211815

Good get this guy for our pathways. Crusaders, mako & nz schools first five.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Middles Depth 2026 without NAS

1 JFH
2 Barnett
3 Vaimauga
4 Ford
5 TSS
6 EIT
Laban and Niukore can also play in the middle

Wrighty that's a pretty worrying list imo, I think you've actually kinda proved the point about how bad we need NAS.

Losing Bunty, Ale, and Jazz and Walker in the last 12 months means that we are seriously depleted in our prop stocks.

Yes, there's a few make shift options in Niukore, Laban, or even Clark but yeah, let's look at that list a bit closer:

1. JFH - loads of complaints about his output on the field this year. Smaller forward.
2. Barney - season ending injury. Anyone's guess how long it takes him to his his straps nek year. Likely won't be available until season starts.
3. Ford - loads of complaints re: his hands and discipline. Small forward
4. Vaimauga - great young gun. Has played just over 1 full season NRL.
5. TSS - Small forward, only 12 games into his career. Hard to rely on a newbie like him.
6. EIT - not even a prop. Only 5 games in to his career.

You can't start the year with only 5 fit props, 3 who have a combined total of about 45 games between them. We'd get rolled.

Looking at that actually has me worried. If we don't sign NAS or another prop I think we might need to have someone like Marata or Clark train the whole preseason as a prop because we are dangerously low on experienced props

 

[Noitall]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid021AARpyT3RZYreJnCtnXZDp4KUAFMePBQ27UhNj4CiGc6Jkmwb3vdYFAaJQ6XAPXcl&id=100063526211815

Good get this guy for our pathways. Crusaders, mako & nz schools first five.

Can’t access it. Is it Harry Inch?

 

[Hitro]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid021AARpyT3RZYreJnCtnXZDp4KUAFMePBQ27UhNj4CiGc6Jkmwb3vdYFAaJQ6XAPXcl&id=100063526211815

Good get this guy for our pathways. Crusaders, mako & nz schools first five.

Massive get. Top ranked schoolboy last year. Great result

 

[Canadian_Warriors_Fan]

Can’t access it. Is it Harry Inch?

yep

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Yeah he’ll be a big running 6, could even play lock. Hes a big unit, plays 10/12 and has ball skills. Probably one of the better talent IDs I’ve seen to be honest, great work

 

[Chchfanatic]

They tried hard to get him last year. Great signing. Really good kid as well.

 

[Noitall]

Yeah he’ll be a big running 6, could even play lock. Hes a big unit, plays 10/12 and has ball skills. Probably one of the better talent IDs I’ve seen to be honest, great work

Would he make a good centre? Got a lovely pass

 

[Chchfanatic]

Yeah he’ll be a big running 6, could even play lock. Hes a big unit, plays 10/12 and has ball skills. Probably one of the better talent IDs I’ve seen to be honest, great work

He’s not too big. I think he’ll be a fullback or 6.