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​
Luke Hanson	S​
Motu Pasikala	S​	U​
Caelys-Paul Putoko	S​
Jason Salalilo	S​	U​	U​
Makaia Taufa	S​	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: 6/6

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

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Oh man! I hope this doesn't get ugly and derail anything that has been built already.

 

[sup42]

Is it harsh to say if this is true then he's not a team player?

Edit, I was referring to the short post not the full one just above, kinda different

Fair.

Players that only want to play in one position have gotten away with those attitudes at the Warriors historically because we have not been a successful club.

If all this talk is true I suspect the club will invite him to test the market if he is not happy.

Why do I get the feeling that if Tanah Boyd was asked to play six he would do it?

I don't really trust Aussie media pundits who say "my mail is...." especially when it comes to us.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmWqtS398HQ

He spoiled it by coming up with a ridiculous guess about what Metcalf was offered by Sydney clubs last time around. Dally M halfbacks don't walk for six fifty or seven fifty in a market that is red hot for halfbacks at the moment.

And to suggest he was signed by the Warriors for even less than that? What? did we sign him on a pay cut? he would have been on 600k before the Warriors re signed him.

 

[KPWarrior]

Okay just listened to that Metcalf section. The majority of it is Kent praising Webster for making a decision and rewarding Boyd for performing.

I was thinking it was mainly good clickbait.

I saw some of the comments here and on the video. Right at the end is the "my mail". I don't think he is a journalist. My understanding he's owns a few businesses and is mates with a few journalists and people in the game. Not sure how much mail he would have.

With our history of Australians wanting to head home early. I can understand being nervous when you read/hear these. In the NRL when these start there is often something to them. Also you get a lot of BS rumours.

It would be disappointing to have all of the speculation around him last year. He re-signs the club has shown faith in him with his injury history and then 6-12 months later he wants to leave.

I've kept quiet on all of the halves debate. What I will say is what I said to a colleague recently. Webster has typically brought guys straight back in after injury and has said they didn't lose their spot. Halfback is a bit different as it has such an impact on how the team plays. If we lost all of our games or were 50/50 before Metcalf came back he likely would have come straight in. Instead we won them all. Fair enough Boyd was rewarded.

Further to the above. If Metcalf was a 100-150 game player it would also be a different decision.

The main thing he needs is game time.

The title on the video sounded a bit click baity to me too, I thought the whole video was going to be endless speculation, the fact that it was just thrown in at the end of that segment, and he didn't go on with it when Kenty pushed him suggests there might be something out there that nobody has the big picture to yet. Also Metcalf's insistence on being the No.7. I'm probably putting 2+2 together and coming up with 5.

 

[Buzz Killington]

The Dally M leader board is not really a good measure of reality. I really don't think Metcalf was that amazing last year. Personally I feel Erin Clarke was our best most weeks.
Is there anywhere or any stat masters that can compare CHT to Metcalf last season, and CHT to Boyd this season?

 

[Dead Man Switch]

I could see Dragons and Tigers making a play for him - Warriors love compensation!!!

Loko Pasifiki Tonga would be a nice addition

 

[snake77]

Thanks for posting the aritcle @Billyspleen75. I can adjust the start of my post.
Is that post from "Clarkey's Column" something he has heard. Or seen the Kenty Blitz and 1+1=7?

It will be a shame to have him go from re-signing and wanting to deliver the club it's first premiership to querying his status here. Or potentially will want a release if he doesn't play halfback.

It is a credit to Webster that he has turned Boyd's confidence around so much that he is shown the potential he likely showed coming through the grades.

At the moment it isn't guaranteed Metcalf will play 6. Webster has already said he'll need to bide his time.

Metcalf needs game time. A week or two in NSW Cup might be a step down from where he was last year but it would help give him some minutes on the field. Get some timing. Push his case by showing he can implement a game plan. The NSW Cup side isn't going as well as last year so that side won't be as easy to guide around the field. It might pay to push a few others coming back from injury or who also need push their case around him.

TMM is already back in Cup. It might be worth adding CNK and Niukore as well. This will depend on the make up of the extended bench for the NRL side but it is something to consider.

There has been a lot of comments about coming back from an ACL you are at your best after 18 months. This year looks like it may be a struggle for him. Barnett is also finding it hard to string games together.

Get through this year should be the priority. Webster will likely work with him over the summer like last year and he did with Boyd this year.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Sounds like we sign Mets to play 7 and now we have another guy playing 7. His management (rightly) are seeking clarification as to the Warriors long term plans. His quote seems to be "happy to play 5/8 for a small time". Hardly the end of the world.

The big question is if true, who leaked it. Not sure if its in Mets best interest to head back to the open market unless he's trying to scam the Bears?

 

[BlackToko88]

I get where metcalf coming from. By all accounts he extended as our 7, but Boyd has killed it so far so cant be dropped.

I guess if he is unhappy or whatever good to have the discussion and go from there.

If he did say leave this year, do we get hit with this cap like the American sports?

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

The big question is if true, who leaked it. Not sure its in Mets best interest to head back to the market unless he's trying to scam the Bears?

It's gotta be his management, right? Always gotta be creating opportunities.

 

[Inruin]

I don't believe this Metcalf talk is true. I mean he has just been paid for a year of rehab (plus the other rehab time in previous seasons) the timing seems very off to me. Particularly considering he has had less than two games this season.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

A bit premature from Metcalfs management you reckon? ACL injury out for several months, comes back and injures a hammy. If he has been playing NSW cup for several rounds I could kind of understand it.

Sounds like they are trying to force Websters and the clubs hand which I don’t like.

Not much Webby can do with Boyd & Chanel winning games for us. Mets will have to bide his time, And if he gets a chance again then I hope he cracks it. If not? He may get in his feels start to feel homesick.

My preference is to stick with Boyd & Chanel as our no1 halves pairing. Mets came here with little fanfare. Webby made a star out of him. There's no reason why he can't do the same with Boyd & Chanel. Mets is a talent. More talented than Chanel & Boyd. But Boyd & Chanel are working as a cohesive unit. And Teamwork makes the dream work.

Be a shame to see Mets walk. It is what it is.

 

[Ryno 2.0]

It's gotta be his management, right? Always gotta be creating opportunities.

Yeah I reckon it is from their side, I thought it was weird that they talked about it on NRL360 as well, and they never talk about us that much.

 

[snake77]

If this is the issues winning brings. I can live with it.

I'll talk to you guys next year when we are winning with Metcalf and there is speculation around Boyd.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Let’s not forget the lack of communication that led to SJs departure to the Sharks.

No matter the outcome, getting in room and discussing what each party wants can’t be bad thing.

 

[Riz]

Metcalf shouldn't have a problem playing cup and showing everyone he's the best man for the job if he truly believes it.

 

[roguei]

I don't believe this Metcalf talk is true. I mean he has just been paid for a year of rehab (plus the other rehab time in previous seasons) the timing seems very off to me. Particularly considering he has had less than two games this season.

You would of thought now would be the worst time to look for a new deal if he was "gone". With two great halves on the market who clubs can 100% approach legally right now. Boyd and CHT. Rumors saying he's looking to leave before even waiting on whats happening with those two seem absurd . Like the aussies are confused at where metcalf sits in the club at the moment, and therefore put out "reports" spouting how they feel as if it's coming from metcalf's mouth. To me logically it doesn't make any sense unless boyd and/or cht have now signed long term deals.

 

[WAH MAN]

I don't really trust Aussie media pundits who say "my mail is...." especially when it comes to us.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmWqtS398HQ

Metcalf is fine I reckon. Just needs to see the bigger picture and know that even in the current state, he is vital to the plan.

Smoke.. Fire.. etc

View attachment 17228

As weird as it feels to say, I think Met leaving and signing Boyd/CHT is the best outcome

Short term at 6 is fine thanks. Once you're fit and are on the paddock just relax and understand that the team needs to win games. Not just you. I love having this bloke. I remember his words were "it was always going to be the Warriors". Contexts have developed but keep on going Luke.

 

[1995warriorsfan]

Metcalf needs to stop being a scooky.
He has signed a contract.
He will get a chance to show that he should be in the team.
Its called being a professional footy player.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

If I was a cynic, I’d say the club benefits the most from this leak, esp if they’ve signed both CHT and Boyd.

Could the Mets management if we’ve only re-signed Boyd

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

We maybe closing in on a 'fork in the road' scenario where 'what could be' will face off against 'what is'.

The doggies had this situation last year, when they thought they didn't have the xfactor to win a prem (despite being top of the table).

Let's hope we've learnt from their fuck ups.