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

 

[MrFrankWhite]

It’s called being a professional player.

Says every sports club to their star player since the dawn of time.

 

[defensivebomb]

I’d think both the club and the player want clarity.

Metcalf - “Will I be the #7?”
Club - “Will you consistently be available and be the best?”

It would be great if he came back and played like he did at the start of last year. But it’s a fairly small sample size

Early days. Let’s just see some good minutes before getting ahead of ourselves. He must have a good manager as they’ve squeezed a few good contracts thus far on potential

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

It would be great if he came back and played like he did at the start of last year. But it’s a fairly small sample size

At this point I'll take him playing a near full season, without requiring massive rehab after.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Welcome Nathan Cleary

 

[Canonball]

Interesting. I really dont want this dragging out much longer, they should make a call ASAP.

The only call we have to make is whether we re-sign Boyd - I really can't see Chanel leaving despite reports he's talked to the Cowboys - plus he's much more flexible in both playing position and (it seems from the outside) general attitude. If Boyd is re-signed then it can only be for the 7, which then puts him directly in competition for that 'long term' spot in first grade with Metcalf.

I think it's completely fine for Metcalf via his management to seek clarity on his path back to the 7 jumper with us ... particularly because that is what he was signed as (if we're getting technical, from the end of this year.. i.e. his current playing contract is not the $900,000 k halfback for this year, it's his existing agreement which was aspirational ... and that has to be the club's position : we'll give you a shot at some point, somehow ... if that's through cup, then luke has to be fine with that too, if only for this year)

I haven't said much about this either @snake77 ... mainly because any opinion i have is entirely contingent on the players' performance and the time it will take for them to deliver at their peak ... I am maybe a little against the main grain of heralding Boyd as the man ... he's playing fine, don't get me wrong, I just don't have the faith that he'll prove a consistently elevated player... he got the jump on the comp at the start of the year I think entirely because of the time in the game in our systems that he had prior ... which was all of last year in cup, with the bonus of being given a reality check in first grade in the latter half... he was then able to work to that over pre-season and delivered up a level... great work, commendable... but as the season progresses I'm not going to be surprised if he plateaus (i think this may already be seen happening in the last 3 games) or even dips in form.

Can Luke track his own path back towards the 1st grade 7, perhaps even waiting on it until next year? IDK

They're like two opposed value propositions - ones' on a slow burn, and gives us stability with a higher floor - the other has to show he's still got the game breaking ability and offer us a potentially higher ceiling

 

[WAH MAN]

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?

Until there is an announcement I just see it as media needing to fulfil their KPI's

 

[WAH MAN]

Welcome Nathan Cleary

Ok that makes it all better

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

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

I don’t think reserve grade form would matter too much, like Boyd and TMM were braining it in cup last year but they were never really in line for selection until the incumbents got injured. Ironically they would trot out a strapped up metcalf last year, rather than rest him for Boyd - how the turntables.

He should play it cos it’s better than sitting unused every week but there’s only so much he could do down there.

Also the warriors should agree to nothing this year, we may well need all three of them. Off-season can revisit it if Boyd and CHT are re-signed

 

[timburgesstheonlyoneiknow]

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.

If it is true and they are seeking clarity of his future. It is poor form, and should be told fair enough he can leave the club. No one is bigger then the club.

 

[Muddogz]

I wouldn’t read too much into it, more Metcalfs management checking in and asking where he’s at given the club would have had to pitch their vision to him to get him to resign late last year. As they should.

Boyd and CHTs good form has muddied the water somewhat and he’s sitting on the interchange bench. On the flip side he’s also getting paid close to a million a year from next season on. I think it will be a wait and see for a while. I think Metcalfs got a good attitude but given his form prior to injury I think it’s understandable for him to want to play 1st grade.

Three into two is not going to work, we’ll have to see which one leaves.

 

[Makasene]

If it is true and they are seeking clarity of his future. It is poor form, and should be told fair enough he can leave the club. No one is bigger then the club.

It's not poor form.

It's called professionalism.

 

[Blain]

I dunno, his management are trying to earn their $$ potentially by backing their guy and getting some comms with the club about where he's going to play. Webster said in the press conference Saturday night that Boyd and CHT have earnt their jerseys, perhaps that struck a nerve for Luke Met and his management. To react so fast seems a bit much, considering we're 2nd, Metcalf struggling to keep fit and looking really poor in his 2 matches so far. I think it could be a media blow up, well I hope it is. He doesn't seem like that sort of guy.

I'd understand if he was off the bench all season, and him asking to look at other options during the off season.

Spencer Leinu, no thanks. Think that's a classic "Warriors losing 2 forwards, surely they'll go after him" but not actually understanding we are stacked with juniors.

 

[1995warriorsfan]

@Fonzie i would be interested on your thoughts re Metcalf based on this media post. I heard your podcast with Will and Sam. What would you do now ?

 

[KPWarrior]

Could be starting to look like Boyd and Luai at the Chiefs.

 

[Makasene]

I think Metcalf and management have shown great respect to the club and team to do this now, on a bye week. No distraction for the game, no press conferences for bottom feeder journos to get a soundbite they can use out of context.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

For what it’s worth..

 

[Brightman]

Storm in a teacup. When does LM's new contract kick in, surely not after his management suggests compassionate grounds for a release?
Beginning to sound like a Volkman 2.0 fiasco.
I wouldn't trust that fat Aussie shit stirrer as far I could throw him..

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

I think Metcalf and management have shown great respect to the club and team to do this now, on a bye week. No distraction for the game, no press conferences for bottom feeder journos to get a soundbite they can use out of context.

It's a valid question.

One that needs answering sooner, rather than later.

Plus, we all knew this was going to happen, right?

 

[Dannevegas]

If we want to win a premiership let’s say in the next 3 years, we need Metcalf.

But I reckon he’s gone, unless he’s in the 7 jersey in the next 8 rounds. I don’t see Boyd going to another level, I think we’ve seen his peak early in the year.

 

[WAH MAN]

For what it’s worth..

View attachment 17232

It's got to be measured on way too many variables to be straight comparisons in my opinion