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

 

[Blain]

Lastly, im suprised people are confident in retaining CHT. His brother is playing in Aussie, his parents live there too?

I think he will go....

Good point, I thought about this yesterday. Believe they are in QLD, I don't think Mam or Nikorima are moving from their sides TBH. Titans would like him I'm sure, him and JC would be a good contrasting combo. But they have Ilias and Zane Harrison who is highly rated. Can't see it happening TBH. CHT would be great for the Eels next to Moses IMO, or Manly with Fogerty. He needs to be paired with a true play maker.

 

[steakncheese]

It’s pretty poor management to be fair to sign a player for 900 thousand and then to not play him and then to say he’s going to keep picking a winning combination when Luke only played 2 games not exactly an equal sample size.

Tis why I for one hated his mega deal. Never liked Mets half play too selfish too hit or miss no structure inside the 20 and his antics to our crowd to be quiet said everything about him. We are scoring more without him because the current half plays our strengths not the other way round. Let him go if he won’t pull his head in and work hard. I hope he reads the room.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I mentioned this, during the loses.

People have been quick to forget how close we were to having a W/L record like the Dragons, last year.

Do we remember the CNK milked penalty at the end of the Tigers game?

Do we remember the missed knock on from RTS that lead to the winning try in the Dolphins game?

I remember.

We've won far more cohesively this year, but all of that's on the forward pack and none of that on the guys organizing them in attack, eh?

We were also one Reece Walsh brain snap away from losing to the Broncs at home as well. Not to mention the 1 pt thriller against the lowly Dragons in Wollongong. Every win last year was a cardiac event. This year we are never being put in those positions to begin with. That alone speaks to the fact that Tanah is a 7 and Luke isn't.

Nonetheless, I don't think we should overreact and jump down Mets throat as it is his manager talking, not him. He will have his chance to prove himself and just needs to be patient. I'm sure Webby is telling him exactly this behind closed doors. No doubt the whole situation is frustrating for him as last year was for Tanah. But he just has to wait for his chance. Nothing good will come out of him demanding a release for either the club or him.

 

[WAH MAN]

Not really the team first mentality we're after is it.
He's on $900k plus - With the team performing & two dud performances from him - bide his time & do a Tannah and prove yourself with the grind. Disrupting the playing group with media chatter is yuck.

If I hear it from Luke or his manager I will put more credence in it. Right now it's gossip that might be right.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

That alone speaks to the fact that Tanah is a 7 and Luke isn't.

I don't quite agree with this. But you do you.

Nonetheless, I don't think we should overreact and jump down Mets throat as it is his manager talking, not him.

For sure we shouldn't.

We actually have no idea what's going on. How could we?

Even if his manager leaked this, don't forget that the club were the ones that indicated that he'd be the long term 7, hence the extension and development under SJ.

Basically we're suffering from an embarrassment of riches. Our lobster is too buttery. Our chocolate too sweet.

Let's hope we aren't left alone, throwing up in the toilet.

 

[CWC]

Btw sometimes when you're injured you have too much time overthinking stuff too

 

[WAH MAN]

It’s pretty poor management to be fair to sign a player for 900 thousand and then to not play him and then to say he’s going to keep picking a winning combination when Luke only played 2 games not exactly an equal sample size.

Fair call. But the winning of games by the club is THE big picture. Getting there is a complex pathway every year.

 

[Warriors55]

This was always going to happen. I remember getting shot down for saying that a while back.

Metcalf wants to play 7, so does Tanah. We have Jett coming through as well at 7 along with other young halfs.

If Metcalf at 6 won't work, Tanah or Met has to leave.

I for one would still like to see if Metcalf can make 6 work but it doesn't seem like he wants that. We obviously told him before he re-signed that he is the main man to lead us to glory and had the club's full support. Then Tanah comes along and kills it and now what.....

Will be interesting to see what happens.

Also if Tanah and Met do somehow work as a combo long-term say goodbye to Jett Cleary.

 

[WAH MAN]

This was always going to happen. I remember getting shot down for saying that a while back.

Metcalf wants to play 7, so does Tanah. We have Jett coming through as well at 7 along with other young halfs.

If Metcalf at 6 won't work, Tanah or Met has to leave.

I for one would still like to see if Metcalf can make 6 work but it doesn't seem like he wants that. We obviously told him before he re-signed that he is the main man to lead us to glory and had the club's full support. Then Tanah comes along and kills it and now what.....

Will be interesting to see what happens.

Also if Tanah and Met do somehow work as a combo long-term say goodbye to Jett Cleary.

Yeah it's a fine line between I'll play prop if coach needs me to and I'm a halfback and demand to be THE halfback.

 

[Beastmode]

I always thought women were such gossip mongers until I started reading this thread….. unless you’re all women…

 

[WAH MAN]

I would have preferred a signing announcement to this topic for a bye round.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

People talking like we've already signed boyd and cht for more than this year. Would be really funny if we make Metcalf walk before signing anything and end up with jett and Jack Thompson as our 7 and 6 for next year (as hanson is also off contact I think).

You're counting your chickens before the hatch...

Do you really think the club would let this scenario happen? They've got it under control.

 

[CWC]

I always thought women were such gossip mongers until I started reading this thread….. unless you’re all women…

Would you like a street brawl tonight, Team Mets vs Team Boyd vs Team CHT?

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Would you like a street brawl tonight, Team Mets vs Team Boyd vs Team CHT?

 

[sydneywarrior92]

For sure we shouldn't.

We actually have no idea what's going on. How could we?

Even if his manager leaked this, don't forget that the club were the ones that indicated that he'd be the long term 7, hence the extension and development under SJ.

Basically we're suffering from an embarrassment of riches. Our lobster is too buttery. Our chocolate too sweet.

Let's hope we aren't left alone, throwing up in the toilet.

Just like we don't know if CHT actually met with the cows or not. I really have issues trusting Aussie sources about warriors related issues.

But let's say it is true. We don't want this to turn into the Galvin vs Sexton issue last year that started slow but clearly has engulfed the dogs into deep internal divisions that is sabotaging their premiership window. It's imperative to make a decision quickly and to the satisfaction of the entire playing group. Personally, this issue is secondary to re-signing CHT. Conditional on signing CHT, either Boyd or Mets can work at 7. That's really the takeaway from the last 2 years.

 

[skinnydippng]

At least CHT to cows may be off the table now as Clifford has accepted his extension

 

[sydneywarrior92]

For me, re-signing CHT has to be the priority. Get that sorted and I think everyone on here could live with whatever decision webby makes regarding Boyd vs Metcalf.

 

[Hitro]

Webby's midas touch with players is really starting to cause issues - who would've picked we'd have a logjam of good halfs three years ago. i think webby's the problem here, he's too good.

 

[tyrael]

Hard being Webby right now. Sounds like Metcalf throwing his toys.

Get rid of Boyd now and you'll have a Bulldogs situation. Wait too long and Metcalf will request on compassionate grounds.

 

[rugged]

I can understand that Metcalf is disappointed as he had been signed to be our long term 7. I do think he needs to remember Webby gave him first chance by putting him straight back into first grade (albeit at 6) and that he struggled in both games, we lost and he got injured.

I know everyone is thinking about our premiership window and concerned with our chances of winning a comp in the next few years. I think we have a chance this year, with the like of Barnett, RTS, DWZ and Capewell all here and in form this season might be our best shot. Of course we need to keep an eye to the future and be building towards that, but this year feels different and we should be pushing towards it.

We are going to be in a much stronger position t this year if Metcalf remains in the squad with a good attitude. I hope if he is released that he can see out this season well and contribute along the way so that 2026 is our year!