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: 20/30
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

 

[SouthernWorrier]

By all reports the Warriors offer is very good and it's not about the money so that leaves only one option.

...'very good' can be relative. $850k for a player averaging 11 games/season over 5-6 years is a very good offer. But $1.3M for Dylan Brown moved the dial and offers will be based on a 'rose coloured glasses' assumption that he plays full seasons. If he wants to stay but can use external interest/offers on the table to bump his offer up by another $100K or extend from 2y to 3y who could blame him. He won't die wondering...

 

[Five&Last]

There is a lot of cope in here, I hope I am wrong but I would say Metcalf is as good as gone.

There are only two reasons he would go to market.

He wants to leave or he is using it as leverage to get more money out of the Warriors.

By all reports the Warriors offer is very good and it's not about the money so that leaves only one option.

Thats because it is about money.

Any player in his situation would go to market and find out his value. Doesn’t mean he’s gone.

 

[Five&Last]

my understanding is that players can talk to other clubs anytime. They can't sign anything until the November 1st date and they can't be coerced in to breaking their contract with their current club either

That’s is definitely not allowed.

You can’t talk to any teams until you can formally receive offers, otherwise it’s tampering

Metcalf said it in an interview earlier in the year. He was asked if he had been in discussions with other clubs and he responded no that’s not allowed

 

[skinnydippng]

I think CHT kinda ruined himself the last time he hit the market by sitting out a season. When the Warriors didn’t want to sign him. Others clubs maybe scared of because of that.

if i remember correctly, think warriors did offer him a 2 year extension which he declined

 

[MrFrankWhite]

That’s is definitely not allowed.

You can’t talk to any teams until you can formally receive offers, otherwise it’s tampering

Metcalf said it in an interview earlier in the year. He was asked if he had been in discussions with other clubs and he responded no that’s not allowed

What exactly constitutes “discussions” though? That sounds vague asf. What if your manager has a coffee with his friend who manages the head coach?

 

[JaggedJ]

Agents exist so players don't have to get involved and 100% agents will have the land surveyed and have a general idea on options before Nov 1st.

 

[Noitall]

if i remember correctly, think warriors did offer him a 2 year extension which he declined

Was that during the season?

 

[Noitall]

What exactly constitutes “discussions” though? That sounds vague asf. What if your manager has a coffee with his friend who manages the head coach?

Why Peter O Sullivan has such a reputation and almost got himself in hot water again when he pursued Dylan Brown when here. They find ways to make it known what’s offered in all sorts of ways. Often see rumours such manager spotted having a coffee with such coach and it would naive to think it doesn’t come up in conversation. It’s because the market is so fluid with contracts easily broken by club or player, they just abide by dates such as mid year transfers and November 1 movement

 

[Noitall]

If Pezet is going to the Broncos we should look at Coby Black

SEVEN potential landing spots for Coby Black

He is now set to become a hot commodity on November 1.

www.zerotackle.com

Zero tackle got us at number 3 of a possible 7 landing spots for Coby Black

 

[Tookey 2.0]

The way I see it, Metcalf is the best option we have available to us for 2027 and 2028 as our younger guys won't be ready, or be in their first year or so in FG.

Who really cares if we pay him 1 or even 1.1 mill when he's probably worth 850-900k? Overspending 200k in a key position isn't going to ruin our club. If that's the sticking point, shit up and pay him imo.

What if he gets injured and that money is wasted? Unfortunately Metcalf is literally our only option for a marquee half, if we don't sign him we're stuck with TMM/Boyd/CHT, which probably results in us not getting anywhere near the big dance. We'd have a tonne of cap tho, in case someone became available

We always seem to have money available as we find it hard to recruit the big names, so having 200k more spent on Metcalf doesn't really worry me, especially as at the end of 2026 we likely free up Marata's huge contract, Roger's inflated salary, TMM and a few others. Well have cash available IF there's a big name keen to come to NZ.

At the end of the day, I think it's up to Metcalf what he wants to do - make a mil here and be in the hunt for a premiership over the next 3 years, or earn a mill in Australia with a team in a worse position than us, but be closer to family.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

SEVEN potential landing spots for Coby Black

He is now set to become a hot commodity on November 1.

www.zerotackle.com

Zero tackle got us at number 3 of a possible 7 landing spots for Coby Black

Is this guy any more promising than our current crop of Cleary, Linnane and Inch?

 

[Falcon]

I think Metcalf is testing the market for 3 year options.

 

[Noitall]

The way I see it, Metcalf is the best option we have available to us for 2027 and 2028 as our younger guys won't be ready, or be in their first year or so in FG.

Who really cares if we pay him 1 or even 1.1 mill when he's probably worth 850-900k? Overspending 200k in a key position isn't going to ruin our club. If that's the sticking point, shit up and pay him imo.

What if he gets injured and that money is wasted? Unfortunately Metcalf is literally our only option for a marquee half, if we don't sign him we're stuck with TMM/Boyd/CHT, which probably results in us not getting anywhere near the big dance. We'd have a tonne of cap tho, in case someone became available

We always seem to have money available as we find it hard to recruit the big names, so having 200k more spent on Metcalf doesn't really worry me, especially as at the end of 2026 we likely free up Marata's huge contract, Roger's inflated salary, TMM and a few others. Well have cash available IF there's a big name keen to come to NZ.

At the end of the day, I think it's up to Metcalf what he wants to do - make a mil here and be in the hunt for a premiership over the next 3 years, or earn a mill in Australia with a team in a worse position than us, but be closer to family.

I know we’ve tried CHT at 7 in the past but it hasn’t worked, but do you think he’s at a stage of his career he could handle it better with the right five eighth with him? He was young before and largely thrown in because of SJ’s departure and his boot has actually come along well, plenty of try assists too

 

[Noitall]

I think Metcalf is testing the market for 3 year options.

3 years beyond 2026?

 

[Noitall]

Is this guy any more promising than our current crop of Cleary, Linnane and Inch?

I really don’t know? Broncos obviously not sold to get a young Pezet with Mam having five eighth locked up?

 

[maddog]

I know we’ve tried CHT at 7 in the past but it hasn’t worked, but do you think he’s at a stage of his career he could handle it better with the right five eighth with him? He was young before and largely thrown in because of SJ’s departure and his boot has actually come along well, plenty of try assists too

Absolutely not

 

[Five&Last]

The way I see it, Metcalf is the best option we have available to us for 2027 and 2028 as our younger guys won't be ready, or be in their first year or so in FG.

Who really cares if we pay him 1 or even 1.1 mill when he's probably worth 850-900k? Overspending 200k in a key position isn't going to ruin our club. If that's the sticking point, shit up and pay him imo.

What if he gets injured and that money is wasted? Unfortunately Metcalf is literally our only option for a marquee half, if we don't sign him we're stuck with TMM/Boyd/CHT, which probably results in us not getting anywhere near the big dance. We'd have a tonne of cap tho, in case someone became available

We always seem to have money available as we find it hard to recruit the big names, so having 200k more spent on Metcalf doesn't really worry me, especially as at the end of 2026 we likely free up Marata's huge contract, Roger's inflated salary, TMM and a few others. Well have cash available IF there's a big name keen to come to NZ.

At the end of the day, I think it's up to Metcalf what he wants to do - make a mil here and be in the hunt for a premiership over the next 3 years, or earn a mill in Australia with a team in a worse position than us, but be closer to family.

The other thing is we will soon have a lot of young pathways players on minimum salary top 30 contracts replacing journeyman Australians on probably circa 200-300k like Jackson Ford etc. That will free up some coin.

 

[Five&Last]

What exactly constitutes “discussions” though? That sounds vague asf. What if your manager has a coffee with his friend who manages the head coach?

Didn't say it doesn't happen, was just correcting the post saying it was allowed

 

[Defence]

...'very good' can be relative. $850k for a player averaging 11 games/season over 5-6 years is a very good offer. But $1.3M for Dylan Brown moved the dial and offers will be based on a 'rose coloured glasses' assumption that he plays full seasons. If he wants to stay but can use external interest/offers on the table to bump his offer up by another $100K or extend from 2y to 3y who could blame him. He won't die wondering...

The way i had it put to me was- if they're willing to pay that to jfh.....

 

[Defence]

I know we’ve tried CHT at 7 in the past but it hasn’t worked, but do you think he’s at a stage of his career he could handle it better with the right five eighth with him? He was young before and largely thrown in because of SJ’s departure and his boot has actually come along well, plenty of try assists too

I think 9 is his best spot tbh.