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

 

[JaggedJ]

Was he suspended or not picked?

Suspended.

If the Storm had lost their first match in the finals this year he would have been available, but the week off cost him.

Copped a 5 week ban last year the week before the GF.

 

[cock_o]

8 James Fisher-Harris
9 Wayde Egan
10 Mitch Barnett
11 Kurt Capewell
12 Leka Halasima
13 Erin Clark

14 Sam Healey
15 Nelson Asofa-Solomona
16 Demitric Vaimauga
17 Marata Niukore

That's a prittty exciting pack if they can stay on the park.

 

[Boston Boy]

8 James Fisher-Harris
9 Wayde Egan
10 Mitch Barnett
11 Kurt Capewell
12 Leka Halasima
13 Erin Clark

14 Sam Healey
15 Nelson Asofa-Solomona
16 Demitric Vaimauga
17 Marata Niukore

That's a prittty exciting pack if they can stay on the park.

That pack right there on form could compete with any pack in the comp. They have the power, intensity and grit to outplay any forward pack.

 

[Horriors2013]

I thought it was interesting his Kiwi selection and Niukore missed out considering Stacey Jones is Kiwi coach and Warriors assistant. We don’t have that big imposing middle that the rest of the contenders have, I’d personally take the risk and bring him in provided storm pays about $200k per year of his salary for the remaining contract

Yeah. He can't ask for $800k when he's been out of FG so long + attitude issues. His agent should have taken a lowball offer from the Warriors. That was his best chance. 600-700k max, take it or leave it. I'm wondering whether it was the price or Webby worked out his heart wasn't into working hard which sealed the rejection.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

8 James Fisher-Harris
9 Wayde Egan
10 Mitch Barnett
11 Kurt Capewell
12 Leka Halasima
13 Erin Clark

14 Sam Healey
15 Nelson Asofa-Solomona
16 Demitric Vaimauga
17 Marata Niukore

That's a prittty exciting pack if they can stay on the park.

I'd swap out Nuikore for Laban

 

[Warriorsfan92]

I’d rather Laban or EIT over NAS, for 1/4 of the price. Forwards aren’t our problem fellas, it’s our backline we need strike.

Our pack competes with any pack in the comp, it’s our backline that’s not even close. If you look at the backline in the GF, Walsh, mariner, staggs, shibasaki, papi, Coates, warbrick, then extend to the halves in 300 gamers Reynolds, hunt & Munster Hughes. These backline are stacked full of international talent, experience & game breakers.

You compare that to our backline, we have 3 internationals in rts , CHT & Charnze. With RTS the only game breaker, and on the wrong side of 30. We need youth, we need game breakers. NAS just stifles our opportunity to recruit a star backline player, which we desperately need. We simply will never compete rolling out a Capewell, DWZ, CNK, CHT, pedestrian backline, regardless of how strong our pack is. It’s all well & good getting down into the attack zone, but you need to score points. That’s our problem.

 

[WAH MAN]

Walshy and Addo-Carr prove that cocaine need not be a barrier to repping your club or country. So perhaps we need some doped up speedsters. And judging on performance based fan-ism and media adoration. Win and you can do what Walshy, Mammy, Addo Carry, Penrith's boxing day lines guy and Proctor and Brommo do. Winning is all. Or do we have to win in a certain way? Like at all costs.

 

[JaggedJ]

If Coke is the secret then our red bull and sleeping pill crew were even half assing it off the field too.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

I’d rather Laban or EIT over NAS, for 1/4 of the price. Forwards aren’t our problem fellas, it’s our backline we need strike.

Hard to argue with what you've written but I'm gunna try

100% spot on that weneed good, fast backs desperately but I feel the above line is a little off the mark - I don't think it's an either/or scenario.

If you had a big damaging prop bending the line and offloading at will, it automatically makes the average backs we have WAY more dangerous. Even our old kients.

I'm hoping that Webby doesn't have a specific game plan and trying to buy players that specifically fit that, but instead looks at each player who is available and tries to envision how their skill set can benefit our team.

We're quite hamstrung being in NZ recruitment wise, when a lot of top players are off contract many won't even consider NZ, so when there's someone who has a unique skill set different to anyone else we have at the Wahs, you'd be mad not to consider them.

Similar to AKP, he has speed but largely the game plan we have had the last 3 years rely on top defence and a great kick chase - things AKP aren't really known for (besides speed). Do we just chuck him on the 'hell no' pile, or do you try and utalised what he does have, and try and improve his deficiencies? Surely it's the latter.

IF - and it's a big if - Webby thinks he can utalised Nelson in our team id be really, really excited. His skill set is super unique and would be a big point of difference for us.

 

[Canonball]

I’d rather Laban or EIT over NAS, for 1/4 of the price. Forwards aren’t our problem fellas, it’s our backline we need strike.

Our pack competes with any pack in the comp, it’s our backline that’s not even close. If you look at the backline in the GF, Walsh, mariner, staggs, shibasaki, papi, Coates, warbrick, then extend to the halves in 300 gamers Reynolds, hunt & Munster Hughes. These backline are stacked full of international talent, experience & game breakers.

You compare that to our backline, we have 3 internationals in rts , CHT & Charnze. With RTS the only game breaker, and on the wrong side of 30. We need youth, we need game breakers. NAS just stifles our opportunity to recruit a star backline player, which we desperately need. We simply will never compete rolling out a Capewell, DWZ, CNK, CHT, pedestrian backline, regardless of how strong our pack is. It’s all well & good getting down into the attack zone, but you need to score points. That’s our problem.

100% - NAS a spent force imo - I'd be concerned if we picked him up, especially if we still have Marata on the books, who should be able to play the 'big-body role' -- also, been holding on to this comment to put somewhere : on the back of his finals output: Kosi > Warbrick

 

[Hitro]

He’s heading somewhere!

 

[The Warrior Waka]

He’s heading somewhere!

So do they pay out his remaining contract in full?

 

[Wrighty]

Typical Storm - use a player during their prime then cut them in their late twenties

 

[Hazza]

He’s heading somewhere!

He’s heading somewhere!

It's behind a paywall do you know where he is going

 

[CWC]

He’s heading somewhere!

Perfect for R360 isn’t it?

 

[CWC]

New Zealand international released, on the lookout for a new team

He is still contracted until the end of 2027.

www.zerotackle.com

Statement

 

[MrFrankWhite]

New Zealand international released, on the lookout for a new team

He is still contracted until the end of 2027.

www.zerotackle.com

Statement

Assuming Storm took the full hit and paid him out. Wild.

 

[CWC]

Assuming Storm took the full hit and paid him out. Wild.

That’d be insane, if they pay 60% there will be a bidding war

 

[Noitall]

Assuming Storm took the full hit and paid him out. Wild.

BREAKING: Enforcer ‘steps away’ from Storm in $1.7m windfall as cap pressure eases

BREAKING: Enforcer ‘steps away’ from Storm in $1.7m windfall as cap pressure eases

www.foxsports.com.au

Sounds like he’s walked away from his contract? This reads that he’s been granted a release?

 

[Wrighty]

BREAKING: Enforcer ‘steps away’ from Storm in $1.7m windfall as cap pressure eases

BREAKING: Enforcer ‘steps away’ from Storm in $1.7m windfall as cap pressure eases

www.foxsports.com.au

Sounds like he’s walked away from his contract? This reads that he’s been granted a release?

That's the way I read it. The storm have not paid him out. He has "voluntarily" asked for a release with air quotes around voluntarily