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
 
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His goal kicking was superior to Metcalf by a long way. His organizing I thought was much better. Hell you had Walker before he left screaming at Luke to get in position.

And it's not about faith in either of them. It was my thoughts on both of them. They both have strengths and glaring weaknesses.

Walker left after Rnd 3. The improvement of Met across the season was impressive.

Above all though, Metcalf wants the ball and wants to be the man.

I don't see that in Boyd at all.
 

NZWarriors.com

I'm not convinced this was all made up. It is common knowledge that managers are dealing in the back alley...

I would think the news back was that Dragons would be the only ones to match.

No thanks the reply.
Agreed.

Clubs will always hold discussions internally about top halves like Metcalf, and some will always express an interest.

Everyone wants an exciting eyes up Xfactor running half, it is just a matter of whether they have the cap movement to make an offer.
 
Good on you for sticking to your guns. It is just about having a discussion.
I think you are hanging a lot on him choking against the Knights with his missed goal kick and drop kick. My hope is he does better next time.
Seen enough lower-grade games this year to back my view. I rate the insights of Kos, City Girl, Noitall, Five & Last, 3rd Striker, and others who actually watch the lower grades. He was poor against the Dragons — Tuapiki saved us on tackle five with that dummy and short-side play.

A lot of fans bag out Jett because of the Cleary name, whilst they watch all of 5 minutes of him in action. I’ve watched him all year — defensively stronger than Tanah, better at digging into the line, and his kicking game held up well. I remember one game where he kept bombing just inside touch, perfectly for Tu or Kali to contest. Takes guts and skill to do that.

Hanson grew on me but needs to pass more. I’d start TMM over Boyd, or even give TT a run at six with CHT or TMM at seven. And we need a new fullback — love CNK, great bloke, but on some tries he just looked stuck at a bus stop.

Hanson’s improved but needs to pass earlier. I’d start TMM over Boyd, or even trial TT at six with CHT or TMM at seven. Love CNK’s effort, but we need more mobility at fullback.

If Boyd starts before Luke’s back, I doubt we crack a 50% win rate.

Norris and Lemana are 2 potential promising future fullbacks, but we need one with speed and x-factor now if Webby keeps ruling out TT.
 
I understand your preference to have your boy TMM somewhere in the FG halves but Luke is far and away our best halves option. Especially if we are going to win anything
A halves pairing with Te maire and Luke is our best chance of winning the comp imo. As long as Te-Maire doesn’t go into that tunnel vision on the left role. Jye Linnane would be another option I’d throw in their to partner Luke, if not their at Fullback. Boyd and CHT are strictly backups for me although Id like to see a hooker rotation of Healey and CHT.
 
Boyd is only 24, I don't think Metcalf at 24 was anywhere near as good as he was this year. It's incredibly short sighted to say that Tanah couldn't continue to develop into one of the best controlling halves in the game.

BTW I love Metcalf and would take him over Tanah any day of the week.
Hes defintely got a game to build on, and his game will age a lot better than Metcalf, despite Metcalf being a superior player right now. I think its confidence mainly. He's been in teams that have been beaten up almost weekly since debuting.

There are also a few well rounded and sought after halves who had hardly played top grade at 24. Jamal Fogerty debuted at 23, and didn't get another game for 3 years. Cody Walker didn't debut till 26. Still plenty of time for Tanah to turn it round.
 
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Ramien had a quiet 2025 for his standards.
Maybe a change would be good for him.
His Knights stint was cake,but returned to the Sharks a better player.
He could do alot for all the young brothers coming through.
 
I think its confidence mainly. He's been in teams that have been beaten up almost weekly since debuting.

I've been trying to avoid saying what I'm about to say, but the talking point keeps coming up so I'm going to say it...

A lack of confidence is a huuuuge red flag, it's a sign of mental weakness and not something easily overcome.

Professional sport is littered with examples of excellent athletes who crumble in crunch time. Boyd is one of them.

He's not going to overcome it and it's part of the reason he got dropped. Boyd just simply isn't going to make it as an elite NRL halfback, and anyone that says otherwise should spend the offseason watching his NRL tape, it's shocking at crunch times.
 
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