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

 

[Milking!]

Would love the Wahs to get into the Koula business. Him and AKP would be electric AF ️

Manly at risk of losing stars amid extension talks

They could lose one of their most experienced stars.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[Noitall]

Would love the Wahs to get into the Koula business. Him and AKP would be electric AF ️

Manly at risk of losing stars amid extension talks

They could lose one of their most experienced stars.

www.zerotackle.com

I think manly and Trbojovich have reached an agreement at $900k since this article? Koula would be a great signing, was so quick off the mark for Tonga’s only try

 

[Cces]

Of the top 2nd Rowers in 2025 who readily came to mind, Riki had the 2nd best tackle efficiency.

View attachment 14826

Topping all of these was Jacob Preston with 96%, Shawn Blore 95.6% & Kai Pearce-Paul at 93.7%
One thing that NRL website is yet to rectify is that their Tackle Efficiency stat completely ignore Ineffective Tackles. Preston, Blore & KPP all feature in the top 9 in the comp for this season total stat and a guy like Aitken is near the top in averages per game too.
Riki would probably do well in our system due to his kick chase but ain't worth the cash

 

[Milking!]

What type of $ would you offer a guy who, based on 2025, currently provides about 57 mins per game, 72m, 24 tackles, 2.5 missed tackles pg and 1.3 Ineffective Tackles?

What type of $ would you offer a guy who, based on 2025, currently provides about 57 mins per game, 72m, 24 tackles, 2.5 missed tackles pg and 1.3 Ineffective Tackles?

Stats without context can be a bit of a risky business. 2027 onwards, probs a bit above minimum as he slides into 4th-string-ish prop.

 

[Noitall]

Topping all of these was Jacob Preston with 96%, Shawn Blore 95.6% & Kai Pearce-Paul at 93.7%
One thing that NRL website is yet to rectify is that their Tackle Efficiency stat completely ignore Ineffective Tackles. Preston, Blore & KPP all feature in the top 9 in the comp for this season total stat and a guy like Aitken is near the top in averages per game too.
Riki would probably do well in our system due to his kick chase but ain't worth the cash

Impressive player Jacob Preston and not paid a great deal by bulldogs apparently. Meant to be on Perth’s radar

 

[Cces]

Stats without context can be a bit of a risky business. 2027 onwards, probs a bit above minimum as he slides into 4th-string-ish prop.

They can be but I don't think, based solely off on field stuff, he offers much that isn't measurable such as enthusiasm, intimidation or leadership.
The club offering him a deal that cuts his salary by over three quarters is unrealistic though and a very quick way to get him offside whilst he's still on the books.

 

[WAH MAN]

Mellars is ready for first grade now and will become a fan favourite as soon as he plays.

How so Wrighty? Did we lose the deal of Mellars <----> Kosi?

 

[Milking!]

They can be but I don't think, based solely off on field stuff, he offers much that isn't measurable such as enthusiasm, intimidation or leadership.
The club offering him a deal that cuts his salary by over three quarters is unrealistic though and a very quick way to get him offside whilst he's still on the books.

hmmmm - i guess it depends on several factors. In a season’s time, where is he on the forward depth chart, and at what position?
I see him as back up prop due to probs being squeezed out at second row, and moving into the middle.
If that happens, that’s what he gets paid. If he can get a better deal, good for him.

 

[Wrighty]

How so Wrighty? Did we lose the deal of Mellars <----> Kosi?

Don't understand this post sorry Wah man can you rephrase and give more context?

 

[WAH MAN]

Don't understand this post sorry Wah man can you rephrase and give more context?

Hot day smoko post.

Rephrase...... You reckon Mellars is ready? Why? Not arguing. Genuinely interested.

Did we win the winger swap? I know it wasn't a genuine player swap like Faitala-Mariner for that big galoot from the bulldogs. Still a hot day smoko post sorry

 

[Wrighty]

Hot day smoko post.

Rephrase...... You reckon Mellars is ready? Why? Not arguing. Genuinely interested.

Did we win the winger swap? I know it wasn't a genuine player swap like Faitala-Mariner for that big galoot from the bulldogs. Still a hot day smoko post sorry

Tackle efficiency stats check out.
His yardage stats are only average but the footage shows him making PCM yardage carries even in heavy traffic.
He has 8 tries in 10 outings in NSW cup.

Most players play a full season in NSW cup before moving up to first grade and I expect it will be mid season before we see Mellars.

So yes we definitely won the Kosi for Mellars exchange.
Although if memory serves it was Kosi and MGT for Mellars and we still won.

The fans will dig his defence and PCMs. Although I am only going by stats for his defence I should admit.

He turns 22 in May next year.

Summary of my answer is that things you need for NRL success he can do. Namely defence and hard carries and try scoring.

 

[Wrighty]

There are 5 day until November 1st. We know nothing will happen on that day but maybe in December sometime we hear a few news stories around the NRL traps.

 

[Horriors2013]

My response to where Boyd fits after 2026

I see us not re-signing TMM

So our 2027 halves become

Metcalf
CHT
Boyd
Linnane
Cleary
With one of those playing a 14 utility role.

Without Boyd there would not be enough first grade experience in the group beyond Metcalf and CHT, provided my assumption is correct that we don't re-sign TMM. It was a hard year for TMM to show his wares and build momentum into his season as he had to come off the bench.

I found your statistical comparison to CHT interesting. Maybe they are very roughly about as good as each other. Back in the day we used to regard Chad Townsend as being the benchmark for an NRL standard half. Both of them are there or there abouts of being NRL standard although CHT had clearly the better year out of the two of them.

You pointed out Boyd is a weak defender. I don't tend to judge halves too much on defence as long as they are reasonable.

I reckon Boyd was always just temporary cover. I see Hanson/Linnane and Cleary as the next halves. CHT/Boyd/TMM are stop gaps. I would be disappointed if we resigned any of those 3.

 

[Wrighty]

I reckon Boyd was always just temporary cover. I see Hanson/Linnane and Cleary as the next halves. CHT/Boyd/TMM are stop gaps. I would be disappointed if we resigned any of those 3.

Do you rate Hanson? No one has put him in the mix for a first grade hypothetical team before.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Do you rate Hanson? No one has put him in the mix for a first grade hypothetical team before.

Yes

 

[Kav1]

Comparing Boyd to SJ is like comparing a Ferrari to a Suzuki Jimmy.
if he can’t make tackles, then you’ve basically got him there as a specialist kicker, which odds an absolute waste at halfback

I don't see that he can't make tackles - I'd like to know his defensive efficiency ratio before making judgement.

 

[Muddogz]

Boyd will have close to half a season to press his claims for a contract whether it’s here or some where else.

I’m on the fence with him, I thought he was ok in the last couple of games and was starting to run a bit more. Confidence is a big issue with him as his tendency to plant his feet on defence but he’s athletic enough, a good kicker and doesn’t lack for effort.

Very much a wait and see.

 

[gambler03]

Koula would be the perfect fullback for the wahs