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

 

[Cces]

The fact that Blaize Talagi is being selected over him give you idea how he's viewed in the game imo.

Any decent starting half with CHT experience would back themselves to get picked over Talagi who, while clearly talented, hasn't done jack shit in the league.

Luai is Samoa's left side half not Talagi. Why would Samoa decide to ask Luai to switch sides or alternatively play CHT on the opposite side of the field to where he's spent the entirety to his last 2 years?

 

[Cces]

man if i had 18 try assists this season as a half and still wasn’t good enough i’d be pretty sad

Add in the fact that your edge D conceded the least amount of tries amongst all left edges in the comp

 

[WAH MAN]

You guys are dreaming if you think Healey is a better hooker than Egan, it's not even close and shows a real lack of understanding of the hooker position in the modern game.

Egan is top 3 and I would rate him only behind Grant, we are lucky to have him.

I didn't say Healey is better than Egan. I said he's next in line. I don't doubt Egan's skill. But his injury history and head injury history doesn't get reset every season to zero. It's a carry over issue.

 

[Wrighty]

Add in the fact that your edge D conceded the least tries amount of tries amongst all left edges in the comp

Great stat !!!

 

[Neo]

Add in the fact that your edge D conceded the least tries amount of tries amongst all left edges in the comp

Wow, I wasnt aware of that. It’s quite impressive seeing as a few different guys played at left back row.

 

[Cces]

Wow, I wasnt aware of that. It’s quite impressive seeing as a few different guys played at left back row.

it was still the best when right edges come into calculations too. 6 tries less than the next best which is over 25% of our total (23)

 

[Neo]

it was still the best too when right edges come into calculations too. 6 tries less than the next best

It’s also interesting given the commentary on the lack of pace that Capewell and Pompey possess. It obviously doesn’t overly effect the defensive systems

 

[regenerated borg]

Couple more head knocks and Egan's corner would need to throw in the towel. Then Healey would be number one number 9.

Yeah totally agree, at the end of the day its a game.. look at Steve Mortimer, Mario Fenneck as 2 examples both have dementia. I bet theres a few more too.. Sometimes players need to look at long term future health wise...

 

[sup42]

Or some minimum wage filler, see how much game time they get in first grade.

Tom Ale I could see going alright but Going is a strange signing for them.

Going might be there to press the NSW cup forwards into shape. Same as he does here.

Crosby definitely off to Panthers also, one of his friends instagram posts mentions he's off to Australia/Panthers very soon.

Bye Rocky, was a nice great hope dream while it lasted....I wanted so dearly for the big fellah to make it....

 

[cock_o]

Crosby definitely off to Panthers also, one of his friends instagram posts mentions he's off to Australia/Panthers very soon.

Not a top 30 position tho.

 

[Neo]

IMO the major shake up calls are probably reflective of the win/loss ratio after Metcalf injury and he'll be out for 5-10 rounds again to start the year

The pack stock is perfectly fine IMO we just have glaring weaknesses in the backline on both sides of the ball or ability to stay on the field, to turn the pack’s awesome work into points

We signed Boyd and Cape late in the off-seasons so hoping for another top up after November…

Boyd was signed exactly a year ago today so had the whole pre season with the side

 

[maddog]

Top 3 you reckon? Why hasn't he been selected for SoO yet, or even Serbia..

If he played for a team based in Australia he would have

 

[CWC]

it was still the best when right edges come into calculations too. 6 tries less than the next best

The edge where Cape was organizing CHT, Pompey and Roger, on a weaker passing side for the attacking team (still no.1 defensive edge like you said), I wonder if swapping CHT with Boyd would help, that right edge defense against stronger attacks were Boyd, Marata and Dallin

 

[JaggedJ]

Just going of watching is more misleading.

strange bust a lot of tackles and was involved in a couple big plays which stand out at the end of the day they ended up with the same try involvements.

Couldn't disagree more. I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[Inruin]

It’s also interesting given the commentary on the lack of pace that Capewell and Pompey possess. It obviously doesn’t overly effect the defensive systems

Probably tells you more about how inept our right edge defense was. Opposition ran their set up play to our left, almost like having to defend a settler hit up for the shift to our right edge for an inevitable try.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Just going of watching is more misleading.

strange bust a lot of tackles and was involved in a couple big plays which stand out at the end of the day they ended up with the same try involvements.

So you think reading a website that has stats gives you a better feel for a player than actually watching them....

 

[Naynay]

So you think reading a website that has stats gives you a better feel for a player than actually watching them....

No but humans are funny on how our memories work.

My whole point is only that all the talk of CHT no being up to standard isnt actually founded on anything but the vibes. He toiled and performed his role really well, in-fact he was one of the better 5/8s this year.

 

[Horriors2013]

No but humans are funny on how our memories work.

My whole point is only that all the talk of CHT no being up to standard isnt actually founded on anything but the vibes. He toiled and performed his role really well, in-fact he was one of the better 5/8s this year.

What's your definition of his role? What is his role in our team?

 

[Tookey 2.0]

What's your definition of his role? What is his role in our team?

Just checking, but you're not suggesting that CHT DIDN'T have a good year?

 

[Horriors2013]

Deffo agree with this.

It sucks, because with Metcalf getting injured CHT tends to get tarred with the 'he didn't lead us around well enough' claim, which imo was never his role.

If we're looking at Egan/Boyd/CHT/CNK spine to start the year I think we're likely to struggle.
A few on here has mentioned Linnane as a full back potentially, stating he was rated highly, even over Fletcher Hunt at the Knights. If he was able to do a job and go even 2/3rds as well as Fletcher Hunt did in the 1 jersey I'd be tempted to give him a few games at the beginning of the year and tell him to go for it.

Imo it won't happen, but it would certainly make things interesting

A 5/8 is a playmaker.

Some posters like to judge a player by their own emotions about the player and not by what their position actually requires.

Some teams have the halves take a side each and set up the attack on that side. Others try to work together on set plays.

But it's also about what the team needs. What is the side's balance?

CHT is one of those players you can point out good things about him, but none of you fans can clearly point out how CHT plays 5/8 well. Even though Luke has been given the keys, how does CHT support or compliment him? Does he consistently back up offloading forwards to link the backline? Does he get lots of try assists? Is he an organizer? Can he take the pressure off Metcalfe when he's heavily marked or having an off day?

I see him go quiet often. He doesn't direct the attack. Which is what a 5/8 should do. He might spot a gap but he's not fast enough to exploit it and link to his outsides. His best asset is his defence.

What you guys describe is an average good guy who does his role well. If that's the case why did our attack suck in the second half of the season? Why did it look directionless? Because he can't lead a team around.

I'm not calling him a bad player. Just pointing out that he's not a top 4 half and therefore not going to be in a gf winning team.