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

 

[ROCCO]

Fuck off Lussick

 

[Wrighty]

Looking back at the 2025 season I don't think the Warriors got it right with Morgan Harper. We had extreme injuries at centre yet he was never played in first grade despite him training hard and putting in a top effort in reserve grade. This was not good values by the Warriors, next time don't bring in such a player who isn't wanted in the first place. But once you do bring him in you play him when injuries dictate. He would have been ok not spectacular but ok. Lesson for future years I hope.

 

[3rdstriker]

Looking back at the 2025 season I don't think the Warriors got it right with Morgan Harper. We had extreme injuries at centre yet he was never played in first grade despite him training hard and putting in a top effort in reserve grade. This was not good values by the Warriors, next time don't bring in such a player who isn't wanted in the first place. But once you do bring him in you play him when injuries dictate. He would have been ok not spectacular but ok. Lesson for future years I hope.

I think I'd just trust Websters selections as he's right at the coalface!

 

[sup42]

Fuck off Lussick

Seems like he is going which obviously could mean we are close to announcing a signing, probably NAS.

He was a good servant to the club as they say though bro, whether you liked him as a player or not he always put in the hard yards, personally I think he gets more negative comments than he deserves.

Should have been playing Lock. Look how effective he is as a Prop in cup, should have been a ball playing hard running defensively sound Lock forward.

 

[Noitall]

Seems like he is going which obviously could mean we are close to announcing a signing, probably NAS.

He was a good servant to the club as they say though bro, whether you liked him as a player or not he always put in the hard yards, personally I think he gets more negative comments than he deserves.

Should have been playing Lock. Look how effective he is as a Prop in cup, should have been a ball playing hard running defensively sound Lock forward.

Seems like he’s been up there with the fittest in the past couple of preseasons and quite hearty on the field. I wish hm nothing but the best if he’s departing

 

[ROCCO]

Average player. NAS way better.

 

[Worried2Death]

Seems like he’s been up there with the fittest in the past couple of preseasons and quite hearty on the field. I wish hm nothing but the best if he’s departing

First big signing for R360?

 

[roguei]

Looking back at the 2025 season I don't think the Warriors got it right with Morgan Harper. We had extreme injuries at centre yet he was never played in first grade despite him training hard and putting in a top effort in reserve grade. This was not good values by the Warriors, next time don't bring in such a player who isn't wanted in the first place. But once you do bring him in you play him when injuries dictate. He would have been ok not spectacular but ok. Lesson for future years I hope.

Who do you suppose he was blocking for the 2nd pick (he was behind Ali and MGT) centers position for the NSW squad if it was in your opinion, wrong? And although not NRL level, is there not value to the greater NSW squad to have some of the more exprenced blokes peppered through out. Not going to sit here and aruge it was even a good signing, just that it was pretty inconsequential with minimal downsides and minimal upsides. Just raw depth for the NSW grade side, who will not negetively impact the culture (could aruge postive impact) and allow players to the left and right of him to showcase there abilities without having to cover for a inexprenced/inept center.

 

[CWC]

First big signing for R360?

Freddy the No.1 comedian with the potential to go viral globally with The Fox war dance after his next try

 

[Kestrel84]

Average player. NAS way better.

And yet he has given more to the club than you ever will. Show a little respect.

 

[Five&Last]

Going against the grain but I don’t necessarily think it means a NAS signing.

Opening up a single top 30 spot gives those fringe guys something to aim towards. It’s that carrot you can dangle during the off-season hill sprints. It’s just smart business.

Cutting Lussick has been the obvious move for the last 6 months. He’s served us well but to me, he’s one of the last signings from that period of desperate moves where we couldn’t attract shit. The roosters basically forced us to take on his contract.

 

[Horriors2013]

Looking back at the 2025 season I don't think the Warriors got it right with Morgan Harper. We had extreme injuries at centre yet he was never played in first grade despite him training hard and putting in a top effort in reserve grade. This was not good values by the Warriors, next time don't bring in such a player who isn't wanted in the first place. But once you do bring him in you play him when injuries dictate. He would have been ok not spectacular but ok. Lesson for future years I hope.

Hell no. He's average af.

 

[Nambawan]

To be fair, I would seriously consider investing Rogers money elsewhere if there was an upcoming young back like Mason Barber etc.
I understand that RTS is world class as a metre eating winger however he is very slow now, he is not catching anyone from behind and he is not an effective winger in try scoring positions unless it is within the 22m of the oppositions try line. I am 50/50 in even having him for this year. He is now only elite in his hit ups, line breaks and defensive ability will now all be hampered by his lack of pace.

Quite correct analysis. RTS is now an experienced and accomplished footballer - but unfortunately lacks pace. Similar Problems with Pompey and DWZ - neither of whom for example, could take an intercept and run the length of the field, or turn and chase to run down an opponent.

 

[Nambawan]

Looking back at the 2025 season I don't think the Warriors got it right with Morgan Harper. We had extreme injuries at centre yet he was never played in first grade despite him training hard and putting in a top effort in reserve grade. This was not good values by the Warriors, next time don't bring in such a player who isn't wanted in the first place. But once you do bring him in you play him when injuries dictate. He would have been ok not spectacular but ok. Lesson for future years I hope.

No! I followed him closely at Manly. Far far too slow.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Going against the grain but I don’t necessarily think it means a NAS signing.

Opening up a single top 30 spot gives those fringe guys something to aim towards. It’s that carrot you can dangle during the off-season hill sprints. It’s just smart business.

Cutting Lussick has been the obvious move for the last 6 months. He’s served us well but to me, he’s one of the last signings from that period of desperate moves where we couldn’t attract shit. The roosters basically forced us to take on his contract.

Lussick was resigned by us in March 2024 for a further 2 years, just after our run in 2023. I agree that his initial contract was essentially forced on us, but there would have been no desperation to sign Lussick for 2025 and 2026 when we chose to.

By all accounts he's well liked at the club and is a top trainer, and I agree that the writing is on the wall for Lussick moving forward but I disagree 100% that cutting a guy like this, 2 weeks into preseason is simply 'smart business' to entice fringe players. Imo it even goes against the values that Webby's 'Ted Lasso' culture we appear to have is built on, caring about the individual and all that.
That's football if you're dropped for a player that the club deems will offer more, but dropping a player 2 weeks into the beginning of their year for no tangible reason is pretty whack, as you say

 

[Canonball]

It's a loss for the club. However I am a big fan of his so take that into account with my view.

He should have played edge. I always assumed they played him at prop just as a learning exercise,

I understand the attraction - I just think there are better prospects at both prop and second row in our system already - plus would Crosby really be satisfied playing another year in Cup with no guaranteed path to 1st grade with our stocks ahead of him? Probably very much a mutual decision for him to look elsewhere

 

[Five&Last]

Lussick was resigned by us in March 2024 for a further 2 years, just after our run in 2023. I agree that his initial contract was essentially forced on us, but there would have been no desperation to sign Lussick for 2025 and 2026 when we chose to.

By all accounts he's well liked at the club and is a top trainer, and I agree that the writing is on the wall for Lussick moving forward but I disagree 100% that cutting a guy like this, 2 weeks into preseason is simply 'smart business' to entice fringe players. Imo it even goes against the values that Webby's 'Ted Lasso' culture we appear to have is built on, caring about the individual and all that.
That's football if you're dropped for a player that the club deems will offer more, but dropping a player 2 weeks into the beginning of their year for no tangible reason is pretty whack, as you say

There was desperation, we still had no back up behind Egan. No Healey/Tafua etc. We couldn’t attract and hadn’t developed anyone in that position.

I remember at the time people surprised at the length of the contract, the consensus then that it was a year too long. There’s no hindsight involved here.

On the second paragraph, whatever floats your boat man. My opinion is that he’s very clearly not in the plans at all and hasn’t been for the last year. That’s something a front office tells a player when they want them to look elsewhere “hey fred, we think you should look at other opportunities now because you’re not going to be played at hooker here and instead we’re going to play you at prop which will completely tank your value and you might not get interest anywhere afterwards”.

Instead buy him out and give the guys who are part of the future something tangible that they can be grinding for over the next 4 months. In my opinion, that is way more in line with “Webby’s culture”.

The timing of it is irrelevant without knowing the details, maybe he’s known for a while and the club have been giving him all this time to find a different club that he likes the fit of and deadline is now approaching with everyone starting to return to preseason. This is also just the nature of the business.

 

[Wrighty]

I understand the attraction - I just think there are better prospects at both prop and second row in our system already - plus would Crosby really be satisfied playing another year in Cup with no guaranteed path to 1st grade with our stocks ahead of him? Probably very much a mutual decision for him to look elsewhere

Tom Ale and Kalani Going have been added to the Panthers top 30 on NRL.com
Tobias not yet and not in their development contracts either. I wonder if they mentioned First grade time to him or the promise of as top 30 spot?

 

[Noitall]

Tom Ale and Kalani Going have been added to the Panthers top 30 on NRL.com
Tobias not yet and not in their development contracts either. I wonder if they mentioned First grade time to him or the promise of as top 30 spot?

Been some saying Liam Henry is a target of Perth, some even saying he’s signed with them? Could be a place open up for Crosby at some point if he takes it?

 

[Hitro]

View attachment 15003
* apparently the caption has since been removed

Could mean that taine is leaving? Both off contract.