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	✔​	✔​	✔​
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	✔​	✔​
Connor Bowden	U​	U​	✔​
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: 29/30
2026 Supplementary: 2/6

2027 Top 30: 20/30
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

 

[Noitall]

That interview was in July before his impressive NSW cup run in the second half of the year.

Reckon he would have been extended by now all the same. Attitude or ethic obviously lacking at this point? Perhaps injuries aren’t helping?

 

[sup42]

I don`t know why we fixate on the money, it`s the percentage of the salary cap that matters, and the term of the agreement, all this relative to performance metrics!

Grasshopper!

Then you add in the intangible challenge of attracting staff to your offshore company.

It pays to be pretty chill with these things, otherwise you get worked up for no reason.

We are also moving into a period where we have to play hard ball with our juniors, or like say in the case of Fatiolofa....play the long patient game.

I am just glad I am not Cappy, he is one smart dude, and we are rolling in gravy off his skills and nous at this game.

 

[Milking!]

Grasshopper!

Then you add in the intangible challenge of attracting staff to your offshore company.

It pays to be pretty chill with these things, otherwise you get worked up for no reason.

We are also moving into a period where we have to play hard ball with our juniors, or like say in the case of Fatiolofa....play the long patient game.

I am just glad I am not Cappy, he is one smart dude, and we are rolling in gravy off his skills and nous at this game.

You could also play 4D chess when you factor in off-field intangibles. Say, 500k at the Roosters to live at Bondi, play in a perennial powerhouse roster to help you get rep jerseys (and those paydays) and a hotline to Uncle Nick and pals to help set you up post-playing is much different than 500k at Wests with a board that hates each other.

 

[Milking!]

Would any of the deep divers here have takes on Connor Bowden? Flies under the radar but is on the list for top 30 from 2028.
Any player comps? Best assets?

 

[Dempsey]

While the commentary on Jett is a wankfest and ott
I thought in 25
He improved as the year went on
Showed some really good touches
And has undoubted potential
We ll see how much potential this year and next
He s certainly not ready for first grade
At this stage
By the end of 26 if he keeps on improving
Well we will find out

A wonderful poem

 

[~Navigator~]

You could also play 4D chess when you factor in off-field intangibles. Say, 500k at the Roosters to live at Bondi, play in a perennial powerhouse roster to help you get rep jerseys (and those paydays) and a hotline to Uncle Nick and pals to help set you up post-playing is much different than 500k at Wests with a board that hates each other.

But if your believe is in this up and coming team from your home land, then that's a huge positive

 

[Milking!]

But if your believe is in this up and coming team from your home land, then that's a huge positive

Well said, brother. We’ll always have that ace up our sleeve. Love that Robbo has put so much into our pathways and infrastructure to make the Wahs an even more appealing place for the Kiwi boys

 

[watcher]

Just an aside, Jett is NZ born and has a Kiwi passport

 

[Dempsey]

Well said, brother. We’ll always have that ace up our sleeve. Love that Robbo has put so much into our pathways and infrastructure to make the Wahs an even more appealing place for the Kiwi boys

Yet Robbo doesn’t live in NZ

 

[Damo]

Yet Robbo doesn’t live in NZ

Not sure why that matters.

 

[Dempsey]

Not sure why that matters.

The discussion was about how Robbo is making a move to NZ enticing. It’s relevant then that it’s not enticing enough for him to live in NZ.

 

[Noitall]

Yet Robbo doesn’t live in NZ

Gone over for the better pay and jobs like the rest of NZ

 

[Damo]

The discussion was about how Robbo is making a move to NZ enticing. It’s relevant then that it’s not enticing enough for him to live in NZ.

Making a move to the Warriors more enticing for Kiwi players, these players could be considering Super Rugby contracts for example where they would stay in NZ anyway.
Not sure why Robbo moving to the Gold Coast downplays the amount of money he has put into pathways and infrastructure for our lower grade teams.

 

[WAH MAN]

The discussion was about how Robbo is making a move to NZ enticing. It’s relevant then that it’s not enticing enough for him to live in NZ.

Like overseas investors?

 

[Mrgrumps]

I agree 100%. Been saying this for a while too. Good opportunity for him while Metcalf is out but there's no doubt in my mind he's getting pushed out by the transfer deadline.

I think there’s a narrative where Boyd takes his NSW cup finals dominance and translates into the NRL. Webby would be pumping his tyres this whole offseason, at least to dominate the first 6-8 rounds. Not many people would have had Metcalfe leading the Daly M at the start of last year, Webby would have played a big part of that last off season. There would be a lot of energy going into Boyd at least for the first few rounds. He could even push Metcalfe to 6 when he returns.

In saying that, the idea of a boom rookie like Linane or Jett pushing through is more enticing as a fan

 

[Noitall]

I think there’s a narrative where Boyd takes his NSW cup finals dominance and translates into the NRL. Webby would be pumping his tyres this whole offseason, at least to dominate the first 6-8 rounds. Not many people would have had Metcalfe leading the Daly M at the start of last year, Webby would have played a big part of that last off season. There would be a lot of energy going into Boyd at least for the first few rounds. He could even push Metcalfe to 6 when he returns.

In saying that, the idea of a boom rookie like Linane or Jett pushing through is more enticing as a fan

I’m really on the fence on Tanah Boyd, particularly because of the knights game which is unfair. The wins weren’t coming as needed too but we were without one of our bookend props and who’s to say Boyd and another five eighth wouldn’t work? Hopefully he gained a lot of confidence last year and interesting Mat Rogers really rates him highly after working with him at titans. If he has a big preseason and we start with a hiss and a roar, it might give Webster a headache when Metcalf is fit and healthy

 

[CWC]

I’m really on the fence on Tanah Boyd, particularly because of the knights game which is unfair. The wins weren’t coming as needed too but we were without one of our bookend props and who’s to say Boyd and another five eighth wouldn’t work? Hopefully he gained a lot of confidence last year and interesting Mat Rogers really rates him highly after working with him at titans. If he has a big preseason and we start with a hiss and a roar, it might give Webster a headache when Metcalf is fit and healthy

There’s always the chance he got last year’s combination time and pressure experience (save by the bell Leka spin off, then his first finals appearance, what a year of growth!) and he fine tunes that 1%, he only needs to pop his second rowers and centres through the holes, as we will likely be playing in the red zone most of the game with our pack and his boots

Btw that panthers playoff game is a really good platform to build from, we were right up there if Charnze hasn’t dosed off and our centres are not made of glass and force Leka out of position), we should have bulldozed over them

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Go watch niche cache new video.

 

[Noitall]

There’s always the chance he got last year’s combination time and pressure experience (save by the bell Leka spin off, then his first finals appearance, what a year of growth!) and he fine tunes that 1%, he only needs to pop his second rowers and centres through the holes, as we will likely be playing in the red zone most of the game with our pack and his boots

Btw that panthers playoff game is a really good platform to build from, we were right up there if Charnze hasn’t dosed off and our centres are not made of glass and force Leka out of position), we should have bulldozed over them

That was his first taste of finals too I think? That to go with clearly being too good for nsw cup and success there could see him realise his potential at some point

 

[Mrgrumps]

SJ 23, Metcalfe in 25. Webby has a track record of a 7 playing out of their skin. Boyd has the 7 to start with, this is his shot