Recruitment Warriors 2026/2027 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2026/2027 Recruitment and Retention Discussion​

Player	2026​	2027​	2028​	2029​	2030​
Grant Anderson	-​	✔​	✔​	✔​
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	✔​	✔​	✔​
William Warbrick	-​	✔​	✔​	✔​
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔​	M​
Connor Bowden	U​	U​	✔​
Jett Cleary	S​	U​
Luke Hanson	S​
Motu Pasikala	S​	U​
Caelys-Paul Putoko	S​
Jason Salalilo	S​	U​	U​
Makaia Taufa	S​	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: 6/6

2027 Top 30: 22/30
2027 Supplementary: 0/6

2027 Gains: Grant Anderson (Brisbane Broncos), William Warbrick (Melbourne Storm)
2027 Losses: Mitchell Barnett (Brisbane Broncos), Marata Niukore (Newcastle Knights), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Wakefield Trinity)

Off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2027: Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Te Maire Martin
Will be off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2028 from November 1st, 2026: 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

 

[Damo]

Griffin Neame missed the starting lineup and is 18th man for the Cowboys this week.

Bro needs a compassionate release

Is he built for todays game? Probably needs to lean out a touch.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Cam George talking about a potential player swap won't be for 2027. That is a scenario for 2026 to get Mitch home faster and us compensated in a workable way for the current season. That is how I'd read it anyway.

 

[Canonball]

tangentially connected to Wahs recruitment, Setu tu to debut for the dragons in vegas

I see Francis Manuleleua named at 19 for the Knights too ... which has lead me to speculation comparing those 6 men benches: any team naming less than 4 true forwards in their contingent probably lose (reasoning being that 3 plus a hooker is like a trad 4 man bench anyway, so by adding only additional 'small forwards' and backs to make up the 6 means you're not playing to maximum possible advantage of almost turning over your entire starting pack) .

 

[CWC]

Cam George talking about a potential player swap won't be for 2027. That is a scenario for 2026 to get Mitch home faster and us compensated in a workable way for the current season. That is how I'd read it anyway.

Man what a blow

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Man what a blow

That's just my theory, nothing more. I just don't see where the leverage would be for a player swap a year out on a contract you have already given a compassionate release on. I love Mitch in our colours, but if there is a personal need to expedite his move via a mutually-beneficial player swap then bring it on. He'll still be the only player on the Aussie team I cheer for.

 

[Worried2Death]

When I look at Canberra's success during the regular season last year, they had an exciting backline with a group of young players that had sort of hit a sweet spot in terms of the benefits of youth but having a certain amount of NRL experience and playing time together under their belts too. By the start of next season our young forward pack could be in a similar sweet spot.

Then we just need the Canberra backline

 

[JaggedJ]

Titans/Dolphins/Broncos have a lot of speed in their backline. I'd be more inclined to swap for strike and back our Jnr forwards to step up.

If we swap Barney for Arthurs though I will not be impressed.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Kini?

Too similar to TT in my view. Why go for something we kind of already have. I'd rather go for broke and go all in on getting KP once rival clubs can start talking to him at the end of this year. I'm all for backing our youthful pack and offloading Marata and Capes at the end of the year so we have the cap space to offer KP 1.2-1.3m a year.

 

[roguei]

Too similar to TT in my view. Why go for something we kind of already have. I'd rather go for broke and go all in on getting KP once rival clubs can start talking to him at the end of this year. I'm all for backing our youthful pack and offloading Marata and Capes at the end of the year so we have the cap space to offer KP 1.2-1.3m a year.

I personally don't think TT is anywhere close to Kini. Kini has an insane celling and killer x factor. Just a much better fullback. Where as TT is turning into a swiss army knife of backs coverage.

 

[WAH MAN]

Too similar to TT in my view. Why go for something we kind of already have. I'd rather go for broke and go all in on getting KP once rival clubs can start talking to him at the end of this year. I'm all for backing our youthful pack and offloading Marata and Capes at the end of the year so we have the cap space to offer KP 1.2-1.3m a year.

Kini has x factor. I'd take him. He has speed that would make his marker commit then drag him out one to commit the next defender freeing up a flying centre or winger. Like he put Casey Mclean away for the kiwis this season past

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

Unfortunately Kini didn’t seem very homesick in the latest Two Broke Usos podcast. In fact he seemed keen to get back to the GC.

 

[rugged]

Gutted about Mitch - but he has played 15 games or less in 4 of the last 6 seasons so pretty injury prone.
Wonder how many injury free seasons he has left?

I think we need to draw a line in the sand re compassionate releases, I don’t think you can deny them but a player wanting an early release should be willing to pay to have one l.

 

[enterthewarrior]

If he is really leaving the club early due to personal and family reasons then thats ok but I don't think it's right for him to be immediately looking at other clubs in Australia when he has just announced the news. Gives the wrong impression in my opinion.

 

[Billyspleen75]

If we swap Barney for Arthurs though I will not be impressed.

Whichever one of Karapani or Mariner want to come home..

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Off the back of Barney leaving. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s an announcement the Marata Niukore has been extended. (On probably more than he should be on) They kinda need to sort something.

I’d legit pay 850k plus for Kini.

If NAS is interested in a lowball contract, I’d probably sign him too.
If we can’t get an elite fullback, I’d make a solid offer for Neame.

 

[JaggedJ]

Too similar to TT in my view. Why go for something we kind of already have. I'd rather go for broke and go all in on getting KP once rival clubs can start talking to him at the end of this year. I'm all for backing our youthful pack and offloading Marata and Capes at the end of the year so we have the cap space to offer KP 1.2-1.3m a year.

The only way TT gets close to Kini is if he moves in next door.

TT is to Kini what Tubi is to Netflix.

 

[Naynay]

Off the back of Barney leaving. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s an announcement the Marata Niukore has been extended. (On probably more than he should be on) They kinda need to sort something.

Marata probably still doesnt get that lifeline, ford will move into that spot obviously a down grade but a solid replacement, and it may even be Demetric comes into 10 or 13 and ford to the bench.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

The only way TT gets close to Kini is if he moves in next door.

TT is to Kini what Tubi is to Netflix.

Bit harsh bro. TT has alot of similar attributes to Kini. Just not as fast or physically robust as Kini. TT can ball play and has a nice short kicking game. Has a good step, and enough speed to keep the defense guessing.
I just wish he'd put a bit of lean muscle on his frame. Kini & Walsh are similar sized players to him. But with alot of muscle packed into those small frames.

 

[Dannevegas]

Never a dull moment, Barnett's off after the season.

Algood just give us one more good season

 

[Dannevegas]

I heard Whyte really misses his family in West Auckland ?????I don't think Aussie clubs give compassionate releases as easy as the Wahs

Bro, Dream signing that he’ll be a top 3 prop soon