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​
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: 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

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Yeah I get that but I take a look at our round one team and my first thought isn’t - oh no we’re missing a prop- it’s- where are the points gonna come from?
Lomax is one of the most prolific point scorers in the game.

That's one side of it. The other side of it, and the most important side, is how to stop the pts. That's where Barney is key in shoring up the middle defense for us (as is Fish). There's a reason why the Phins consistently miss finals when they probably have a top 2 backline. They also can't stop them which was made apparent last year and even during our last trial when we had our best 17s out there. If one has to choose between having a top tier forward pack that can roll forward vs a top tier backline that has silky ball skills, it's the former that gets you into finals on a consistent basis. Hasler's dogs teams in the early part of the last decade consistently made finals (and 2 GFs) to prove that pt

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Barney's replacement has to be a kiwi in my view. Sick of all the compassionate release cases we have to deal with. Lomax would jump ship the first chance he gets at another top NRL club if he were to come here.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Barney's replacement has to be a kiwi in my view. Sick of all the compassionate release cases we have to deal with. Lomax would jump ship the first chance he gets at another top NRL club if he were to come here.

Who's at the top of your list, anyone you're keen to see return home and playing in those teams that are looking at nabbing Barney?

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Who's at the top of your list, anyone you're keen to see return home and playing in those teams that are looking at nabbing Barney?

in my dreams KP. But we all know that's not happening. Kini or McLean wouldn't be a bad shout. A bit more left field, I don't know why we don't follow the chooks and go after rugby union stars. We can play that game better than any Aussie NRL club. If there ever was a time to convince high profile NZRU players to jump ship it's now given the current predicament of the ABs and the poor performance of the kiwi teams in super rugby.

 

[Makasene]

in my dreams KP. But we all know that's not happening. Kini or McLean wouldn't be a bad shout. A bit more left field, I don't know why we don't follow the chooks and go after rugby union stars. We can play that game better than any Aussie NRL club. If there ever was a time to convince high profile NZRU players to jump ship it's now given the current predicament of the ABs and the poor performance of the kiwi teams in super rugby.

I just don't think the club want to be going to market for marquee. They are looking at value and giving ourselves time.

They will jump at an opportunity - which Lomax is.

But I don't see us doing what the Roosters have done in signing Garrick so far out.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I just don't think the club want to be going to market for marquee. They are looking at value and giving ourselves time.

They will jump at an opportunity - which Lomax is.

But I don't see us doing what the Roosters have done in signing Garrick so far out.

he's not coming here. It's as unlikely as KP coming here. He's more likely to sit it out until he finds an appropriate Aussie club than to join up with us. And even if he did, he would use as a transit lounge like Lodge did all those years ago. That's not good for team culture to have someone in the joint that doesn't want to be there long term.

The opportunities I think will present themselves for a kiwi outside back looking to come back home. We just have to keep our powder dry till that opportunity presents itself. That means no forward signings.

 

[Noitall]

Not sure if there’s any truth to this?

 

[Wrighty]

I heard it was a hoax post Noitall

 

[snake77]

I doubt there is any truth to Barnett signing with the Broncos straight after meeting Maguire. He may be in Sydney at the moment to look at different clubs or he may be there for his family situation and a few clubs may have approached him.

He is more likely to look at a few clubs first or target specific clubs if he needs to be near family. Brisbane may be one of them as I recall reading he has family in central NSW and the Gold Coast.

From the Shaun Johnson Show I took Cameron George comments as he has been given permission to look around. When he finds a potential club come back to them. Barnett knows the Warriors want something in return.

I'm sceptical of the whole player swap thing. More that I doubt it will work. It may surprise and it may work out if his new club are desperate to get Barnett. I just don't think it will work out as easily as people think. It needs a player wanting to move not just clubs but to another country. Then for the Warriors in a position we feel we need.

Barnett has agreed to the situation. But he is also of the of the understanding he won't be here in 2027. The club has agreed it is best for him to return in 2027. If we can't get someone in return we've had a year to hunt for a replacement or have known that cap space is available. I doubt the club would force him to stay.

 

[Noitall]

I heard it was a hoax post Noitall

Bloody hell, keep pinching myself to make sure I’m still real

 

[Defence]

That's one side of it. The other side of it, and the most important side, is how to stop the pts. That's where Barney is key in shoring up the middle defense for us (as is Fish). There's a reason why the Phins consistently miss finals when they probably have a top 2 backline. They also can't stop them which was made apparent last year and even during our last trial when we had our best 17s out there. If one has to choose between having a top tier forward pack that can roll forward vs a top tier backline that has silky ball skills, it's the former that gets you into finals on a consistent basis. Hasler's dogs teams in the early part of the last decade consistently made finals (and 2 GFs) to prove that pt

Yeah again don’t really disagree- just think considering age and injury Lomax moves the attack needle more than Barney improves the defense and at the end of the day Barney is leaving either way so may as well try get something out of it while we can.
We would have no shot at Lomax normally.

 

[Garry Saloon]

Barnett to Broncos for Jesse Arthars is the thing I would both like to see and is somewhat realistic I think.

 

[Matiunz]

View attachment 16048

Not sure if there’s any truth to this?

Have seen the same rumour other places and came here to check if anyone else had heard anything

 

[Mudders]

Barnett to Broncos for Jesse Arthars is the thing I would both like to see and is somewhat realistic I think.

If broncos is on the cards, I think we should be trying to get Antonio Verhoeven a West Coast lad, tall winger/centre with a lot of talent. Was in the Australian schoolboys team last year and played in the broncos preseason games last month. Jesse will always do a job but if there’s a chance to get a nz kid with superstar potential I’d take that over him

 

[ROCCO]

If bronco then Xavier Willison or Deine Mariner be good.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

.

If bronco then Xavier Willison or Deine Mariner be good.

X already off-contract at the end of next year as well

 

[BrisbaneWarrior]

Isn’t CHT’s brother at the donkeys?

 

[tajhay]

Isn’t CHT’s brother at the donkeys?

We are getting a little desperate now just so we can say we got something back in return.

 

[Boston Boy]

.

X already off-contract at the end of next year as well

They won't want to lose Xavier after losing Haas as Xavier is there point of difference moving forward. Athletic big man, who is developing nicely.
Xavier is a great fit for us as he can move back to NZ and would be awesome. Ben Te Kura seems to be a bit injury prone and is an Ozzie Born Kiwi. I would not want Arthurs, especially as his contract is up soon and he is basically a safe journey man centre and I would argue Pompey fills that role better. I would be open to sign Arthurs as depth if we moved on Berry, but I wouldn't waste an opportunity to trade him for Barnett. Surely there's someone better.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

The NRL (Peter Vlandys) is stepping in to prevent Lomax from defecting to rugby union. Could it become more of a possibility that he comes here now?