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

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

And Berry?

Careful.

He's somewhat of a religious icon, to some, around here.

 

[rugged]

Or Hingano.

If he's a half / centre I'm having Joel Moon flash backs.

 

[Blain]

I can't see Barnett leaving this year at all. Broncos won't have any cash available and judging by Barnett on SJ's show Monday, he's 100% in this season.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Modern day Kevin Campion. Campion only stayed for 2 years if I remember correctly but those two years were transformational for the young bucks at the time. Barney may have only been here for 4 years, but the rewards from investing in him have been massive, on and off the field. The way the young bucks responded on Friday night is just the start. Happy for Barney to see out his career in Aussie with our blessing. That is of course, after leading us to our first prem this year!

if the rumors are true, we'll have on our books for wing/center next year- Warbrick, Arthurs, Pompey, Berry, maybe one of DWZ of RTS, Mellars and AKP. I'd say we've addressed our depth issues in these areas for the next few years.

 

[rugged]

can't see Barnett leaving this year at all. Broncos won't have any cash available and judging by Barnett on SJ's show Monday, he's 100% in this season.

That doesn't mean we can't ask for the kid straight away. Not much point in Broncos developing him if he is def coming

 

[Barty]

If true... could you imagine Cassius Tia and Antonio Verhoeven landing on the Warriors book at the same time?

That is INSANE!!!! Totally bonkers.

No way Broncos would let Antonio go though... They would verge on absolute stupidity.

I believe this is what is happening. And if it does. FANTASTIC work to Cappy etc. Webby spoke at the end of last season about a "jigsaw piece or two" away from a premiership. "Nio" will tilt the bar - in my view. Potential ceiling of a GI. If the young guns continue to progress at the rate they have ie. TSS. It's happy days.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

I’m actually ok with this, for a few reasons.

1: he was gone anyway. he’s returning for family reasons and despite the frustration of losing our captain, I respect & accept his decision to leave.
- he’s a 32 year old middle coming of an ACL injury. There’s no guarantee he’s the same player in a year’s time, let alone 2-3.
- we actually have great forward & middle depth, with Tanner stepping up, with support from Demi, ford, Rodney tuipolotu-vea, our next gen middles.
- We have no centres, with Ali only holding down the spot due to a lack in options. Rocco is injured again, and we’re 1 injury away from moving our fullback to centre, or worse, our best back rower. We cannot keep doing this & except success coming up against the games elite centres.
- verhoeven is one of the best outside back prospects in the game. He’s still a few years away, but bringing him back to NZ is a great move, as he’ll play NRL in the near future.
- Arthur’s is out of favour at the broncos, but we’ve seen what he can do both for the warriors & the nz Māori - he’s a great player. Outstanding defence & has attacking upside, he’d be our best centre when he arrives.

So despite it being a shit station, I think looking broadly, we’ve won overall. We’ve acquired two players in a position we’re desperate in & we can balance our cap. The reality is he was going to leave regardless, at least we got something out of it, and that something is a future star in verhoeven, and a bloody handy player in Arthur’s.

 

[WAH MAN]

And Berry?

Berry might make a great blue shirt runner or even a ref or touchie. Gets paid good. Travels. Gets to stay fit. Gets to be on TV. Win win

 

[Playdaball]

Hot News:
Broncos get Barnett and in exchange we get one of their ball boys

 

[Dead Man Switch]

Looking at the depth chart and who replaces who if this signing happens...

Te Maire Martin - Cassius Tia
Rocco Berry - Antonio Verhoeven

Of the players left unsigned, I think they likely resign Tanah Boyd and CHT another year or two. If Jett Cleary fires up and dominates in NSW then one will go.

RTS extended a year.

Linnane/Tuapiki will likely come into the mix for the Fullback spot towards back end of the year.

Leaving one of Marata Niukore and Kurt Capewell to remain and then the Warriors will look to promote one junior or sign another experienced forward. Likely junior being Paea (Christian) Sikuvea.

With the depth mounting, some of these players will begin sweating bricks.

 

[rugged]

“Ultimately, it came down to family and the connection that Mitch’s wife has with her brother in Brisbane,” Barnett’s agent, Gavin Orr, said.

Walshy wanted to be closer to his kid.... now we have Barnett's mrs wanting to be nearer to her brother - next Egan will be moving back to NSW to be closer to his year 10 geography teacher! I really hope the compassionate grounds were around deeper family issues and it was just a poorly worded statement from Orr.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

“Ultimately, it came down to family and the connection that Mitch’s wife has with her brother in Brisbane,” Barnett’s agent, Gavin Orr, said.

Walshy wanted to be closer to his kid.... now we have Barnett's mrs wanting to be nearer to her brother - next Egan will be moving back to NSW to be closer to his year 10 geography teacher! I really hope the compassionate grounds were around deeper family issues and it was just a poorly worded statement from Orr.

Don't forget: AFB wanted to be closer to his family, too.

As did Dylan Walker

Hang on....

 

[MrFrankWhite]

All of a sudden we are flush with players.. Even in the halves now

CHT
Metcalf
Boyd
TMM
Linnane
Inch
Cleary
Jack Thompson
Luke Hanson
Tia

 

[Riz]

All of a sudden we are flush with players.. Even in the halves now

CHT
Metcalf
Boyd
TMM
Linnane
Inch
Cleary
Jack Thompson
Luke Hanson
Tia

Honestly it's a bit unnerving, I don't know how to feel about this...

 

[MrFrankWhite]

That’s why I see CHT still unsigned beyond this year and I have to assume he’s gone.

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

That’s why I see CHT still unsigned beyond this year and I have to assume he’s gone.

I'm assuming TMM, Hanson, and possibly Boyd/Cleary

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Berry
Boyd
Capewell
Marata
TMM
RTS

All gone IMHO

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I'm assuming TMM, Hanson, and possibly Boyd/Cleary

Boyd I assume gets a pay day at Perth / PNG.

 

[JaggedJ]

Berry
Boyd
Capewell
Marata
TMM
RTS

All gone IMHO

I'm thinking a Capewah extension, but the rest are most likely.

Even add DWZ to the list if his 2027 spot is option dependent.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Honestly it's a bit unnerving, I don't know how to feel about this...

My mate, who I have season tickets with (Storm supporter), made an off comment when the boys ran on last friday.

"That's a premiership winning jersey, right there".

Didn't talk about it afterwards.

This club has really improved its recruitment strategies. I'd put some of it down to a bit of luck with fish coming over, most of it with the appeal that coach Webby brings and the way that the club is now being run from the top.

It feels like this club is ALOT more of an attractive prospect these days and it's kind of freaking me out.