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

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

There's nothing stopping this being another Walsh situation for us. We invest a lot of time bringing him into first grade and then goes back to Brisbane after a few years seeking compassionate release.

He's a Kiwi, isn't he?

 

[tajhay]

There's nothing stopping this being another Walsh situation for us. We invest a lot of time bringing him into first grade and then goes back to Brisbane after a few years seeking compassionate release.

Hes from NZ (South Island)

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Hes from NZ (South Island)

really? never mind then haha. Welcome home son!

 

[JaggedJ]

There's a list of players we're looking at. Antonio is just one of them.

Game's are about to start so probably little movement until Saturday at the earliest.

 

[Billyspleen75]

Hes from NZ (South Island)

The fanbase is bad enough with these compassionate releases to Aus.

Just wait till 2030 Dally M centre of the Year, Antonio Verhoeven, asks for a compassionate release from the Warriors to play for the South Island Keas so he can be closer to family

 

[Defence]

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

Verhoeven isn’t even in the broncos top 30- barnetts an Australian front rower.
They’ll drive him to the airport.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

The fanbase is bad enough with these compassionate releases to Aus.

Just wait till 2030 Dally M centre of the Year, Antonio Verhoeven, asks for a compassionate release from the Warriors to play for the South Island Keas so he can be closer to family

we'll tolerate it if he is part of the first wahs premiership winning side before the second NZ team comes in.

 

[Makasene]

There's nothing stopping this being another Walsh situation for us. We invest a lot of time bringing him into first grade and then goes back to Brisbane after a few years seeking compassionate release.

I'm thinking the Warriors don't mind the compassionate issue too much.

Sign these guys to long deals and try cherry pick a replacement.

It's worked out pretty well so far for us.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I'm thinking the Warriors don't mind the compassionate issue too much.

Sign these guys to long deals and try cherry pick a replacement.

It's worked out pretty well so far for us.

I think we do. If we are building long term plans around these signings, the compassionate releases ruin years of careful planning. The fact that we've been able to find suitable replacements in the past (CNK for Walsh and JFH for AFB) doesn't change that fact. The fact that we are developing junior platforms also softens the blow I guess.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

really? never mind then haha. Welcome home son!

West Coaster! They breed em tough out those ways. Tongan & Dutch heritage. With those genetics, He'll be 7ft5 and 190kg by next year.

 

[Five&Last]

Yeah they need to dig their their heals in on getting Verhoeven. Would be happy with just that. We don't need Arthars.

 

[JaggedJ]

Arthars is off contract. They can't offer him unless they want Barnett in 2026.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Yeah they need to dig their their heals in on getting Verhoeven. Would be happy with just that. We don't need Arthars.

Agree re verhoeven, but I’d argue we do need someone like Arthur’s. Rocco can’t string 5 games together, and is off contract, potentially won’t be retained. Ali is a huge work in progress and imo is only in the starting side because Rocco is injured. We’re also 1 injury away from moving capes or leka to centre & we simply won’t compete with the elite teams running back rowers there.

He’s hardly outstanding, but he’s an experienced solid first grader, in a position we need. Our juniors aren’t ready, that’s the reality. Kali got carved up last week at cup, and caelys isn’t exactly knocking the door down.

 

[Noitall]

He’s hardly outstanding, but he’s an experienced solid first grader, in a position we need. Our juniors aren’t ready, that’s the reality. Kali got carved up last week at cup, and caelys isn’t exactly knocking the door down.

Really thought Jesse Arthars played well when he came over on loan and seemed to have a real passion for the jersey and went back to broncos a better player in my opinion where he picked up an extension from them. I’d be happy to see him join

 

[Five&Last]

Agree re verhoeven, but I’d argue we do need someone like Arthur’s. Rocco can’t string 5 games together, and is off contract, potentially won’t be retained. Ali is a huge work in progress and imo is only in the starting side because Rocco is injured. We’re also 1 injury away from moving capes or leka to centre & we simply won’t compete with the elite teams running back rowers there.

He’s hardly outstanding, but he’s an experienced solid first grader, in a position we need. Our juniors aren’t ready, that’s the reality. Kali got carved up last week at cup, and caelys isn’t exactly knocking the door down.

So he's off contract end of this year, which means that Brisbane would have to release him now. We have one top 30 spot open.

I agree there is a need with Ali playing poorly, Berry injured, Kali/Putoko not impressing early. I wouldn't be opposed to it. But I'd rather atleast try to invest in Ali first and then we know what he is after an extended run, its kind of make or break in terms of his defense this season. If he doesn't learn to make tackles this season, he's probably not a first grader (jersey grabs like that get you bannished to the shadow realm)

We also don't know if we have the cap space to take on Arthars contract this season without giving anyone up (assuming we would be holding Barnett this season)

 

[CWC]

I'm thinking the Warriors don't mind the compassionate issue too much.

Sign these guys to long deals and try cherry pick a replacement.

It's worked out pretty well so far for us.

By this point the current regime has probably worked out that you can sign aussies for 3+ year deals and let Webby turn them into stars, then announce their compassionate release to get star kiwis who want to return home to call HQ, we've clearly progressed to using the player to do a direct swap which was an idea dismissed here forever

I'd take the dutch/kiwi teen and Arthurs, who I thought played well during covid, and imagine Webby makes him level up to career best form in our weakest position? doesn't get injured all the time either.

I hope it works out, Mage is the coach and Barney loves us. Interesting the pre-game show on Fox tonight the reporter at Brisbane was throwing out names other than the kiwi teen - Staggs, Arthurs, Mariner, Riki. Key take away is the way they are discussing right now they've gone past the IF player swap will happen stage to the WHO will be swapped stage

And like those supreme court cases this might become our landmark case and standard practice for future compassionate releases, if it happens we need to build a statue for Barney at Mt Smart

 

[Makasene]

I think we do. If we are building long term plans around these signings, the compassionate releases ruin years of careful planning. The fact that we've been able to find suitable replacements in the past (CNK for Walsh and JFH for AFB) doesn't change that fact. The fact that we are developing junior platforms also softens the blow I guess.

I'm not saying it's not frustrating for us, but I also don't think the club truly believed the likes of Walsh would be a one club Warrior.

In terms of long-term planning, I doubt there is much concrete long-term stuff. You can really only look to next season in most cases, That's why we rarely do an immediate release, it stuffs you.

I get a sense that we are embracing our unique 'compassionate leave' aspect as a bargaining chip.

AFB was a bit of a dirty one, asking for an immediate release while not even being in the country!

Let's see what happens with this but if this Bronc back is as good as people are saying then this is a masterstroke if we pull it off.

 

[Makasene]

By this point the current regime has probably worked out that you can sign aussies for 3+ year deals and let Webby turn them into stars, then announce their compassionate release to get star kiwis who want to return home to call HQ, we've clearly progressed to using the player to do a direct swap which was an idea dismissed here forever

Buy low sell high, a bold strategy.

We used to buy high and sell low, also bold.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

AFB was a bit of a dirty one, asking for an immediate release while not even being in the country!

I get the feeling that the AFB situation was probably one of the only leavings that the club was taken off guard by

Development systems take a while to start producing and AFB leaving was a little early, in the desired timeline.

We're in the player production business now, boys.

What we can't make, we build the pathway for and/or fill the role with an import.

That's the vibe I'm getting, anyway.

 

[rugged]

There's nothing stopping this being another Walsh situation for us. We invest a lot of time bringing him into first grade and then goes back to Brisbane after a few years seeking compassionate release.

We now know the club are requiring something in exchange for compassionate releases. Isn't he from the South Island so hard to see the same family cards being played - sounds like he's worth the risk