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

 

[Cces]

Very interesting what will happen to Berry, seemed to be 1 year away from becoming an established solid FG centre, then that nerve injury destroyed his shoulder. Did he have a 2nd surgery this year or was it the 1st from the last Manly game? He's 25 this year so how long can they repeat this type of season and if he busts it again this year after 1-2 games is that it?

Into his 6th season & his most consistent effort was 2023 when he started 16 (59%) of our games.
Not quite in the Kyle Stanley category, but Ben Henry was available more regularly than Berry

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Into his 6th season & his most consistent effort was 2023 when he started 16 (59%) of our games.
Not quite in the Kyle Stanley category, but Ben Henry was available more regularly than Berry

Surely this is his last opportunity with us. Not sure when hes back, but one more injury this year (outside of a 1 week concussion stand down) and I think we need to move on.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Surely this is his last opportunity with us. Not sure when hes back, but one more injury this year (outside of a 1 week concussion stand down) and I think we need to move on.

Should already be too late. Entering sunk costs fallacy territory

 

[SBW1]

Jordan Riki and Andersen would be good additions.

 

[Wrighty]

George isn't gullible, getting any player to the Warriors is the EU equivalent of offering an "exciting employment opportunity in arse'n crack'n Transylvania"

The Broncos probably asked Verhoeven and he said "nah my mates are here" and the Broncos shielded him by saying no....

Cam George has overseen the most successful overseas signing period of the Warriors since Wiki and Price, NZ Sux bro...it's too far away, too expensive, too cold.

No Bronco woke up one morning and thought 'great the Broncos want to transfer me to Hobbiton"

I retract that he is gullible that was too pejorative. He is unskilled at negotiating.
He granted Barnett a release for next year immediately and then tried to ransom other clubs but the release had been granted so he had no leverage. Next time don't grant the release until the wheeling and dealing is done.
Better explanation ? I am sure your explanation is part of it as well.

 

[Noitall]

I retract that he is gullible that was too pejorative. He is unskilled at negotiating.
He granted Barnett a release for next year immediately and then tried to ransom other clubs but the release had been granted so he had no leverage. Next time don't grant the release until the wheeling and dealing is done.
Better explanation ? I am sure your explanation is part of it as well.

Bit of a double edged sword where you can look like a real cunt playing hardball with a guy who needs to leave because our country doesn’t have the required medical capacity that his child needs. Really don’t know how anyone can be too critical of anything Warriors as a club are doing currently, they seem to be hitting home runs all over the place

 

[Wrighty]

Bit of a double edged sword where you can look like a real cunt playing hardball with a guy who needs to leave because our country doesn’t have the required medical capacity that his child needs. Really don’t know how anyone can be too critical of anything Warriors as a club are doing currently, they seem to be hitting home runs all over the place

Than don't ask for compensation. Just let him go. I agree, now that you point it out, the optics of what I proposed would have been bad PR for the club. However, from a negotiations theory perspective I am correct, you need leverage, there needs to be quid pro quo. Or considerations exchanged from both parties and the warriors are giving up nothing to the Broncos and wanting a player back. What I mean is that is there is no considerations in the deal coming from the warriors. They have already surrendered Barnett so they aren't actually giving him to the Broncos. He is choosing to go there after he was released.
Anyway - I don't mean to annoy anybody - I was just making a point having taken a negotiation class at graduate business school.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Than don't ask for compensation. Just let him go. I agree, now that you point it out, the optics of what I proposed would have been bad PR for the club. However, from a negotiations theory perspective I am correct, you need leverage, there needs to be quid pro quo. Or considerations exchanged from both parties and the warriors are giving up nothing to the Broncos and wanting a player back. What I mean is that is there is no considerations in the deal coming from the warriors. They have already surrendered Barnett so they aren't actually giving him to the Broncos. He is choosing to go there after he was released.
Anyway - I don't mean to annoy anybody - I was just making a point having taken a negotiation class at graduate business school.

Good morning wrighty.

 

[Noitall]

Than don't ask for compensation. Just let him go. I agree, now that you point it out, the optics of what I proposed would have been bad PR for the club. However, from a negotiations theory perspective I am correct, you need leverage, there needs to be quid pro quo. Or considerations exchanged from both parties and the warriors are giving up nothing to the Broncos and wanting a player back. What I mean is that is there is no considerations in the deal coming from the warriors. They have already surrendered Barnett so they aren't actually giving him to the Broncos. He is choosing to go there after he was released.
Anyway - I don't mean to annoy anybody - I was just making a point having taken a negotiation class at graduate business school.

No annoyance from me but I personally think the club has done the right thing. Like AFB leaving, both have been granted for compassionate reasons because of the reasons they stated for needing to leave the club and the club could look really callous in playing tough with their contracts. We didn’t get to know who the targets were at sharks when AFB went over, but have made our intentions known in this time. It’s a different situation to Lomax and eels playing hardball because there’s nothing compassionate about his wanting out of eels and all money driven. I wouldn’t surprised if we get Jesse Arthurs this year with his contract expiring at the end of the year and we potentially offer him a contract? Broncos aren’t letting Anderson go after just recruiting him and Verhoeven seems unlikely. The player needs to be obliging too

 

[Neo]

Than don't ask for compensation. Just let him go. I agree, now that you point it out, the optics of what I proposed would have been bad PR for the club. However, from a negotiations theory perspective I am correct, you need leverage, there needs to be quid pro quo. Or considerations exchanged from both parties and the warriors are giving up nothing to the Broncos and wanting a player back. What I mean is that is there is no considerations in the deal coming from the warriors. They have already surrendered Barnett so they aren't actually giving him to the Broncos. He is choosing to go there after he was released.
Anyway - I don't mean to annoy anybody - I was just making a point having taken a negotiation class at graduate business school.

I don’t think it was necessarily to get anything back on this one Wrighty. I think it was a message to other agents, that if you come for our players and agitate for a compassionate release, it will be conditional. As others have said there was never a world in which we would deny Barnett leaving given the circumstances. However if we actively demonstrate that he is still under contract with us, and you have to satisfy the club before a contract can be registered with the NRL, it sets a better precedent for the future.

 

[Brightman]

I was just making a point having taken a negotiation class at graduate business school.

Sorry @Wrighty but that doctrine has been superceded by the Trump school of negotiations..

 

[Buzz Killington]

There was an a clip, maybe on the League Lounge. Cam George says that they expect something back, but he is very clear that its up to Barnetts manager to provide some compensation when negotiating his new deal. People are reading and expecting too much in this situation. It is all only possibilities. But Barnetts manager can possibly negotiate players that are under contract. Players that we can not approach. Then it all comes down to players we want, and players that want to move country. Its all a huge maybe, but highly unlikely that we get anyone at all, or someone that would make you guys happy.

 

[Completion Rate]

Just a note on RTS and the rumors about Will Warbrick.
We've seen this done before: Wahs ask about Davy Moale then release Ale who's probably in the same development tier. Moale's asking for too much, Ale gets let go. Its in order to get a market valuation on a home-grown player.
They likely see RTS in the same salary bracket at WW so request asking price in order to see what they can be realistically expected to pay for said player on the market.
Now we hear RTS is free to look around, and we have a price thats competitive but probably under market value. RTS is free to make any decision he wishes but the club can now see where his salary would fit should he stay.

 

[Noitall]

Just a note on RTS and the rumors about Will Warbrick.
We've seen this done before: Wahs ask about Davy Moale then release Ale who's probably in the same development tier. Moale's asking for too much, Ale gets let go. Its in order to get a market valuation on a home-grown player.
They likely see RTS in the same salary bracket at WW so request asking price in order to see what they can be realistically expected to pay for said player on the market.
Now we hear RTS is free to look around, and we have a price thats competitive but probably under market value. RTS is free to make any decision he wishes but the club can now see where his salary would fit should he stay.

Wouldn’t be surprised to see a swan song at the roosters with Tupou getting on? RTS could fill a void with Mark N going to rugby until and if he returns?

 

[snake77]

There was an a clip, maybe on the League Lounge. Cam George says that they expect something back, but he is very clear that its up to Barnetts manager to provide some compensation when negotiating his new deal. People are reading and expecting too much in this situation. It is all only possibilities. But Barnetts manager can possibly negotiate players that are under contract. Players that we can not approach. Then it all comes down to players we want, and players that want to move country. Its all a huge maybe, but highly unlikely that we get anyone at all, or someone that would make you guys happy.

A deal with the Broncos to get a player requires someone wanting to move from the biggest club in the competition, the reigning premiers. I live in Auckland, grew up in small town NZ so am surprised I enjoy Auckland. However even I'd admit moving from Brisbane to Auckland is a tough sell.

The main thing would be if a Kiwi wants to return home or someone sees a better opportunity here.

I know the Eels/Lomax situation they said the money doesn't mean too much to the Eels. We should consider pushing for it a possibility. Use the extra money to invest in our pathways or the local game.

 

[mrblonde]

Than don't ask for compensation. Just let him go. I agree, now that you point it out, the optics of what I proposed would have been bad PR for the club. However, from a negotiations theory perspective I am correct, you need leverage, there needs to be quid pro quo. Or considerations exchanged from both parties and the warriors are giving up nothing to the Broncos and wanting a player back. What I mean is that is there is no considerations in the deal coming from the warriors. They have already surrendered Barnett so they aren't actually giving him to the Broncos. He is choosing to go there after he was released.
Anyway - I don't mean to annoy anybody - I was just making a point having taken a negotiation class at graduate business school.

The thing for me here is that it appears that Mitch and family are prepared to live with whatever services/skills New Zealand can offer them in terms of their child and their issues until November/December.
So he's feeling no need to leave now. Therefore he's not pushing for it and obviously given how he's been for us, the Warriors aren't happy to tell him "Well, look, we're sorry it's ended this way, but wouldn't you and your family be better off if you went now?" (subtle hint that he's not really been that great and wouldn't be missed if he buggered off tomorrow).
But nobody would mind if it happened now, it's just the Warriors quite rightly IMO going "Well, if you, Broncos, want our damn good player now, we want your damn good player now."

 

[Makasene]

RTS interested in a 2 year deal in Sydney.

Manly have already ruled themselves out. At 34 RTS is not old enough for their recruitment team

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

RTS interested in a 2 year deal in Sydney.

Manly have already ruled themselves out. At 34 RTS is not old enough for their recruitment team

Im signing Roger even if he doesn't play the last year, clauses can be put in for things like this.

 

[rugged]

Anyone have a guess on what we may have left sitting in our current year cap? One of the ways we can keep Boyd is giving him an instant bump now on the agreement of a two year extension.

People may say it is getting carried away to offer him big dollars after three performances, but I’m sold. Very complete performances with kicking, running and passing - he will cost a lot to keep but we have to do it especially with LMs inhury profile

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Anyone have a guess on what we may have left sitting in our current year cap? One of the ways we can keep Boyd is giving him an instant bump now on the agreement of a two year extension.

People may say it is getting carried away to offer him big dollars after three performances, but I’m sold. Very complete performances with kicking, running and passing - he will cost a lot to keep but we have to do it especially with LMs inhury profile

Extending/upgrading him and Jacko are top priorities