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

 

[Matiunz]

I could listen to Webster all day because you learn so much from what he says and it not just waffle. You can tell he genuinely cares about the players playing under him and I don’t think I’ve seen JFH smile so much as this whole preseason and early stages, he seems genuinely happy and invested

Think I’ve said on here before but had a chance encounter in passing with Webby. He just saw me wearing a Warriors jersey in Sydney and made a point to come over a chat for a couple of minutes and majority was him asking me questions about myself and thanking me for supporting the team.
Was a small encounter but left quite an impression and he definitely has an aura about him that he’s genuinely interested in what you have to say, can definitely see why the players buy into his vision.

 

[Dannevegas]

I agree with you on Ali. I really had high hopes he will turn into a star centre (and he still might) but he is not looking at the moment that he is on that upward trajectory. Though that easily could be an illusion.

Because Webster has shown he wants his players to develop the fundamentals of their game (takes 12 - 24 months to fully establish )in their positions until it is automatic... and then they begin to unleash the x-factor parts.

He is a smart coach!!

I think we are watching that with Ali - he certainly has more gears he can call on, but he has looked lethargic at times.

As good as we’re going, all the backs are looking pretty meh atm except Tauapiki.
Prolly because we’re just killing teams with out pack and spine but when we come up against the broncs, Storm, Penrith, etc and Finals we’re gonna need everyone firing

 

[Matiunz]

I thought Ali's endeavor has lifted a little in the last 2 games
Thoughts?

He still has the odd error in his game but they are becoming less frequent and ‘severe’ I guess? Just an impression but it seems to be a clocking out of games thing but seems to be on the improve

 

[Matiunz]

I agree with you on Ali. I really had high hopes he will turn into a star centre (and he still might) but he is not looking at the moment that he is on that upward trajectory. Though that easily could be an illusion.

Because Webster has shown he wants his players to develop the fundamentals of their game (takes 12 - 24 months to fully establish )in their positions until it is automatic... and then they begin to unleash the x-factor parts.

He is a smart coach!!

I think we are watching that with Ali - he certainly has more gears he can call on, but he has looked lethargic at times.

I know a few of us questioned it at the time not playing Ali earlier but it’s been a good turn around that the club no longer accepts our juniors not being proficient both sides of the ball and getting by on attacking flair only. See this a bit in AKP not being rushed into 1st grade after signing despite his try scoring rate and express speed we desperately need

 

[Cces]

Webby would be mad to leave anytime soon. Locking up David Tangata-Toa should be more of a priority. We'd probably need to pay him close to a first grade coaches wage to keep the wolves at bay though. That's where I'd spend any potential transfer fee from Barnett's exit

 

[Mrgrumps]

I think there’s a narrative where Boyd takes his NSW cup finals dominance and translates into the NRL. Webby would be pumping his tyres this whole offseason, at least to dominate the first 6-8 rounds. Not many people would have had Metcalfe leading the Daly M at the start of last year, Webby would have played a big part of that last off season. There would be a lot of energy going into Boyd at least for the first few rounds. He could even push Metcalfe to 6 when he returns.

In saying that, the idea of a boom rookie like Linane or Jett pushing through is more enticing as a fan

Toots horn*…. I wish I was more vocal to my mates about my early opinion

 

[WAH MAN]

Webster said as much in the Knights post match presser, that he is not looking ahead.

First hurdle is holding the 7 Jersey over Metcalf.

Webster listed all our halves, TMM, CHT, and Metcalf and said specifically "he has been the best player" when talking about Tanah vs the other halves (that is as close as you will ever hear an NRL coach say a player is leading the right to wear a jersey).

There is no doubt then, that all things being equal, Boyd will get the nod if he maintains till the day of judgement.

Webster handles these questions well (tbf he has rehearsed that answer already coz everyone know's Lara is going to ask that question).

Second hurdle is can Tanah maintain with the disruption that Metcalfs return at six will create? (they will train together so we will see).

I wonder what Metcalf's thoughts are on trialing at fullback for the Warriors, certainly not a demotion in the modern game if he wants to give it a crack.


View: https://youtu.be/hKLEF6Xxa3U?si=oRBfJlbe48blqBAT

Tanah has rightly ignited this conversation and I'm not expressing my "I am the rightest right" view but rather my opinion.

That 7 jersey is Metcalf's to wear and yield to Tanah. I can't see how Metcalf should lose the spot given the incumbency and recent contract signing.

Remember how Justin Hodges told Danny Buderus that he was number two? And Cam Smith was number one?

It's kinda like that in a humourous way.

Tanah is our number two number seven.

 

[sup42]

Tanah has rightly ignited this conversation and I'm not expressing my "I am the rightest right" view but rather my opinion.

That 7 jersey is Metcalf's to wear and yield to Tanah. I can't see how Metcalf should lose the spot given the incumbency and recent contract signing.

Remember how Justin Hodges told Danny Buderus that he was number two? And Cam Smith was number one?

It's kinda like that in a humourous way.

Tanah is our number two number seven.

From my pov no one owns any Jersey. And I see that as a major weakness of the Warriors traditionally.

For some perspective, being shifted while holding down a place in a team should be reward enough for anyone.

Fair enough if Tanah was replacing Metcalf in the team period, but he is not, no player should have the right to any number in a team if the evidence going off today's current metrics is as glaringly obvious that Tanah Boyd is the best suited to that role.

Several of our very best players are being asked to play out of position weekly, the minute you make an exception for one player you have created problems within a team culture (also it is hard to make an argument that Metcalf at six is playing him óut of position' with a straight face, given that is his life time position in the NRL).

 

[The Undertaker]

He still has the odd error in his game but they are becoming less frequent and ‘severe’ I guess? Just an impression but it seems to be a clocking out of games thing but seems to be on the improve

True. But a couple of things. One - should have scored but mistimed his run and was blown for offside. That's awareness. Two - the JFH try - he was jogging and absolutely knackered. I would have expected him to be steaming onto support Tanah... but he was barely in a canter.

It's the 1% effort areas that turn a good player into world class one. I hope over the season he continues to work on that.
Oh.... it's not all bad. 27 tackles with one misread - he's definitely improving in that area game by game.

 

[sup42]

True. But a couple of things. One - should have scored but mistimed his run and was blown for offside. That's awareness. Two - the JFH try - he was jogging and absolutely knackered. I would have expected him to be steaming onto support Tanah... but he was barely in a canter.

It's the 1% effort areas that turn a good player into world class one. I hope over the season he continues to work on that.
Oh.... it's not all bad. 27 tackles with one misread - he's definitely improving in that area game by game.

Yeah Tanah was going to pass to Ali, but he saw that he couldn't be arsed so he went himself, Ali was left in the dust of two forwards.

Pretty clear Ali is our natural selection Darwin candidate....how many rounds till the axe comes down and he is weeded out of our spotless dna?

 

[WAH MAN]

Yeah Tanah was going to pass to Ali, but he saw that he couldn't be arsed so he went himself, Ali was left in the dust of two forwards.

Pretty clear Ali is our natural selection Darwin candidate....how many rounds till the axe comes down and he is weeded out of our spotless dna?

I know you're right but hey Ford and Tanah were due for chemical castration last year and have kicked on. I reckon Ali will come right

 

[CWC]

I take issues with the “anyone can be awesome behind our pack” theory lol. Our pack has been dominant for 2 years at least and that’s memory holing all the robot plays and SJ 24/Boyd 25 versions fatiguing our backs from just attacking in the redzone and ran out of ideas

Let’s not do an Eddie Jones/Dave Rennie switcheroo to find out, it’s like a CEO is making billions but hey it’s due to the good staff he has so let’s sack him for the talented ex-CEO who’s on sick leave half the time and see what happens Case in point McFadden as recruitment manager instead of fighting Webby for the head coach role is working amazing right now.

And I am sure Barney’s money, even if we swap a journeyman or junior star and subtract the salary, will be enough to present a fair offer to Boyd, and we have leftovers from Marata, TMM, possibly Capewell on top. If we have Boyd/Metcalf/CHT 2/3 on the field plus cup/juniors trying to win a debut (Linnane/Tia/Hansen/Thompson/Jett) that’s premiership threat

Linnane should seriously try FB, Tia centre btw

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Fair enough if Tanah was replacing Metcalf in the team period, but he is not, no player should have the right to any number in a team if the evidence going off today's current metrics is as glaringly obvious that Tanah Boyd is the best suited to that role.

I think people make the mistake of thinking that individual 'talent' is the end all and be all. A player could be the best of their position, in the world, but still play crap in some systems.

There are two objective truths here.

1) we don't know how Metcalf will play in the current team.

2) we do know how Boyd does.

 

[CWC]

I think people make the mistake of thinking that individual 'talent' is the end all and be all. A player could be the best of their position, in the world, but still play crap in some systems.

There are two objective truths here.

1) we don't know how Metcalf will play in the current team.

2) we do know how Boyd does.

Hey that’s Boyd of the Gaps Fallacy. You don’t know, therefore Boyd

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I don't think we should stress out too much re TB. The ball is in his court: if he continues this rich vein of form, there is no way Webby leaves him out when Mets returns: it is CHT that makes way. As for his own personal wishes, I think TB made his intentions clear when he decided to stick it out here last year when he was languishing in cup when he had the chance to walk straight into a first grade spot at the cows. If we give him an opportunity for a long term future here, I think he would choose to stay. We can build our future around a Mets/TB halves pairing.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

According to Fox league, Grant Anderson is in the contract negotiation stage with the club, and it’s now a matter of if we get him for this season or next season.

 

[Buzz Killington]

You know what is really funny about who plays where.....
Boyd is an actual 7.
Metcalf is actually a 1, who wants to be a 7.
Taine is actually 6, who was shifted to be a 1.
Some players in the NRL, are only where they are because of injury. Some players really want to play a specific position or number. Take Zac Lomax for example. He wanted to a center, but ended up being a world class winger. But he wants to be a center, so he sulks and quits.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out, because Boyd is on fire. I don't think you can take that position for him for anyone right now. The reality is Metcalf was and still is, learning the position. Boyd is owning it!

 

[Defence]

I don’t get the interest in anderson- really hoping it doesn’t eventuate.

 

[Cces]

TB made his intentions clear when he decided to stick it out here last year when he was languishing in cup when he had the chance to walk straight into a first grade spot at the cows.

Who was he going to replace at the Cowboys? Didn't they want him to play #9?

 

[CWC]

Foran doing overtime on Fox today, feels like he’s somehow endorsing us a lot through his mate Boyd’s progress for the whole weekend

We have 5M people here and a bunch in aussie so it’d be a missed opportunity if they don’t cover our stories like any average NRL team, we probably have more fans and customers than a bunch of Sydney based team

Feels like they are making commentators work extra time on fox as well, an hour pre game, games then commentators have to do post game on the field as well. The Walters crawl seems to be their go to meme rn lol