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

 

[Jaffa J]

We’re talking about a guy that’s played 16 games at center in the nrl not a 150 game veteran- Ali’s started more games at center than he has- I don’t see why he gets a free pass straight into the side- we’re top of the table.

I think Anderson provides more at this point in time Ali can still kick on in these coming weeks but he looks abit heavy and his lateral is slow Anderson was starting for the storm and had a solid season last year

 

[CWC]

Define trash….

Literal ones like Matt Lodge, Kane Evans, or ability wise Volkman, Ilias, BMM…

GA made the storm team now the broncos, might not be flashy but a workman, Webby wants a workman right centre for effort plays….he looks like a 2017 CNK with more speed and less power, unsure about heart lol.

 

[tajhay]

Curious how Webby would try to sell the Warriors to Anderson. With the new 6 man bench, he would be invaluable in that role covering 1-5. Well a lot more valuable than AKP who is a specialist left wing

 

[CWC]

Curious how Webby would try to sell the Warriors to Anderson. With the new 6 man bench, he would be invaluable in that role covering 1-5. Well a lot more valuable than AKP who is a specialist left wing

Probably a walk in right centre who mid-game covers wing and emergency five eighth, if Healey over CHT on bench then a half or wing goes down opens the option of TT off bench covering FB, CNK centre GA 6/wing, no pack movement required.

And a maiden premiership, probably won’t wanna go from storm to broncos then titans or dragons

 

[Ferdie]

Just to play devils advocate on whether to resign Boyd.
Is it actually our coaching and systems that are recreating world class 7s?

2023 - SJ robbed of Dally M.
2024 - No consistent half due to injuries
2025 - Metcalf leads Dally M race until injury mid season.
2026 - Boyd already in the Dally M conversation.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Just to play devils advocate on whether to resign Boyd.
Is it actually our coaching and systems that are recreating world class 7s?

2023 - SJ robbed of Dally M.
2024 - No consistent half due to injuries
2025 - Metcalf leads Dally M race until injury mid season.
2026 - Boyd already in the Dally M conversation.

The Dally M rewards a player that stands out above their team mates.

Until this year our play was very much boring, structured and low error, with SJ and then Metcalf winning games as the only player with freedom and license to use x-factor.

The Dally M essentially rewards unbalanced teams, as we were being ultra defensive/ low error.

This year with more Warriors players playing an expansive game, the points for our team will be shared around.

 

[ToiletDuck]

Auckland may not have been on Anderson's radar at all, but if I was him I'd look at the positives.
He's on the fringes at Brisbane, who have more depth in the outside backs than we do currently.
Similar to Bellamy, Webster has a proven track record of improving fringe first grade players just like him. Looking at Ford, Boyd, Barnett, Clarke etc.

I'm not sure Madge is that sort of guy at Brisbane, his career to date suggests he does better with established first graders and rep players.
I'd be willing to bet Anderson plays more first grade and is a better overall footballer 2-3 years from now in our system vs Broncos.

As for Boyd, it's early days but all signs are he has finally turned a corner. If he can continue like this I'd be trying to extend him another couple of years. In an ideal world Boyd plays 7 and Metcalf plays 6 and they develop a long and fruitful combination. That'll obviously require Metcalf compromising on which jersey he wears and staying fit. I think losing Boyd at this stage given how much effort the club goes to sign and develop halves would be a real shame. Not to mention the fact that Metcalf has yet to play a full NRL season at the age of 27.

We'll have some competition though. Obvious contenders for his signature are Perth and PNG, but there are teams like the Dragons who are crying out for a decent half and won't be afraid to splash the cash if needed.

 

[Ferdie]

The Dally M rewards a player that stands out above their team mates.

Until this year our play was very much boring, structured and low error, with SJ and then Metcalf winning games as the only player with freedom and license to use x-factor.

The Dally M essentially rewards unbalanced teams, as we were being ultra defensive/ low error.

This year with more Warriors players playing an expansive game, the points for our team will be shared around.

The 2023 version of SJ was more of a controlling half (like Boyd), rather than X factor.

 

[Noitall]

Not sure if this is a real picture?

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Interesting segment with CGeorge at 37:55

He hints at contract talks happening relatively soon.


View: https://youtu.be/z3igWIVq1NI?si=gALqXshqFHDAsGkg

He's a very coy businessman, old Cameron. Likes to keep his hand close to his chest.

 

[sup42]

All I care about with Anderson is can he tackle and pass and catch a loose ball?

I don't care if he is Vanilla like Pompey, in fact the more he is like Pompey the happier I will be (it is obvious he is faster than Pompey).

The direction this club is headed is to increasingly play 'live wire' eyes up football - and for that to work you MUST have centers with great hands and you MUST have centers that can lock an edge down when your jungle ball goes to shit.

Having Pompey 2.0 would afford the Warriors to go full Penrith, Storm, throw calculated freak wild ball hail Mary game winners.

And just on this idea that Webster can improve average players - look at what Pompey is doing, he is scoring Try's, offloading (some beautiful offloads) and Webster has him using footwork and side stepping - pretty much all of the missing parts of his game.

As others have said, imagine what Webster could do with someone like Anderson where the baseline is arguably a higher starting point than where Pompey was.

Also, it won't be long before Ali breaks or pulls something, because he plays in that dangerous middle zone of hesitant commitment, and in contact sport that gets you killed.

Last of all, with two Pompey Vanilla centers ahead of you....if Ali can't add the 1 +1 of that equation then you want to get rid of him.

 

[Wrighty]

In terms of him being another Pompey
When I looked up his tackle percentage from last year it was 83 percent
Top defensive centres are about 90 percent
Pompey was high eighties last time I checked

 

[Wrighty]

Anderson’s main prowess is try scoring
He scored 11 times last season
More modest at try assists with only 4

 

[Cces]

@Wrighty, using his 2025 numbers is a bit tricky as he played more Wing than Centre, hence why Assists are low. Could influence Tackle % too

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

View attachment 16440


Not sure if this is a real picture?

Seems legit

 

[sup42]

In terms of him being another Pompey
When I looked up his tackle percentage from last year it was 83 percent
Top defensive centres are about 90 percent
Pompey was high eighties last time I checked

Top 5 NRL Centres by Tackle Efficiency (2025 Season)

1. Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins)
   • Tackle Efficiency: 94.00%
   • Tackles Made: 282
   • Missed Tackles: 18
2. Adam Pompey (Warriors)
   • Tackle Efficiency: 88.10%
   • Tackles Made: 274
   • Missed Tackles: 37
3. Bronson Xerri (Bulldogs)
   • Tackle Efficiency: 87.14%
   • Tackles Made: 244
   • Missed Tackles: 36
4. Kotoni Staggs (Broncos)
   • Tackle Efficiency: 85.99%
   • Tackles Made: 405
   • Missed Tackles: 66
5. Matthew Timoko (Raiders)
   • Tackle Efficiency: 84.25%
   • Tackles Made: 353
   • Missed Tackles: 66

Source: Official NRL Player Profiles (2025 Season D

That would place his performances around 6th....or another way to say it is above average.

 

[Garry Saloon]

The Dally M rewards a player that stands out above their team mates.

Until this year our play was very much boring, structured and low error, with SJ and then Metcalf winning games as the only player with freedom and license to use x-factor.

The Dally M essentially rewards unbalanced teams, as we were being ultra defensive/ low error.

This year with more Warriors players playing an expansive game, the points for our team will be shared around.

They're not being shared around though. Ford has gone 6, 6, 5

 

[Defence]

Literal ones like Matt Lodge, Kane Evans, or ability wise Volkman, Ilias, BMM…

GA made the storm team now the broncos, might not be flashy but a workman, Webby wants a workman right centre for effort plays….he looks like a 2017 CNK with more speed and less power, unsure about heart lol.

Looks more like the next Dane Nielsen/ Todd lawrie to me….

 

[Defence]

All I care about with Anderson is can he tackle and pass and catch a loose ball?

I don't care if he is Vanilla like Pompey, in fact the more he is like Pompey the happier I will be (it is obvious he is faster than Pompey).

The direction this club is headed is to increasingly play 'live wire' eyes up football - and for that to work you MUST have centers with great hands and you MUST have centers that can lock an edge down when your jungle ball goes to shit.

Having Pompey 2.0 would afford the Warriors to go full Penrith, Storm, throw calculated freak wild ball hail Mary game winners.

And just on this idea that Webster can improve average players - look at what Pompey is doing, he is scoring Try's, offloading (some beautiful offloads) and Webster has him using footwork and side stepping - pretty much all of the missing parts of his game.

As others have said, imagine what Webster could do with someone like Anderson where the baseline is arguably a higher starting point than where Pompey was.

Also, it won't be long before Ali breaks or pulls something, because he plays in that dangerous middle zone of hesitant commitment, and in contact sport that gets you killed.

Last of all, with two Pompey Vanilla centers ahead of you....if Ali can't add the 1 +1 of that equation then you want to get rid of him.

I think you’re being a bit harsh on Pompey there- I wouldn’t call him vanilla- have another look at last years highlights- I’d say he’s a better defender than Anderson too- I always thought he looked like the weak link at the storm.

 

[Five&Last]

He's a very coy businessman, old Cameron. Likes to keep his hand close to his chest.

Also its Cappy who makes personnel decisions and ultimately manages the cap.

Cam probably just doesn't know.