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

 

[Horriors2013]

We rejected then negotiated with NAS later on? I must have dementia….we did?

Would be nice if we have more intel on why from Rocci etc (can’t spell, the bald fox looking untrustworthy looking guy lol)

Berry really is the centre we need but his shoulder’s gone. Anderson looks like a carbon copy then he breaks his knee The Curse

I'm happy to rotate Leiataua and Berry, but Berry needs to take a paycut.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

I thought Radcliffe was good. Then I saw Lemana, was even better. Then I saw Olsen and I saw something special. In my view, he's got a bright future if he keeps improving.

I noticed Lemana first. Thought he was going to be our main man(He still might be) Then Ratcliffe, Who i thought was at least on par, If not better. But, Lemana was out with a serious injury so it was hard to compare the 2. I think Lemana is more versatile and could play in the halves.

Then Olsen came along. And I'm blown away how good this kid is.

Be interesting who the club makes a priority in the near future out of the 3. Or, If we can trial them in different position's like what we're doing with Lemana now. Ratcliffe has the size and work ethic , footwork to possibly make a good centre if we're looking at Lemana or Olsen taking the fb jersey.

Exciting times for our club. If we can keep these 3 & Bishop Neal together.

 

[Five&Last]

Where do you see Kaian Olsen playing among this lot bro? Could he over take Lemana/Ratcliffe for a FB spot? Does he have the ability/skill set to play 6?

If I had to guess I would say he will overtake them for fullback. Shouldn't effect Lemana who is more versatile (center his probably his best position anyway), but Ratcliffe is less versatile (too small for center and wasn't a fan of his play in the halves the other week for Flegg). So will be interesting to watch Ratcliffe vs Olsen over the next few years. Good to have competition as it forces them to get better but means we won't be able to keep them all.

Ratcliffe is the in form guy. In my opinion he was the best fullback in the SG ball comp this year (in a mostly losing team). But there is just something about Kaian Olsen.

The speed with Olsen, both off the mark and top end, is insanity. Something I dont think we've ever had or developed, those sort of players just don't seem to exist in NZ. Will be the SG ball fullback and Flegg wing next year so we'll see how he looks playing behind a better performing team. He played behind a pretty poorly coached team that underperformed this year and still looked really good. And nah I don't see him ever being able to play 6. He's more a fullback that will get fast tracked through the wing.

 

[Five&Last]

Could even see him as a 13. Big body, loves the contact — bit of young Greg Florimo about him. Has a nice pass and vision too.

Goal kicking’s a rollercoaster after I wrapped him a few weeks ago. Still got it over Pasikala who can go 8/8 one week, then turns into his twin the next — Jiff Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) Bowfinger vibes

Yes I agree, I think he'll play 6 mostly (maybe even 7) through most of his career and then could definitely move into a 13 role in his late twenties. He's a big body.

Couldn't disagree more with the fullback shouts on here, I need more pace out of my fullback.

And I dont think he could ever even be a full-time center. He's just not agile or quick enough off the mark (compared to our current center stocks anyway). Plus absolute waste of his playmaking creativity and kicking.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

And nah I don't see him ever being able to play 6. He's more a fullback that will get fast tracked through the wing.

Yeah I thought so too. Feel for the club having to figure out how to keep these kids in the near future.

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

Drinkwater being released by the Cowboys? We can save him from having to go to the Dragons!

 

[Horriors2013]

Yeah I thought so too. Feel for the club having to figure out how to keep these kids in the near future.

I don't get why people think it's an emotional situation to retain juniors. It's a business and recruitment/retention of juniors is a cutthroat game. Every single club has a perpetual challenge to know who to keep and who to replace. We're quite lucky. NBA draft system makes recruitment quite boring. It's quite predictable with a hint of lottery. At least league recruitment is always a mystery which makes it extremely interesting for fans.

 

[Five&Last]

I don't get why people think it's an emotional situation to retain juniors. It's a business and recruitment/retention of juniors is a cutthroat game. Every single club has a perpetual challenge to know who to keep and who to replace. We're quite lucky. NBA draft system makes recruitment quite boring. It's quite predictable with a hint of lottery. At least league recruitment is always a mystery which makes it extremely interesting for fans.

Its also just a crapshoot predicting who will actually make it.

Lennox Tuiloma has had a down year after being one of best prospects in 2024. No one could've predicted Pasikala's fall off last year (and rise again this year?). Ezekiel Davidson Faaiuaso was another favourite of mine who is having a down year.

 

[Horriors2013]

Its also just a crapshoot predicting who will actually make it.

Lennox Tuiloma has had a down year after being one of best prospects in 2024. No one could've predicted Pasikala's fall off last year (and rise again this year?). Ezekiel Davidson Faaiuaso was another favourite of mine who is having a down year.

Its also just a crapshoot predicting who will actually make it.

Lennox Tuiloma has had a down year after being one of best prospects in 2024. No one could've predicted Pasikala's fall off last year (and rise again this year?). Ezekiel Davidson Faaiuaso was another favourite of mine who is having a down year.

Injury is increasingly a factor. As players become fitter and stronger over time, so also the injuries as they hit harder, run harder, attempt more athletic feats. I think Berry is the new normal. We think our club has the most ACLs. Every club is going through this.

I see 2 solutions: technological improvements, like artificial appendages to keep the body intact all season round or making squads 50.

I reckon a squad of 50 is perfect. Anyone who doesn't play, plays Flegg or Cup the next day. Should make NRL Thursday-Saturday and Flegg/Cup on Sundays perhaps - I know TV won't like it though.

But a squad of 50 is needed. Too many injuries. Also the 6 agains adds to wear and tear.

If you look at Storm and Penrith, they have 2 or 3 big stars who lead the team but everyone else is of average talent, but consistently perfect on the 1 percenters. When they have injuries, their performance hardly drops. It's not pretty. It's predictable. But it wins.

They worked out that if they can produce a squad of consistent footy players who master completion rates, that completions will put them in the top 4 every year. And by finals, most teams are shot by injury. If every member of the squad is a bot, doesn't matter how many injuries, they get. The quality remains. It just takes 2-4 exceptional spine players to be the difference.

 

[Horriors2013]

Drinkwater being released by the Cowboys? We can save him from having to go to the Dragons!

I'd take him for sure. Cows beat Broncos too!

 

[Cces]

I think Berry is the new normal.

This couldn't be further from the truth. Compare the careers of Kiraz, Koula, Mariner, Alamoti, Turuva, Matt Feagai, Will Penisini, Jojo Fifita & Blaize Talagi who all debuted after him.
When Berry debuted on ANZAC Day 2021, Seb Kris had 10 caps & will notch 113 this week, not withstanding his own injuries & a 6-match ban. Berry remains on 52 until mid season. He is as far away from the norm as possible.
We can picked up to 36 guys for the first 10 rounds, & then wider thereafter so I don't see the point in squads of 50, particularly when 2-3 of our uninjured top 36 only play the role of spectator each week

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

I wasn't asked but....

He plays like a league fullback.

So we play him at six instead. I am sure the Warriors think tank can see he is a natural League fullback (confidence under the high ball, vision, runs hard, hits hard) yet our brains trust threw him in the deep end instead.

Which is pretty smart I feel (he is going to learn the on the ball game in league a lot faster in the halves than watching from fb) and the Unionists had him as a Stand off so.....

But to answer your question, he looks talented enough to play anywhere in the spine without much effort, even though he is a fish outta water in the games I have seen (little tells like a careful slow ptb, he jogs at times like he expects a pause in play with a ruck forming on a kick chase) and sometimes he looks like he just doesn't know where to stand.

But he is a smart lad and still very young, what great prospect, he will be ripping the ball out in the tackle with sneaky fingers and faking HIA's in no time.

I love this guy, he comes to league and plays in the humble no one in the crowd scene and starts putting shots on.

I really hope FB is his position!

 

[Warriors4eva95]

What's your thoughts on Inch? Is he a half or 6 prospect or maybe further out?

What's your thoughts on Inch? Is he a half or 6 prospect or maybe further out?

For me he's another Erin Clark sort of mold, should start career at Hooker then move into the middle after a few years mixing it up with the big boys

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Injury is increasingly a factor. As players become fitter and stronger over time, so also the injuries as they hit harder, run harder, attempt more athletic feats. I think Berry is the new normal. We think our club has the most ACLs. Every club is going through this.

I see 2 solutions: technological improvements, like artificial appendages to keep the body intact all season round or making squads 50.

I reckon a squad of 50 is perfect. Anyone who doesn't play, plays Flegg or Cup the next day. Should make NRL Thursday-Saturday and Flegg/Cup on Sundays perhaps - I know TV won't like it though.

But a squad of 50 is needed. Too many injuries. Also the 6 agains adds to wear and tear.

If you look at Storm and Penrith, they have 2 or 3 big stars who lead the team but everyone else is of average talent, but consistently perfect on the 1 percenters. When they have injuries, their performance hardly drops. It's not pretty. It's predictable. But it wins.

They worked out that if they can produce a squad of consistent footy players who master completion rates, that completions will put them in the top 4 every year. And by finals, most teams are shot by injury. If every member of the squad is a bot, doesn't matter how many injuries, they get. The quality remains. It just takes 2-4 exceptional spine players to be the difference.

Great thoughtful post!

I agree about the injury issues and also think it will get worse and worse over time.

I feel we already have a squad beyond the 30 and just pull in lower and lower tier players as needed, effectively making the squad unofficially 50+

A 50 squad would be the same players just confirming their position to the public and costing more.

Are their mechanical braces that can support the knees and help prevent ACL’s? Or is an ACL simply an overuse type injury as lots of players go down without being touched?

 

[CWC]

So 2028/29 could be something like

1. Retcliff/Olsen/TT
2. Norris/WW
3. Lemana/Casey P
4. Pompey/Ali
5. AKP/Mellars/Pasikala/Kali?
6. CHT/Inch
7. Metcalf?/Boyd?/Thompson

8. Demi
9. Healey
10. TSS
11. Leka
12. Laban
13. Gannon

14. Marsh/Taufua
15. EIT
16. Clark/Vea/Salalilo
17. Neal/Fats

RTV/Sivukula (can’t spell) 13 depth
Ford/Fish might still be around for bench

If Inch is a prodigy maybe and lacks top speed maybe 6/13 or even centre like Burton if he has distribution skills and defense read with a big body…like Berry? Or Burton when he was at centre?

 

[JaggedJ]

So 2028/29 could be something like

1. Retcliff/Olsen/TT
2. Norris/WW
3. Lemana/Casey P
4. Pompey/Ali
5. AKP/Mellars/Pasikala/Kali?
6. CHT/Inch
7. Metcalf?/Boyd?/Thompson

8. Demi
9. Healey
10. TSS
11. Leka
12. Laban
13. Gannon

14. Marsh/Taufua
15. EIT
16. Clark/Vea/Salalilo
17. Neal/Fats

RTV/Sivukula (can’t spell) 13 depth
Ford/Fish might still be around for bench

If Inch is a prodigy maybe and lacks top speed maybe 6/13 or even centre like Burton if he has distribution skills and defense read with a big body…like Berry? Or Burton when he was at centre?

Never works out how you plan it or want it to.

I would say there's quite a few names there who will be moved on or choose to leave.

Hard part is going to be picking the right ones to keep.

 

[CWC]

Never works out how you plan it or want it to.

I would say there's quite a few names there who will be moved on or choose to leave.

Hard part is going to be picking the right ones to keep.

Ya I think forwards supply line is sussed, we have the options to actually pick the best backs too, sucks the backs are not ready yet but if Team Webby stays we might have a decade of a squad of mostly self produced talents that can win premiership (s)

 

[sup42]

Injury is increasingly a factor. As players become fitter and stronger over time, so also the injuries as they hit harder, run harder, attempt more athletic feats. I think Berry is the new normal. We think our club has the most ACLs. Every club is going through this.

I see 2 solutions: technological improvements, like artificial appendages to keep the body intact all season round or making squads 50.

I reckon a squad of 50 is perfect. Anyone who doesn't play, plays Flegg or Cup the next day. Should make NRL Thursday-Saturday and Flegg/Cup on Sundays perhaps - I know TV won't like it though.

But a squad of 50 is needed. Too many injuries. Also the 6 agains adds to wear and tear.

If you look at Storm and Penrith, they have 2 or 3 big stars who lead the team but everyone else is of average talent, but consistently perfect on the 1 percenters. When they have injuries, their performance hardly drops. It's not pretty. It's predictable. But it wins.

They worked out that if they can produce a squad of consistent footy players who master completion rates, that completions will put them in the top 4 every year. And by finals, most teams are shot by injury. If every member of the squad is a bot, doesn't matter how many injuries, they get. The quality remains. It just takes 2-4 exceptional spine players to be the difference.

And everyone keeps calling It the Penrith system.

Kinda started to piss me off, the lack of acknowledgement for who invented the Panthers - Craig Bellamy did.

We actually (Penrith/Warriors/Bulldogs) all play a version of Storm ball - which has modifications and tweaks and some very small evolutions due to individual club players and the new rules.

Penrith for all their amaze balls factor get away with a lot of Storm style shit in the tackle, that is the art of Bellamy Kungfu, cheating in the ruck and grinding the Refs down, becoming so legendary that the Refs don't make calls with you.....they enter negotiations with your captain. Penrith also are enjoying an epoch of silly junior talent depth, a collision of factors that has seen them become the new super club of the NRL. But they are Johnny come lately's and one day Nathan Cleary will be too old, one day their production line will dry up....lets see if Ivan can keep a club in the top four every single season forever using weaker rosters.

Serious historians of the game will one day realize that because of Craig Bellamy's impact on how this game is played globally, that the game administrators spent a decade changing the rules every season to try to release the game from Bellamy's genius.

That old fullah at Melbourne will go down as the greatest coach that ever lived.

 

[Teets]

And everyone keeps calling It the Penrith system.

Kinda started to piss me off, the lack of acknowledgement for who invented the Panthers - Craig Bellamy did.

It is the Panthers own system. They popularised middle service and a bunch of other system things the Storm still don't do.

Storm still play split halves.

The two teams have diverged significantly since 2020 in attack and philosophy.

Bellamy certainly popularised and mastered the art of wrestling and slowing the ruck down that every team tries for now but even that wasn't invented by him. Bennett had wrestling guys in before the Storm.

 

[tajhay]

Wonder whats going on with the Barnett situation. Has there been any additional news? Also the Marata news?