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]

I think metcalf experiment should be over

How would you approach the remaining 2.5 years of his contract?

 

[j_p]

I wouldn't be shocked to see metcalf in reserve grade on his return,maybe even at fb. Or the 14 jumper while maybe giving Healy a break from FG but longer mins in reserve etc.
Wayde egan has done plenty of close to 70 min stints before.
Before everyone jumps at me for changing a winning team hear me out. We are only early on in clicking as a team. Forwards are sorted. Some back positions are still a work in progress and there WILL be injuries. We need to be prepared for all scenarios come the deep end of the season. Imo this will mean webby will experiment from time to time to see how different combinations work or players in different positions.
Just imagine we unlock metcalf at fullback (granted he's willing to). You have all 3 of cht, boyd, metcalf on the field. Tt or cnk as alternating 6th man on bench. They will inevitably get extended game time just due to injuries and you have multiple positions covered.

 

[j_p]

How would you approach the remaining 2.5 years of his contract?

I don't think it's over and we still need him. If boyd goes down he can slot right in. We have no other option at this stage.
Surely we can afford all 3. We don't have any million dollar players on our books anymore as far as I know unlike a lot of other clubs. Who is our top 3 paid players anyway if we were to take a guess.

 

[Noitall]

I don't think it's over and we still need him. If boyd goes down he can slot right in. We have no other option at this stage.
Surely we can afford all 3. We don't have any million dollar players on our books anymore as far as I know unlike a lot of other clubs. Who is our top 3 paid players anyway if we were to take a guess.

Would imagine JFH, Barnett and Niukore? Metcalf’s bump starts next season I think?

 

[Inruin]

How would you approach the remaining 2.5 years of his contract?

Well I'd probably play him in reserve grade for at least 5 or 6 of those 20 games I think

 

[Nostwahdamus]

Gwahnt Anderson is a great signing,Storm system and all that..
Poor Metcalf,he’s a sensitive Piscean and he must be hearing all the noise.Hes gone from absolute priority signing,to do we even need him now

 

[WAH MAN]

How would you approach the remaining 2.5 years of his contract?

I recall Casey Mclean getting sent back to NSW cup early last year. This even after playing well for the kiwis.

He spoke after his reintroduction back to first grade that Nathan Cleary had got in his ear about how you have to go through the highs and the lows and that it's not always going to be highs.

That applies well to Metty. I know he's injury sensitive but.........

With 2.5 years on his contract still in play let's see if we can get him back to max wattage and rip shit out of the comp.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Almost every Rugby convert is stretched by league trainings. There's definitely raw power and talent in MP but they look nowhere close to league fit. Maybe Miracle Failagi? However he will be the number 1 target of many teams, including Europe. I think you would be looking at young loose forwards and a few backs?

All of which involve leaving Auckland, so a sneaky look might be worthwhile. *I know nothing about rugby, just thought it was worth mentioning the logistical advantage the situation might provide.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Metcalf's injury lay off with his ACL is nothing to do with any injury history and was just unlucky. Despite some hamstring issues, this latest injury is a minor one.

From the biggest highlight of our club to someone people want moved on in 1 on-field game where he wasn't even playing in his position. Absolute drivel... And then there is the crew that think he is sulking and playing catty games with his replacement based on a look in the dressing room.

Hopefully he gets fit and back to his best soon, and then we can have some serious conversations about where everyone fits.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Metcalf's injury lay off with his ACL is nothing to do with any injury history and was just unlucky. Despite some hamstring issues, this latest injury is a minor one.

From the biggest highlight of our club to someone people want moved on in 1 on-field game where he wasn't even playing in his position. Absolute drivel... And then there is the crew that think he is sulking and playing catty games with his replacement based on a look in the dressing room.

Hopefully he gets fit and back to his best soon, and then we can have some serious conversations about where everyone fits.

I deffo hope we get Metcalf back to his best as were clearly a better team with him, but the whole injury thing is a bit of an issue hey. He's played 43 games to date, i know its not all injury related but if you look at other 27 year olds playing the game, most have played about 150 games, some upwards of 200 games.
He's essentially played around 75% less games than most other players around his age...hugely concerning and makes me wonder if this is the guy we can really rely on moving forward for the next 2 years.