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​
Luke Hanson	S​
Motu Pasikala	S​	U​
Caelys-Paul Putoko	S​
Jason Salalilo	S​	U​	U​
Makaia Taufa	S​	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: 6/6

2027 Top 30: 23/30
2027 Supplementary: 0/6

2027 Gains: Grant Anderson (Brisbane Broncos), William Warbrick (Melbourne Storm)
2027 Losses: Mitchell Barnett (Brisbane Broncos), Luke Metcalf (St George Illawarra Dragons), Marata Niukore (Newcastle Knights), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Wakefield Trinity)

Off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2027: Rocco Berry, Kurt Capewell, 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, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Sam Healey, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Ali Leiataua, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Motu Pasikala, Adam Pompey, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

 

[Tookey 2.0]

There is plenty of time left for several of our juniors to carve up in NSW Cup to push their claims.

For next year?

Looks like we have a lot of future prospects but it sounds like people think theyre more of a 'debut in 2028 and become a main stay in 2029' kinda vibe.

I dont know much about our younger guys but we dont seem to have any outside backs carving up now, who can debut this year, with a more permanent spot/legit back up for 2027? Similar to say Taine, whose played 20 games in 2024-2025.

Would love to hear if there is!

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

For next year?

Looks like we have a lot of future prospects but it sounds like people think theyre more of a 'debut in 2028 and become a main stay in 2029' kinda vibe.

I dont know much about our younger guys but we dont seem to have any outside backs carving up now, who can debut this year, with a more permanent spot/legit back up for 2027? Similar to say Taine, whose played 20 games in 2024-2025.

Would love to hear if there is!

Geronimo Doyle should answer that question for you.

 

[Damo]

Geronimo Doyle should answer that question for you.

We would be in serious trouble if he is anywhere near a NRL start

 

[Ref]

For next year?

Looks like we have a lot of future prospects but it sounds like people think theyre more of a 'debut in 2028 and become a main stay in 2029' kinda vibe.

I dont know much about our younger guys but we dont seem to have any outside backs carving up now, who can debut this year, with a more permanent spot/legit back up for 2027? Similar to say Taine, whose played 20 games in 2024-2025.

Would love to hear if there is!

Kali and Pasikala if they light it up. Maybe:

 

[Dead Man Switch]

I can't see any room in the roster what so ever to keep TMM. The halves are stacked. The only slot would be if CNK left a year early and he took his spot or he replaces Berry. But warriors depth chart looks jam packed.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Kali and Pasikala if they light it up. Maybe:

Unreliable at this stage.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Some players that might test the market next year at fullback.

C Stewart
J Bula (bad management)
L Hopoate
J Papalii

I would love H Farnworth at FB!

Maybe Sloan gets pushed out this year from the dragons and no one picks him up like Boyd?

Heath Mason could be a decent back up until our young guys come through?

Herbie is a wishful thinking signing for all of us lol

Sloan would be a hell no.

If only Bula had better management. No.

Chevy Stewart, Maybe?

We've got Lemana, Ratcliffe & Olsen waiting in the wings. Sure, A fair way off. But they're our future.
Maybe a Will Kennedy for a couple of years? Experienced, solid player. Looks like hes off to Superleague next year? And only 29.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Herbie is a wishful thinking signing for all of us lol

Sloan would be a hell no.

If only Bula had better management. No.

Chevy Stewart, Maybe?

We've got Lemana, Ratcliffe & Olsen waiting in the wings. Sure, A fair way off. But they're our future.
Maybe a Will Kennedy for a couple of years? Experienced, solid player. Looks like hes off to Superleague next year? And only 29.

Maybe it is Metcalf to back up?

 

[timburgesstheonlyoneiknow]

I hope not because we don't have a ready made back up to Tuaupiki, unless they see Lamana going to FB next year in cup for Doyle?

Who else is ready?

I dont see enough of NSW Cup to make a call. Worse case hasnt DWZ can play there when at Penrith

 

[CWC]

AKP could put fear into the opposition if he’s backing up at fb with proper training, he showed he can bust tackles, take on bombs and willing to tackle front on, might be a wild card if we still have WW and Dallin, Anderson is versatile too, more likely we’re stuck with cnk/tt next year though, how’s that Tia guy going at cup?

 

[Worried2Death]

Kali and Pasikala if they light it up. Maybe:

Linnane's a bit of a forgotten man, could he be a surprise fb option if he gets a run of cup games this year?

 

[The Warrior Waka]

I dont see enough of NSW Cup to make a call. Worse case hasnt DWZ can play there when at Penrith

DWZ has played some real good games at FB for the Kiwis in the past.

 

[kos]

Isn’t Dwz off contract end of this year?

 

[Davo]

What really strikes me with retention and recruiting is the amazing job the Warrior's organisation is doing.
It's clear that a healthy ,competitive squad culture trumps alot of our conjecture. When players are genuinely "sold" on the club's ideals , regardless of exactly who plays where, you see success.
Witness Manly, Tigers , Broncos, Rabbitos turnaround and the faith in Cleary at Penrith that paid off last season despite a dire start. At the other end you've got/had good players just checking out namely Dragons and Storm.
At Nrl level we've seen that for most of our time. Hopeless Ownership organisation, and coaches and recruitment.
Isn't it fantastic just to trust in the Club and the coaches believing they'll do their best given the players throughout the grades who want to be on the journey , with a next man up policy and a club that has integrity.
Good times. So whether it's TMM, CHT, LM , TB I'm relaxed knowing that the experts are in charge .

 

[Canonball]

AKP could put fear into the opposition if he’s backing up at fb with proper training, he showed he can bust tackles, take on bombs and willing to tackle front on, might be a wild card if we still have WW and Dallin, Anderson is versatile too, more likely we’re stuck with cnk/tt next year though, how’s that Tia guy going at cup?

Tia's not been sighted for 3 or 4 weeks - anyone know what happened there?

 

[Neo]

Tia's not been sighted for 3 or 4 weeks - anyone know what happened there?

I think the guy who was talking about him being a franchise player may have locked him in his basement

 

[Ref]

Linnane's a bit of a forgotten man, could he be a surprise fb option if he gets a run of cup games this year?

Of course. Great call.

 

[rugged]

I know the Tannah vs Metcalf has been talked to death. Tannah will not be cheap to re-sign, he is a half with a lot of first grade experience who is coming into his best form. He will not be on elite money but will be a highly played squad member in his next contract.

The reason we need to double down and secure him is simply because of Luke’s injury profile. If we re-sign Tannah I would not be surprised to see Luke leave at the end of the season.

Both players are good enough to be our starting 7, one has a profile of being fit for week in week out nrl over multiple seasons and the other has struggled to stay on the park.

 

[Shauns_Johnson]

I think if we wanna be brutal the news of us opening solo negotiating with Boyd instead of CHT (for now) should make Metcalf the one nervous

Like people think it’s a non-option to tell Luke to start exploring his options back home Boyd played 100% of the available games so far and CHT was available for basically 75% of the games, since Luke’s return he’s available for 40% (2/5 games)

900K minus freight is a lot of cash to upgrade others

I like Luke btw but just saying ppl are boxed in with the 2 out of 3 or 1 of Boyd/CHT thinking

You're not wrong - I think it's two of them and that includes Metcalf.

Tanah was signed on unders, CHT came back from a sabbatical and then added one more year on. I reckon they're both on say 350-400k. Both will want 650-700k in this market (ie what they cost combined). It's just not smart cap management to have them both and Metcalf.

I just find it unlikely that Metcalf will leave this year. If this was all coming to a head next year then maybe, but even if management was brutal and ditched him one year into a new three year deal I don't think teams have a mill in cap space sitting around when Metcalf is a risky signing.

 

[Noitall]

You're not wrong - I think it's two of them and that includes Metcalf.

Tanah was signed on unders, CHT came back from a sabbatical and then added one more year on. I reckon they're both on say 350-400k. Both will want 650-700k in this market (ie what they cost combined). It's just not smart cap management to have them both and Metcalf.

I just find it unlikely that Metcalf will leave this year. If this was all coming to a head next year then maybe, but even if management was brutal and ditched him one year into a new three year deal I don't think teams have a mill in cap space sitting around when Metcalf is a risky signing.

Hand on heart do you think Boyd can go to another level at finals time?