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: 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

 

[Warriorsitsouryear]

CHT would get cooked at centre. Lacks pace, size and it is far harder than defending in the halves.

Wouldn't be slower than Pompey who will be the guy he has to beat and size means nothing when he is one of the top 1 on 1 tacklers in the NRL. I'm not bagging on Pompey - he was our best centre last year - but I don't think it is a down grade putting Chanel over him and a left foot kicking option when first running the on the last and needing to kick late. Don't think it would happen - but that's my choice / opinion of what I would do. So versatile too.

 

[Damo]

Wouldn't be slower than Pompey who will be the guy he has to beat and size means nothing when he is one of the top 1 on 1 tacklers in the NRL. I'm not bagging on Pompey - he was our best centre last year - but I don't think it is a down grade putting Chanel over him and a left foot kicking option when first running the on the last and needing to kick late. Don't think it would happen - but that's my choice / opinion of what I would do. So versatile too.

He can put a big hit on, but can he defend at centre (the hardest position to defend at) while being small and slow. I seriously doubt it.

 

[timburgesstheonlyoneiknow]

With the unique Political drivers of this Franchise (Aussie GOVT bribe to stop the Chinese moves on PNG) special tax free laws were drafted to change the 183 days in Australia residency rule.

This is because the players play in Australia and obviously go home for the offseason, meaning the only realistic way to make tax free work and attractive was to exempt the Australian citizens playing for PNG.

New Zealanders are not included in the Bilateral agreement between Australia and PNG.

While the paper work is still being finalized, both Prime Ministers have confirmed that the no residency tax exemption is one of the main agreements of the whole PNG Australia unique NRL inter governmental operation.

Poms are out too then, no tax free carrot for them.

Appreciate the insights that the exemptions were granted. I know the Tax rules around this are complicated.

It makes sense that Australian players only have exemptions. It does reduce the player pool for them.

 

[JaggedJ]

Why are we talking about CHT to centre?

We have a pipeline where we should be developing specialists, not finding excuses to wedge a square peg into a round hole.

He's a half, a bench utility if need be, but that's it

 

[Inruin]

Why would we want to move one of, if not the best 6's in the comp? If he was at another club putting up the performances and numbers he is we would be calling out for Cam George to get him signed up.

Ticks a lot of the boxes for us - durable, great defender, left foot kicker, can put on try assists and line break assists, try scorer, great team chemistry and a kiwi.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXv0jbMPKCS/?igsh=d3dqaWJyeHplcXZo

Good to see this guy back playing good footy

 

[WAH MAN]

CHT would get cooked at centre. Lacks pace, size and it is far harder than defending in the halves.

CNK got cooked in the centre.
Leiataua got cooked by the chooks and raiders.

Chitty has to tackle blokes the size of Noah Martin who knocked him out and he did not run from the tackle.

He has to defend the edge back rowers like that Manly Tongan behemoth. And he does alright for a smaller bloke. But I'm not advocating for him to be a first choice centre. But would chuck him there if he was the only option. Fortunately he isn't that. So he can concentrate on his halves position and contract negotiations.

 

[WAH MAN]

Why are we talking about CHT to centre?

We have a pipeline where we should be developing specialists, not finding excuses to wedge a square peg into a round hole.

He's a half, a bench utility if need be, but that's it

Just because we're free to discuss it. It doesn't have to be a good idea to have the discussion. That's about it really.

 

[Neo]

Why would we want to move one of, if not the best 6's in the comp? If he was at another club putting up the performances and numbers he is we would be calling out for Cam George to get him signed up.

Ticks a lot of the boxes for us - durable, great defender, left foot kicker, can put on try assists and line break assists, try scorer, great team chemistry and a kiwi.

Completely agree with you, but then I saw Josh Curran line up at centre for the Bulldogs and lost all belief in my own ability to rationalise things

 

[Shauns_Johnson]

Why would we want to move one of, if not the best 6's in the comp? If he was at another club putting up the performances and numbers he is we would be calling out for Cam George to get him signed up.

Ticks a lot of the boxes for us - durable, great defender, left foot kicker, can put on try assists and line break assists, try scorer, great team chemistry and a kiwi.

But most people are calling for Cam George to sign him up. His value to the side seems to be in a lot of intangibles - good defender, provides vibes, makes those around him a bit better. It's not really in traditional stand-off traits - he's not exactly the best kicker going around, or best runner, he does best in unstructured play well out from the ruck. This isn't a million miles from a good old school Jerome Ropati / Jamie Lyon style centre. It's a possible way to fix up a problem position, fix up the halves which just hasn't quite been right as a combo since SJ, and keep him as a vibes player in the run on team. A lot of people have historically wanted CHT as 14, but you lose his on field mana that way if he only plays 30 mins a game.

 

[Inruin]

But most people are calling for Cam George to sign him up. His value to the side seems to be in a lot of intangibles - good defender, provides vibes, makes those around him a bit better. It's not really in traditional stand-off traits - he's not exactly the best kicker going around, or best runner, he does best in unstructured play well out from the ruck. This isn't a million miles from a good old school Jerome Ropati / Jamie Lyon style centre. It's a possible way to fix up a problem position, fix up the halves which just hasn't quite been right as a combo since SJ, and keep him as a vibes player in the run on team. A lot of people have historically wanted CHT as 14, but you lose his on field mana that way if he only plays 30 mins a game.

Fix up the halves? CHT and Boyd are going pretty well IMO and CHT has delivered last season and this season so far. We also seem to have stumbled on our best centre and wing combos for the last two rounds. I also think that the effect of his defense is underestimated at 6. We would effectively be weakening our defence overall by moving him to accommodate a weaker defensive player. And likely not get anymore attacking out put from his replacement at 6 and likely not get anything extra than what we already have at center.

I honestly don't get it. Let's turn a really good 6 into a potentially ok center. We don't have a better all-round 6 than him and we have better options than him at center

 

[Dead Man Switch]

View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXv0jbMPKCS/?igsh=d3dqaWJyeHplcXZo

Good to see this guy back playing good footy

When Sio Kali is on form he is ridiculously good. I would classify this guy when injury free as an 'absolute WEAPON'.

Can't think of anybody quite else like him at the club both talent and attribute wise. If he could stay injury free he could be a generational talent.

I would love him to be at the Warriors the next 5 - 10 years. FREAK!!!