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

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Not in my opinion. It's more a mutual improvement or moreover a whole team improvement. Luke just happens to have missed the bus and is trying to catch up at the next stop.

Bang on. Timing is a huge part of any successful year.

The rules favour our roster.
The boys are a bit cocky and awful to play against.
Our young guns are absolutely killing it.
Our depth is holding up well (touch wood)
We have scoring threats all over the park.

We're seriously in contention for the big dance with the week-in, week-out line up.

Any other year and I doubt I'd be as pragmatic with my opinions as I am right now. But this is not the year for over thinking.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Luke should really take a leaf out of Tannah's book. He had to wait 16 weeks before getting a chance with Met's ACL. He could have spat the dummy and left to go to the cows which is what I'm sure his manager was advising him to do. But he didn't. He stayed because he wanted to be part of OUR team and knew that if he was patient, the opportunity would arise. And it did. He's now the in-form half of the comp playing behind one of the best packs in the comp.

Luke's opportunity will come. In all honesty, I really think this is just classic rumor mill stuff and that Mets and the club are totally fine with each other. But I'd personally feel more comfortable if he would just come out in public to clear the air about it all.

 

[Davo]

If I was Metcalf I'd be demanding to play Cup to confirm my recovery/rehabilitation from injuries, regain my confidence and get my eye back in...game time!
Injuries do terrible things not just to the body but the mind.

 

[Brightman]

What do you mean by this? Like Metcalf, Volkman was a signing that Webster/McFadden inherited. Webster gave Volkman a chance, he didn't perform & was even hooked mid game. Webster never gave him any indication that he saw him at the club longterm. They parted company mutually & then the Dragons screwed him over

What do you mean what do I mean? I know what is the public was told too, although I wonder why he felt he had to leave and I felt the Dragons were ready to sign him before he even approached the club for a release.
It's like his manager saw a payday and convinced Ronald to move. The rest was awfully unfortunate and I don't believe the club had any bad intentions with how it played out after the fact, they did the honourable thing after the Dragons and Volkman's manager took care of themselves.

What I mean is this, I would hate to see Metcalf follow a similar path. Secure a release, sign elsewhere and then not realise his potential and spoil what's left of his short career to date.

I think Luke should stay at the Warriors and should play where the coach wants him to play, and I think he adds to our team and his clutch plays are valuable and hard to find.

I'm also of the opinion that the so-called journo who splurted this unsubstantiated rumour is a bum..

 

[WAH MAN]

Bang on. Timing is a huge part of any successful year.

The rules favour our roster.
The boys are a bit cocky and awful to play against.
Our young guns are absolutely killing it.
Our depth is holding up well (touch wood)
We have scoring threats all over the park.

We're seriously in contention for the big dance with the week-in, week-out line up.

Any other year and I doubt I'd be as pragmatic with my opinions as I am right now. But this is not the year for over thinking.

Michael Ennis who is not my favourite human said well during the Melbourne game that the Warriors have genuine first graders not playing first grade every week. This was in reference to Leiataua returning and how great the depth is. Seriously if Tanah or Chitty or both go down for whatever reason, how good would it be to call on Luke Metcalf and TMM and even Luke Hanson to have a run.

 

[Brightman]

Has anyone tried Mrs Metcalf's brownies yet..

 

[Lance155]

Luke should really take a leaf out of Tannah's book. He had to wait 16 weeks before getting a chance with Met's ACL. He could have spat the dummy and left to go to the cows which is what I'm sure his manager was advising him to do. But he didn't. He stayed because he wanted to be part of OUR team and knew that if he was patient, the opportunity would arise. And it did. He's now the in-form half of the comp playing behind one of the best packs in the comp.

Luke's opportunity will come. In all honesty, I really think this is just classic rumor mill stuff and that Mets and the club are totally fine with each other. But I'd personally feel more comfortable if he would just come out in public to clear the air about it all.

2 pretty different scenarios. One was signed as backup and the other told they have have the keys to the team and paid accordingly.

Boyd - currently winning from what he thought he had (and has earned it).

Metcalf - currently losing from what he had (has not done anything wrong to lose it).

 

[Ryno 2.0]

Has anyone tried Mrs Metcalf's brownies yet..

They have raisins in them, ewww!

 

[Brightman]

2 pretty different scenarios. One was signed as backup and the other told they have have the keys to the team and paid accordingly.

Boyd - currently winning from what he thought he had (and has earned it).

Metcalf - currently losing from what he had (has not done anything wrong to lose it).

Resilience

 

[WAH MAN]

Has anyone tried Mrs Metcalf's brownies yet..

Has she been as active on the hater wagon as Mrs. Fonua hyphen Blake?

 

[MrFrankWhite]

They have raisins in them, ewww!

Oat and raisin are goated. Chocolate is for women and children

 

[3rdstriker]

What do you mean what do I mean? I know what is the public was told too, although I wonder why he felt he had to leave and I felt the Dragons were ready to sign him before he even approached the club for a release.
It's like his manager saw a payday and convinced Ronald to move. The rest was awfully unfortunate and I don't believe the club had any bad intentions with how it played out after the fact, they did the honourable thing after the Dragons and Volkman's manager took care of themselves.

What I mean is this, I would hate to see Metcalf follow a similar path. Secure a release, sign elsewhere and then not realise his potential and spoil what's left of his short career to date.

I think Luke should stay at the Warriors and should play where the coach wants him to play, and I think he adds to our team and his clutch plays are valuable and hard to find.

I'm also of the opinion that the so-called journo who splurted this unsubstantiated rumour is a bum..

Whaddaya mean Wasim!

 

[Cces]

I wonder why he felt he had to leave

Thanks for elaborating. Now I understand your point of view better & it makes more sense.
When Volkman was on our books McFadden recruited TMM, CHT & Hanson, SJ extended his deal and Metcalf had arrived. Webster didn't have faith in him & he was looking like our 5th choice half for 2024. I can understand why he wanted to leave & could even imagine that the club told him to look around. He'd gone from playing at a full house on our return to NZ to playing at suburban parks in Sydney in front of 100's in the space of 12 months

 

[Brightman]

Thanks for elaborating. Now I understand your point of view better & it makes more sense.
When Volkman was on our books McFadden recruited TMM, CHT & Hanson, SJ extended his deal and Metcalf had arrived. Webster didn't have faith in him & he was looking like our 5th choice half for 2024. I can understand why he wanted to leave & could even imagine that the club told him to look around. He'd gone from playing at a full house on our return to NZ to playing at suburban parks in Sydney in front of 100's in the space of 12 months

Yeah I rated Volkman and had heard somewhere that during that preseason he was shaping up well, but alas destiny had other plans..

 

[WAH MAN]

Yeah I rated Volkman and had heard somewhere that during that preseason he was shaping up well, but alas destiny had other plans..

With Pezet going to Brisbane with Barney, Volkman has an opportunity to be a permanent 6 outside that sook Moses.

 

[Ryno 2.0]

Interesting times, I hope the squad is mature enough to get through all the noise. It feels like outside looking in the group is tight and would rally around Boyd and especially CHT.

There is a risk that Metcalf ostracises himself even more within the playing group which is not a good thing.

 

[sup42]

Pages and pages of going around in circles over what might be click bait.

Thanks Aussie media, something to grease the wheels during the bye week.

If this story is true I would expect NZ media to be talking about their sources in regard to this story.

Instead our local media is just doing a rehash of the rumor using the language "reports".

According to Stuff and RNZ national the club have made no comment (I wouldn't take anything from that, it is just as likely our media were too lazy to even ask).

One thing I will say about this year, something has changed at the club. You see it in Andrew Webster, he is very serious these days, quite intense, and seems to have matured as a coach.

He is a boss now in the street sense of the word.

He will have no problem asking Metcalf's management to point to where in the contract it says Luke Metcalf is guaranteed the half back position.....if any of this is even true.

The Warriors cannot afford to let any distractions meddle with their all important negotiations with Chanel and Tanah's agents just now.

Quite honestly if this stuff is true, the Warriors would be best telling Metcalf and his manager to piss off.

 

[KPWarrior]

If I was Metcalf I'd be demanding to play Cup to confirm my recovery/rehabilitation from injuries, regain my confidence and get my eye back in...game time!
Injuries do terrible things not just to the body but the mind.

Maybe he is. We don't know all the ins and outs of it yet, maybe that's what his management were rumoured to be not happy about, not the fact that he wasn't 'thrown staight back in' at 6 or 7, but that he spent the whole game on the bench with a bye coming up?

 

[Emerald]

Metcalf - currently losing from what he had (has not done anything wrong to lose it).

Really? Not done anything wrong?
When Metcalf was put back into first grade immediately after became available again after injury, he didn’t perform very well, did he. Granted he was probably put back in without enough preparation with the rest of the team. But whatever, he didn’t perform very well and more or less everyone here was saying., hey Webby, you’ve messed up, that halves pairing that was playing so well together and winning matches for us, leave it as it was.

 

[Emerald]

‘That’s an issue’: Luke Metcalf seeking clarity from Warriors as resurgent half creates selection headache

Warriors star demands meeting with club as awkward ‘issue’ emerges

www.foxsports.com.au

I do like this bit of that article:

"Boyd, meanwhile, has helped propel the Warriors to second on the ladder and is set to be rewarded with a new contract."
A new contract for Tanah.