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

 

[John Nick]

In my opinion, expansion clubs and rival teams are absolutely monitoring the Warriors closely right now. Success changes everything in professional sport. When a club is winning, developing players well, building depth, and creating stability, other organisations naturally begin looking at who may become available or squeezed out long term. The Warriors suddenly having multiple capable halves is not a weakness — it’s actually a sign the club is finally building properly.

Because of that, I wouldn’t be surprised if conversations have already quietly taken place between rival clubs and player managers regarding future opportunities. Expansion clubs linked to PNG and Perth especially would be doing their homework early. They cannot afford to wait until the market is dry before identifying spine players they may want to build around.

A player like Luke Metcalf becomes very attractive in that environment: What I don’t buy into is the idea that Metcalf himself is unhappy or carrying on emotionally. To me, this feels far more like standard player management and external noise than some sort of internal crisis. Managers are paid to explore the market, create leverage, and understand future opportunities for their clients. Public speculation often becomes part of that process, whether intentional or not. There’s probably also an element of pot stirring occurring because the Warriors are now viewed differently across the competition. For years, the club was criticised for lacking consistency and depth in key positions. Now they suddenly have genuine competition for jerseys and people are trying to turn that into a negative.

I also think there’s an important lesson sitting right in front of everyone through Tanah Boyd’s situation. Boyd understood where he sat within the squad, worked hard behind the scenes, stayed patient, and prepared himself for the opportunity when it came. When called upon, he looked ready for first grade and took his chance with the mindset that the jersey should only be taken off him through performance. That’s exactly the mentality successful clubs need internally. The reality is that elite teams rarely keep every talented player completely comfortable forever. Competition is healthy. The key is having clarity, honesty, and standards within the environment. Players improve when positions are earned rather than handed out.
From Metcalf’s perspective, he also has to weigh up whether another opportunity would genuinely place him in a better football situation than the one currently building at the Warriors. Right now the club offers: stability, strong support, finals potential, quality coaching, and an improving roster. These things matter.

Hopefully this situation settles down because, in my view, the Warriors having multiple quality halves competing for spots is a far better problem than the instability and lack of depth the club has battled through for years.

Great insightful post.
I would agree with you and would just say that I wonder about Metcalfs state of mind given that he must be so disappointed by his continued injuries. He has stated in the past his passion to lead the Warriors around the park and ultimately to win the comp.
His disappointment must be immense and I have doubts that he will never get back to his best given his biggest attribute is his speed which is likely to be compromised by his injuries. Hopefully I am wrong and he gets back to his best

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

No team can even be talking to Metcalf or his management unless the club agrees to release him.

Cmon man, you know as well as I do,that nobody plays by this rule.

 

[Brightman]

Because of that, I wouldn’t be surprised if conversations have already quietly taken place between rival clubs and player managers regarding future opportunities. Expansion clubs linked to PNG and Perth especially would be doing their homework early. They cannot afford to wait until the market is dry before identifying spine players they may want to build around.

This is 100% what is happening behind closed doors. I wonder if a reason we haven't heard from the club is that they are waiting to catch out the other parties and take it to the NRL bosses. In the meantime Luke is contracted to us..

 

[Noitall]

Cmon man, you know as well as I do,that nobody plays by this rule.

Surely with our recent form we’ll be looking at the compensation route? Nothing to be gained from new franchises but 2 Sydney watching on so far

 

[WAH MAN]

At a guess; 'Iron sharpens iron?'

The media are making sound like Iron won't let me play 7

 

[1995warriorsfan]

Rumours are swirling that star playmaker Luke Metcalf could leave the Warriors early, with the Perth Bears raised as a potential destination.

 

[sup42]

Rumours are swirling that star playmaker Luke Metcalf could leave the Warriors early, with the Perth Bears raised as a potential destination.

So things are blowing up?

Weird how Webster was talking about how he hadn't had to deal with players throwing hissy fits the other day (he did do a retake and say something like, well there was one).

So much for contracts and no interreference eh.


We better sign Boyd and CHT man LOL.

Hey this is great news for TMM. Could see him stick around another season.

 

[Garry Saloon]

Rumours are swirling that star playmaker Luke Metcalf could leave the Warriors early, with the Perth Bears raised as a potential destination.

Link?

 

[Noitall]

Rumours are swirling that star playmaker Luke Metcalf could leave the Warriors early, with the Perth Bears raised as a potential destination.

He’d be their marquee signing

 

[Garry Saloon]

 

[KPWarrior]

Getting the feeling there's no way back for him now!

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

 

[CWC]

Rumours are swirling that star playmaker Luke Metcalf could leave the Warriors early, with the Perth Bears raised as a potential destination.

Is this from riccio on vossy’s podcast spitballing?

 

[Matiunz]

No team can even be talking to Metcalf or his management unless the club agrees to release him.

Technically no but I would be very surprised if this is actually adhered to

 

[3rdstriker]

View: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14fkzwtVqhp/?mibextid=wwXIfr


Thought this was an interesting video about a week ago regarding TMM and how Webster encapsulates TMM’s team first attitude

 

[Noitall]

View attachment 17272

No doubt this combination is flying but 5 more appearances together by Metcalf and CHT could see that be our most successful combination by the time those 5 games are achieved? I get the feeling the decision has been made to extend Boyd and CHT, depending on CHT’s acceptance?

 

[Noitall]

View attachment 17276

Is Rocco stressed about fuel making TMM’s hair fall out ?

 

[3rdstriker]

Is Rocco stressed about fuel making TMM’s hair fall out ?

Just te maire taking the piss the otherday

 

[Noitall]

Just te maire taking the piss the otherday

Was that posted by TMM?

 

[3rdstriker]

Was that posted by TMM?

Yep