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

 

[Tookey 2.0]

How much would Leniu and Timoko cost?

Both slightly out of favour...coming to a team on the up like us. I think we could get both for around a million a year?

Those two and Wahbrick and Anderson would cost about 1.8 mil a year?

We lose Roger, Barney, Niukore, Berry, Capewell which is 2.5 mill there so could still hopefully fit a few upgrades to Ford, Boyd, CHT etc

 

[Blain]

I think the club is taking this very seriously, with the radio silence. Normally they shoot things down very fast. Be interesting to see where it goes, bloody hard decision and discussion. Metcalf has the X factor, marketing and higher ceiling probably. But he's injury prone. Boyd is a true balanced 7 with a better kicking game and a true team first guy, who looks to love being a part of the club. Doesn't have the running game of Metcalf, but if Lukes legs keep giving up on him that could hinder him.

If he does leave, I wonder if we'll give TMM another year? Would say we need too for stability. I think Boyd makes sense as our 7 moving forward TBH.

 

[Five&Last]

That was so overated it wasn't funny.
Classic example of people basing it on win/loss and nothing else

He was playing well and the individual stats supported it at the time.

By that logic you could just say Boyd’s praise is only a product of us winning games.

 

[Lance155]

He was playing well and the individual stats supported it at the time.

By that logic you could just say Boyd’s praise is only a product of us winning games.

Stats are so flawed and can tell whatever story you want. But I won't go down that rabbit hole.

I can see Boyd is performing well

 

[Makasene]

Big chunk of change with his $900k, Niukore’s big salary, Barnett’s money, RTS’s money, DWZ? Berry? Capewell? If that’s what we’ve got to play with and Warbrick and Anderson coming on middle of the road salaries you’d imagine?

It's why I think the club will be looking closely at their options.

This isn't a guy trying to get out of his final year next year where there is bugger all available for us to get.

 

[CWC]

Both slightly out of favour...coming to a team on the up like us. I think we could get both for around a million a year?

Those two and Wahbrick and Anderson would cost about 1.8 mil a year?

We lose Roger, Barney, Niukore, Berry, Capewell which is 2.5 mill there so could still hopefully fit a few upgrades to Ford, Boyd, CHT etc

I’d be a lot happier with Timoko succeeding Roger, add AKP and WW, Ali, and GA as workhorse, maybe Dallin takes the option for depth, just if 1 of them can be a gun fb would be great

I think the club is taking this very seriously, with the radio silence. Normally they shoot things down very fast. Be interesting to see where it goes, bloody hard decision and discussion. Metcalf has the X factor, marketing and higher ceiling probably. But he's injury prone. Boyd is a true balanced 7 with a better kicking game and a true team first guy, who looks to love being a part of the club. Doesn't have the running game of Metcalf, but if Lukes legs keep giving up on him that could hinder him.
If he does leave, I wonder if we'll give TMM another year? Would say we need too for stability. I think Boyd makes sense as our 7 moving forward TBH.

Ya it’s a weird one cuz once it’s all over the particular community media/platforms usually you have someone official even just comment below the post “false” or state “xx is a club man everyone loves him he’s working hard to help the team to win the premiership” etc (even if true), then the supporters can use that official line as facts and dunk on everyone else as conspiracy theorists and shut it down but now we have mock cartoons and more NZ pundits weighing in and the rebuttal is 2-3 outlets not quoting each other are probably all wrong

 

[Makasene]

Because we paid him generously but with a performance/injury clause!
Most contracts in business have such agreements

We paid him generously because he was the halfback to take us to the promised land.

This is not a business. The RLPA would never allow a contract to be ratified in that way.

 

[CWC]

We paid him generously because he was the halfback to take us to the promised land.

This is not a business. The RLPA would never allow a contract to be ratified in that way.

That’s why if the club favors the other two and the player suddenly wants meetings and options, it actually brings relief to the club to solve the dilemma and free up cap for others on the market. Can’t rule out it’s part of a mutually agreed process….

Kinda like a guy wanting to break up with an expensive gf and the gf says first hey I want to dump you don’t be sad

 

[John Nick]

We paid him generously because he was the halfback to take us to the promised land.

This is not a business. The RLPA would never allow a contract to be ratified in that way.

I am not sure but I believe that some contracts have game numbers and targets ( like rep selections ) for bonuses and extensions. Don't quote me but pretty certain they can be included

 

[Stalefish540]

You only have to hear any sort of Aussie media pundit speak about the club to understand they have NFI idea what happens at the club. It's honestly embarrassing some of the things you hear, but the club is in NZ so hardly surprising.

We are finally a very well run organisation and feel like even less gets out than previously which really wasn't ever a hell of a lot. So it's either 1. Sydney media creative writing class in session which it could 110% be as is custom, or 2. Metcalf's team leaking it, which would be a really bad look for him as making it media aware shines a poor light and other than agitating what could be gained?

 

[Makasene]

I am not sure but I believe that some contracts have game numbers and targets ( like rep selections ) for bonuses and extensions. Don't quote me but pretty certain they can be included

Yes they do indeed

But that's a lot different to what Damo was suggesting.

Fringe players will have game numbers that trigger auto extensions as well.

But Metcalf got the bag, which would not come with these clauses

 

[Garry Saloon]

I think the club is taking this very seriously, with the radio silence. Normally they shoot things down very fast. Be interesting to see where it goes, bloody hard decision and discussion. Metcalf has the X factor, marketing and higher ceiling probably. But he's injury prone. Boyd is a true balanced 7 with a better kicking game and a true team first guy, who looks to love being a part of the club. Doesn't have the running game of Metcalf, but if Lukes legs keep giving up on him that could hinder him.

If he does leave, I wonder if we'll give TMM another year? Would say we need too for stability. I think Boyd makes sense as our 7 moving forward TBH.

I think the higher ceiling talk is overstated. Who knows what his ceiling really is? I reckon Boyd has gone way above what a lot of us thought was his ceiling. Metcalf may not have got within cooee of what we assume his is. Massive guesswork all round.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

View attachment 17276

Ha! It looks like Geronimo Doyle

 

[Noitall]

How much would Leniu and Timoko cost?

Leniu is on $800k at roosters so wouldn’t go near that unless he’s willing to adjust his asking price. Metcalf cops it for his injuries but Barnett has had his fair share since arriving despite playing extremely well when he makes the field. I think if you get Leniu firing, you get that type of intensity and younger and maybe not the same volume of injuries possibly?

 

[Noitall]

Had to do some digging cos its not mentioned in all the recent stories - but turns out he's managed by George Mimis, who also looks after Fish and all the Clearys.

But that makes the whole thing feel a bit weirder now. The Fish and Jett deals were done very quietly.. no rumours, leaks or any of the usual agent bullshit. How did this get out though? Was it us?

Good spotting.
Maybe it was us? Maybe it was Mimis? I don't think it would be beyond Cam George to do it, but he'd have to do it with Webby's blessing and sign-off, surely. And I doubt he has that.











Thought this was an interesting post off of the LU forum last night

 

[John Nick]

Yes they do indeed

But that's a lot different to what Damo was suggesting.

Fringe players will have game numbers that trigger auto extensions as well.

But Metcalf got the bag, which would not come with these clauses

Cheers Maka.

 

[Jaffa J]

With Dearden being potentially ruled out for Origin Boyd might have his odds increased of getting a call up which could be good for Metcalf for game time but bad for us since Boyd’s price will skyrocket hopefully we can get this deal done soon

 

[The Undertaker]

I still believe this is a smokescreen for something else. Not sure what though. However - if Luke is to be released at some point, we’ve set a precedent with a player swap with Barnett. Expect that to happen if the drums beat louder.

Note - TMM was signed for another year as insurance for Met and his injuries, and in case Boyd didn’t kick on. Him stepping up to career best form means the club have options now and Luke has no leverage around selection nor entitlement to the 7 jersey. If brings Jett and Linnane closer to grade.

Luke has to rely on hard work and winning the jersey back via Cup - get some reps in and demand it through being better. Simple as that.

Same as Gannon, TMM, Niukore, Berry, EIT, Fatialofa, Linnane, and one of Ali or Pompey when RTS is fit. AKP was another who earned the jersey through performance and took his chance when presented.

If not, Bears Eels Dragons Titans Dogs may come knocking. I’ll happily swap Metcalf for Critta or Kini for instance.

Boyd will stay as reported. As I believe will Chitty who just clicks in this team. He is home here - well, for at least another year.

The question is who are we signing to allow Met to be released as I don’t think we are done with external recruitment for 2027 and 2028 yet.

Whatever happens. I predict our first premiership to land in 2026 2027 or 2028. The window is now.

If I was a betting man, 2026 we make a GF. 2027 we win it. (Bold I know)

The players we have for 2027-2028 will be members of a premiership winning team the way we are tracking.

Luke needs to figure out if that team includes him or not.

Whatever happens, moves are afoot across the league. Right now, given the tax free rules with PNG we are in a pretty good spot as our kiwi boys can’t really benefit from that and Australian teams will weaken.

The team that wins our first title will be forever legends. That is closer than ever.

 

[Lance155]

With Dearden being potentially ruled out for Origin Boyd might have his odds increased of getting a call up which could be good for Metcalf for game time but bad for us since Boyd’s price will skyrocket hopefully we can get this deal done soon

Lol Boyd would be so far down the list for Origin

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Both slightly out of favour...coming to a team on the up like us. I think we could get both for around a million a year?

Those two and Wahbrick and Anderson would cost about 1.8 mil a year?

We lose Roger, Barney, Niukore, Berry, Capewell which is 2.5 mill there so could still hopefully fit a few upgrades to Ford, Boyd, CHT etc

Damn i had read somewhere Spencer is on about $550k which i thought was a good deal, surely the Roosters didnt pay that dude $800k?!

Not including his very first year, Spencer averaged about 25 min for the Riff, averaging 80m a game. Hes now averaging 39 minutes a game for the Roosters and hes averaging 79m a game lol.

Hes an impact prop - maybe one of the best in the game but I don't think hes worth over 550k