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), Marata Niukore (Newcastle Knights), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Wakefield Trinity)

Off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2027: Rocco Berry, 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

 

[sydneywarrior92]

If he goes to anyone, but the Sharks, I'm happy with this.

If not, they can rub sandpaper on their buttholes until next season.

we must also demand he does not play against us this year for his new club.

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

We've already paid a large chunk of his salary for this year. Why not keep him on the books just in case?

leaving mid season does no one any favours, we may well need him, sort the future for next year and try and part on good terms.

 

[tajhay]

It a move for LM does come about, then I'd much prefer an immediate release, and ahead of the June deadline, enabling Luke to fit into his new destination.
It also minimises the chance of team harmony disruption and frees up cap space for us to go to market.
Good for all involved, including our reserves, TMM, Hanson, JC, JL etc

Metcalf's upgraded contract starts next year. It is highly unlikely we will be able to get someone in prior to June 30 to use that available cap if freed for this year.

Unjuries can still happen. Feel like if Metcalf is leaving, and leaves before June 30, it would make our squad weaker not stronger.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

If the sharks want him, we should demand KL Iro for compensation.

If Rocco was on 500k, and we managed to pinch KL hed only get a few hundred k more im imagining, so the majority of LMs contract would still be up for grabs.

If we end up losing Roger, Barny, Dal (possibly), Chanel (possibly), Niukore, Capewell, Rocco and LM thats almost 5 million right there...crazy stuff.

Add in Wahbrick, Anderson, even KL and Leniu for shits and giggles, those 4 would only be on 2 mill ish? A mill to upgrade a few players and wed still have about 1.5-2 mill to spend....
Maybe we keep CHT for one more year and we only have a little over a mill...still not bad

Ovbs all guess work but I think this whole LM thing kinda works in our favour.

 

[roguei]

Nah he said that after his first week back in this interview.
“I prefer playing halfback if I'm completely honest,” Metcalf told SEN 1170 and SENQ's The Run Home.
“I'm someone that the more responsibility I have, the better I play I want the ball and need the ball in my hands to do what I want to do.



View: https://youtu.be/a6-sZWgBDwA?si=KuIXUKK999vaG7m6

What player does not have a preference. Before people were saying he only wants to play 7 and is willing to play 6. This is saying he prefers playing 7. There is quite a difference there. I don't really understand how people can equate the two as the same statement.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I'm actually glad this looks like it will get sorted soon rather than being dragged on for the entire year. I'm also less concerned this will impact the on-field performance given mets has hardly been on the field this year. If the rumours/stories were about Boyd leaving, I would be more concerned. But we just need to rip the band-aid off and move on.

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

Why does it have to be the Sharks and the Bulldogs being mentioned? The two teams I hate the most.

 

[Dead Man Switch]

KL Iro would make me feel a heck lot better about RTS leaving

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

I'm actually glad this looks like it will get sorted soon rather than being dragged on for the entire year. I'm also less concerned this will impact the on-field performance given mets has hardly been on the field this year. If the rumours/stories were about Boyd leaving, I would be more concerned. But we just need to rip the band-aid off and move on.

Would think it would give Tannah even more confidence that he will be the 7 moving forward. Probably the opposite effect for Metcalf

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Imagine going back to the club who didn’t want you in the first place. It’s like going to back to your toxic ex and being sloppy seconds.

 

[CWC]

Id try not to judge off of rumors. Not even the "I'm only happy to play 6 for this year" statement has been repeated by any other source. Only "confirmed" statement is that his management has asked for clarification on his role for the future.

People seem to muddy the water quite bit around what is real and what is rumor over this bye week. Or misremembering the past to suit how they want to paint him today.

The "clarification" and "he only wants 6 short term" are from the same report and neither the club or management commented on it since last week at least before today lol, I don't get the urge to keep separating the two statements made by the same reporter, well I kinda do, it's damaging to Luke.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Metcalf to the rooters for Fahu Whyte

 

[sydneywarrior92]

I'm at a place where I'm consigned to losing Mets. IMO, the team is clearly better managed/run under Tannah, though I'll leave further comments on this in the Boyd/Metcalf debate thread.

On a tangent though, Mets' options are limited if he just wants to be a 7. I'd think it's really only the dogs, dragons, sharks that would make sense for him. Gus has already said that the dogs cap is full and I doubt the sharks have cap space for him given the money going to AFB. So realistically I think we are really talking about the dragons and why would anyone want to go there? What's more important to Mets- playing no 7 or a premiership?

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

I'm at a place where I'm consigned to losing Mets. IMO, the team is clearly better managed/run under Tannah, though I'll leave further comments on this in the Boyd/Metcalf debate thread.

On a tangent though, Mets' options are limited if he just wants to be a 7. I'd think it's really only the dogs, dragons, sharks that would make sense for him. Gus has already said that the dogs cap is full and I doubt the sharks have cap space for him given the money going to AFB. So realistically I think we are really talking about the dragons and why would anyone want to go there? What's more important to Mets- playing no 7 or a premiership?

What about the roosters? DCE likely gone next season and he’s been playing as the dominant half on the right. Walker’s suited to more of a 6 running role anyway?

 

[juju]

Is he the starting #7? The didnt fire him from the organisation you are correct, but they certainly replaced him as a player.


Some spots are, and some aren't.

See the point about being replaced

So why did Webby not adhere to this iron-clad-pathaway-that-must-be-followed-at-all-costs?

He still has his marquee contract - not fired. Fired would be your Top 30 spot replaced.

Because Metcalf came back for two games, didnt perform in a team performing, got injured - threw his toys prematurely.

He’s not jonathan thurston or cameron smith. He’s 43 injury prone games into a career - that’s not quite enough mana to totally demand a spot.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I’m no tax expert btw

There were signs

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Metcalf to the rooters for Fahu Whyte

Surely they don't have the cap space.

Wait. Silly me.

But, to be fair, DCE is on a one year contract, so it could work out right?

 

[rugged]

What player does not have a preference. Before people were saying he only wants to play 7 and is willing to play 6. This is saying he prefers playing 7. There is quite a difference there. I don't really understand how people can equate the two as the same statement.

He said "that (in the context the that was playing 7)something I want to continue to do with my career." Seems pretty obvious he sees himself as a long term 7. If he wants his career to be as a 7 then he doesn't want to play 6 for an extended period. I am not sure if we are saying the same thing in a different way or not, but I think when you take L:uke's words plus the smoke and media reports coming out it is reasonable to expect that he is wanting to be 7 or be released. I don't blame him.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

He still has he marquee contract - not fired. Fired would be your Top 30 spot replaced.

Because Metcalf came back for two games, didnt perform in a team performing, got injured - threw his toys prematurely.

He’s not jonathan thurston or cameron smith. He’s 43 injury prone games into a career - that’s not quite enough mana to totally demand a spot.

Correct on all points from the Warriors POV. But you simply aren't willing to see it from Metcalf's POV.

I can guarantee he feels hard done by and sees us as the bad guy.

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Articles mentioning that he will stick around for atleast the end of this season. Unless there’s injuries, I don’t have him in the 19. Release him within the next couple of months and bring Joey Manu in for the rest of the season.