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), Luke Metcalf (St George Illawarra Dragons), Marata Niukore (Newcastle Knights), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Wakefield Trinity)

Off contract and free to sign elsewhere for 2027: Rocco Berry, Kurt Capewell, 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, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Sam Healey, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Ali Leiataua, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Motu Pasikala, Adam Pompey, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

 

[Playdaball]

I think Taine is getting better and better, but if we're really wanting to go there, convincing Kini to jump on a compassionate release would be my higher on my list.

Compassionate grounds?
His parents now live on the GC and he has an Aust born child. We don't really need him as TT is doing the job for the Warriors at a lot less $$ than Kini.

 

[Lance155]

Compassionate grounds?
His parents now live on the GC and he has an Aust born child. We don't really need him as TT is doing the job for the Warriors at a lot less $$ than Kini.

Hope you don't mean the job to the level of Kini? While I am content with Taine I still think there is too many talented fullbacks out there to not upgrade that position.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Compassionate grounds?

I was just poking fun at practice. It wasn't a serious suggestion.

We don't really need him as TT is doing the job for the Warriors at a lot less $$ than Kini.

I was more making the point that I'd rather Kini than Brimson. But yes, I agree. I quite like what Taine is developing into.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Im wondering how far away are we from a marquee signing?

Weve been a top 4 club 3 of the last 4 years, multiple examples of players improving significantly across the ditch, and with the coach and juniors that we have, I think its fair to say that for the next 3 or 4 years atleast were going to have a top forward pack with x factor talent, some really decent backs and a solid half back in Tanah.

Outside of Fish, who wanted to come back home the majority of our signings have been either journeyman, rookies, kiwis wanting to come home or players out of favour.

Surely players are starting to take notice...could we land a big fish like Herbie or a game breaking full back? When's Ponga off contract again?

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

I want Casey Maguire, erm, McLean

 

[3rdstriker]

Im wondering how far away are we from a marquee signing?

Weve been a top 4 club 3 of the last 4 years, multiple examples of players improving significantly across the ditch, and with the coach and juniors that we have, I think its fair to say that for the next 3 or 4 years atleast were going to have a top forward pack with x factor talent, some really decent backs and a solid half back in Tanah.

Outside of Fish, who wanted to come back home the majority of our signings have been either journeyman, rookies, kiwis wanting to come home or players out of favour.

Surely players are starting to take notice...could we land a big fish like Herbie or a game breaking full back? When's Ponga off contract again?

I don't know about signings but I think some of our journeyman and juniors are becoming marquees.
Maybe the capewells fisher Harris signings are worth their weight in gold.

 

[CWC]

I want Casey Maguire, erm, McLean

My sauce from NY told me Cameron George was spotted having tea with Toby McGuire for a marquee mascot signing, this changes everything

 

[Tokyo Warrior]

Can we get Casey Kasem to do the ground announcements?

 

[The Warrior Waka]

I want Casey Maguire, erm, McLean

Same!

 

[Wrighty]

Im wondering how far away are we from a marquee signing?

Weve been a top 4 club 3 of the last 4 years, multiple examples of players improving significantly across the ditch, and with the coach and juniors that we have, I think its fair to say that for the next 3 or 4 years atleast were going to have a top forward pack with x factor talent, some really decent backs and a solid half back in Tanah.

Outside of Fish, who wanted to come back home the majority of our signings have been either journeyman, rookies, kiwis wanting to come home or players out of favour.

Surely players are starting to take notice...could we land a big fish like Herbie or a game breaking full back? When's Ponga off contract again?

I would say since we have Metcalf's roughly 950K burning a hole in our pocket for next year that we will try to bring a marquee player. My betting money is on Joey Manu given he was linked to us three weeks aga.

 

[3rdstriker]

I would say since we have Metcalf's roughly 950K burning a hole in our pocket for next year that we will try to bring a marquee player. My betting money is on Joey Manu given he was linked to us three weeks aga.

What about interior promotion?

 

[Tragic]

I love capewell but I would not keep him beyond this year. Fatialofa is like a caged beast at the moment! We are actually stacked in the backrow!

Fatialofa is not in Capewells league, has he even had a first grade game? Given the youth we already have in the team i think it is also important to keep him for his leadership.

 

[Tookey 2.0]

What about interior promotion?

I think the key to a premiership recruitment wise is to promote good young players into first grade (check ️), fill those spots we dont cant fill from rookies with solid, NRL standard players (double check ️, these players like Clark, Tanah, Ford etc are all excelling here) and then top it all off with one or two marquee players, ideally in key positions.

I feel were one signing off - ideally a full back - from being a dominant, top 2 team for the next 2-4 years. The rest of the pieces are already here

 

[WAH MAN]

Im wondering how far away are we from a marquee signing?

Weve been a top 4 club 3 of the last 4 years, multiple examples of players improving significantly across the ditch, and with the coach and juniors that we have, I think its fair to say that for the next 3 or 4 years atleast were going to have a top forward pack with x factor talent, some really decent backs and a solid half back in Tanah.

Outside of Fish, who wanted to come back home the majority of our signings have been either journeyman, rookies, kiwis wanting to come home or players out of favour.

Surely players are starting to take notice...could we land a big fish like Herbie or a game breaking full back? When's Ponga off contract again?

English people move to Australia for sunny weather. Lol.

I don't think we'd get Herbie but I think he'd be a good get if he could fit our style or we could utilise his strengths.

Ponga. By the time we can get him he'll be 59.

 

[3rdstriker]

I think the key to a premiership recruitment wise is to promote good young players into first grade (check ️), fill those spots we dont cant fill from rookies with solid, NRL standard players (double check ️, these players like Clark, Tanah, Ford etc are all excelling here) and then top it all off with one or two marquee players, ideally in key positions.

I feel were one signing off - ideally a full back - from being a dominant, top 2 team for the next 2-4 years. The rest of the pieces are already here

You're right, but I think TT has a firm grip on that fullback role i doubt he's gonna let it go anytime soon haha.
But yeah one more marquee signing would be perfect, Jfh and Kurt Capewell types have already shown their worth its just that gamebreaker now.

 

[Cces]

950K burning a hole in our pocket for next year

Re-signing CHT on the back on his undefeated 7 game start of the year & getting Tanah to commit would've made a dent in that 950k. I'd imagine there's still a fair bit more to spend than they had a month ago but it might be closer to 600 rather than 950k

 

[CWC]

Re-signing CHT on the back on his undefeated 7 game start of the year & getting Tanah to commit would've made a dent in that 950k. I'd imagine there's still a fair bit more to spend than they had a month ago but it might be closer to 600 rather than 950k

If 600 then probably enough for a million dollar player after Barney/RTS/Marata swapsy for WW/GA and possibly Cape and Dallin. I’m still bummed about RTS

 

[Cces]

What's Fatialofa's path to regular first grade? Our #17 role is usually taken by an edge that can cover middle as Leka covers an injury at Centre.
Fatialofa is contracted for 2027 but Halasima & Laban are signed until 2029, EIT until 2028 & Neal destined for first grade.

 

[WAH MAN]

What's Fatialofa's path to regular first grade? Our #17 role is usually taken by an edge that can cover middle as Leka covers an injury at Centre.
Fatialofa is contracted for 2027 but Halasima & Laban are signed until 2029, EIT until 2028 & Neal destined for first grade.

Multiple injuries,.suspensions and rep players out all at once or top four locked up with home semi final and games to spare at the end of regular season.

 

[CWC]

What's Fatialofa's path to regular first grade? Our #17 role is usually taken by an edge that can cover middle as Leka covers an injury at Centre.
Fatialofa is contracted for 2027 but Halasima & Laban are signed until 2029, EIT until 2028 & Neal destined for first grade.

Laban/EIT to middle/lock behind TSS/Clarke, Leka/Fats start, Neal bench, window is limited if Gannon get over his head but not promising