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

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

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.

I cant believe they are not looking at him as a left edge centre!

 

[Bevosa]

I cant believe they are not looking at him as a left edge centre!

Linnane could be a revelation at left centre. He gives me real Tom Chester vibes, and Chester has been excellent for the Cowboys. I honestly think him and Leiataua could become a brutal long-term centre pairing for us.

I really don’t think we need to spend big money anymore. The days of hoping some marquee signing is going to come and magically change the club’s fortunes is over. Why pay overs for Australian players when we’ve got so much elite talent coming through the system already? In saying that I would 100% take Joey Manu at fullback I think his game is made for our system.

Ford needs a big upgrade, he's probably a 700-850k prop now.

Watching Tafua yesterday, he looked incredible and probably deserves to move up sooner rather than later. He’s got Egan’s no-look passing and knack for influencing the ruck, combined with absolutely colossal shots in defence, I'm a fan

 

[sup42]

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.

Taine is in great form. He is a difference maker in this team, his running game is a ruck winner and that is the core role of a Warriors styled fullback (people want sexy, I get that, but the Warriors plan is to save the Forwards by using the back three to roll those sets).

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.

I still expect at some point we will have one our mares with backrower multiple injuries....

 

[The Undertaker]

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.

As we saw with RTS it takes a couple of seasons to reconvert back to league from Union. Hard no at his age.

 

[Wrighty]

Linnane could be a revelation at left centre. He gives me real Tom Chester vibes, and Chester has been excellent for the Cowboys. I honestly think him and Leiataua could become a brutal long-term centre pairing for us.

I really don’t think we need to spend big money anymore. The days of hoping some marquee signing is going to come and magically change the club’s fortunes is over. Why pay overs for Australian players when we’ve got so much elite talent coming through the system already? In saying that I would 100% take Joey Manu at fullback I think his game is made for our system.

Ford needs a big upgrade, he's probably a 700-850k prop now.

Watching Tafua yesterday, he looked incredible and probably deserves to move up sooner rather than later. He’s got Egan’s no-look passing and knack for influencing the ruck, combined with absolutely colossal shots in defence, I'm a fan

Unless we supplement our internal promotions with the "occassional" external big signings then the Warriors are going to end up with Cronulla Sharks syndrome. A team that smack silly a bottom 4 team but be inconsistent against the very best teams in the league. Taine Tuapiki himself which some people are saying to retain instead of signing an external player was an external signing himself. Taine is not homegrown and the only reason we have depth at Fullback at all with a choice between CNK and Taine is that we externally recruited both of them (notwithstanding that CNK started his career with the Warriors).

Maybe we as in a group should short list position that our development pathways can provide and shortlist positions that we will always need to recruit for.

My attempt is as follows:
All the spine positions we need to recruit for as Kiwi kids don't see enough quality game time as youngsters to develop the sufficient football IQ to guide a team around the park. Yes there will always be exceptions like CHT and SJ.
We should be able to produce our own props and second rowers and locks.
Outside backs? Centres we can produce. Probably we can't grow wings with sufficient blistering speed.

 

[WAH MAN]

I cant believe they are not looking at him as a left edge centre!

Is he THAT good bro? I've seen bits of him but what is your take about his first grade readiness?

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Maybe we as in a group should short list position that our development pathways can provide and shortlist positions that we will always need to recruit for.

My attempt is as follows:
All the spine positions we need to recruit for as Kiwi kids don't see enough quality game time as youngsters to develop the sufficient football IQ to guide a team around the park. Yes there will always be exceptions like CHT and SJ.
We should be able to produce our own props and second rowers and locks.
Outside backs? Centres we can produce. Probably we can't grow wings with sufficient blistering speed.

Fascinating thought experiment!

I believe the clubs juniors programme can generate all positions except 7 and possibly hooker. If you look at our history including Australia recruits, we’ve had lots of good players in all positions except 7 and 9.

7 is the most technical and big picture requiring exceptional footy IQ. Even SJ took most of his career to master it and we’ve only ever produced him and Stacy as elite 7’s

6 is a lot easier and less technical, the warriors have had a string of adequate players that are good when matched with a good 7

Hookers are also a struggle. It’s easy to get an adequate/ good hooker. It’s hard to get one that can read the game to an Egan level. We’ve struggled to produce home grown and it’s another high footy IQ position that benefits from exceptional coaching early.

Fullback I believe we can produce ourselves. They are 90% physical talent and 10% footy IQ. We’ve had plenty at the Warriors over the years.

Fast wings we could produce easily, it’s just they all stayed in union until recently as we’ve focused on power on the wings.

Oddly enough we struggled for a long time to produce elite props - big enough players with big enough motors. I always thought it would naturally be a position of strength but we couldn’t seem to produce any homegrown after the 2011 era. With the game speeding up I think it’s easier to produce props again.

All other positions we can produce internally, albeit some positions, sometimes will have gaps. With the demise of union and us getting players earlier, our junior ranks will be even stronger plus the clubs investing in coaching at those junior levels.

On where to buy in players, there are freaks every generation. It’s easy to produce adequate players it’s harder to produce the top in a position. That’s where we should be recruiting. A top 2 player in any position, even if we can produce ourselves.

And ideally elite 7’s. The Panthers and Storm model and the Broncos last year is a team of super fit, agile above average journeymen with a superstar (Cleary, Walsh, Hughes) that can seperate 2 great teams in a grand final.

 

[Playdaball]

What will the Warriors do with Gannon?
From the outside looking in , seems that he has a real issue with concussions - as the club would have known when signing him.
I wonder if there was a clause in his contract around head injuries?
Let’s hope he can get back on the park at some stage .

 

[Makasene]

What will the Warriors do with Gannon?
From the outside looking in , seems that he has a real issue with concussions - as the club would have known when signing him.
I wonder if there was a clause in his contract around head injuries?
Let’s hope he can get back on the park at some stage .

They will do what they have done to all players under contract, they will support him.

Yes his concussion issues were known.

No I don't think we could have tempted him to the other side of the world with a 3 year deal if it was loaded with head knock clauses.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Is he THAT good bro? I've seen bits of him but what is your take about his first grade readiness?

Hes been super consistent at cup level! He can defend number one, he's not pace but he's certainly not slow.

I think physically he's there, could be Like leka, play backrow and centre. Could be our staggs!

Its about time we put effort into that position, him and Ali could be lethal together!

 

[Theking267]

Hes been super consistent at cup level! He can defend number one, he's not pace but he's certainly not slow.

I think physically he's there, could be Like leka, play backrow and centre. Could be our staggs!

Its about time we put effort into that position, him and Ali could be lethal together!

I think Kayliss will definitely get a debut next year. Particularly with Capewell likely to leave. Don’t need to recruit any forwards for the next 3 years with both Kayliss and Bishop Neal waiting in the wings.

 

[Blain]

I don't think Capewell is likely to leave at all. I'm expecting another year out of him, especially with Marata and Barnett gone. Leka and Laban are both hardly screaming must starters right now - They have a bit of development to go. If you follow social media Capewell is loved off the park by the boys and has been a great fit.

Kayliss is worth holding for sure, but I can see Bishop Neal pushing him back a spot in the next year or 2.

 

[Nambawan]

As we saw with RTS it takes a couple of seasons to reconvert back to league from Union. Hard no at his age.

Joey Manu's best days are long gone.

 

[Dead Man Switch]

I think the pending arrival of Grant Anderson is going to have some impact too. The guy is a class player who will most likely cement a position in the backline. We have signed him in his prime years window. I predict he will surprise a lot of people and being a signing out of the Jackson Ford box.

 

[CWC]

I think the pending arrival of Grant Anderson is going to have some impact too. The guy is a class player who will most likely cement a position in the backline. We have signed him in his prime years window. I predict he will surprise a lot of people and being a signing out of the Jackson Ford box.

I find it interesting Lemana and Linnane are now playing centre, Pompey 6 and we have GA/Ali for FG.....what do you think happens to Berry and is Linnane long term at centre or just a re-intro to rugby again?

 

[Damo]

I find it interesting Lemana and Linnane are now playing centre, Pompey 6 and we have GA/Ali for FG.....what do you think happens to Berry and is Linnane long term at centre or just a re-intro to rugby again?

Pompey didn't play 6, it was Linnane. Pompey was at centre.

 

[cock_o]

What is GA best position?
Centre or Wing?

 

[Warriorsitsouryear]

What is GA best position?
Centre or Wing?

I believe centre. No frills player, can lock down an edge defensively and consistently. Think a more solid Berry, who has more experience, comes from a great system in the Storm (Only 1-2 games for the Broncos) and although injured now - less of an injury record as Berry. Will also enjoy a carry into the teeth of a defence. He is not a maverick - he is a soldier that will follow the game plan without much difference from his best game to his worst. Also, he will be a centre looking to set up his winger rather than what Cowboys centre did yesterday and blow a 3 on 1 due to him trying to beat the fullback with 2 players in support. They were filthy at him - and Souths scored in the next set... could have lost them the game.

 

[Fizurg]

I believe centre. No frills player, can lock down an edge defensively and consistently. Think a more solid Berry, who has more experience, comes from a great system in the Storm (Only 1-2 games for the Broncos) and although injured now - less of an injury record as Berry. Will also enjoy a carry into the teeth of a defence. He is not a maverick - he is a soldier that will follow the game plan without much difference from his best game to his worst. Also, he will be a centre looking to set up his winger rather than what Cowboys centre did yesterday and blow a 3 on 1 due to him trying to beat the fullback with 2 players in support. They were filthy at him - and Souths scored in the next set... could have lost them the game.

To be fair Chester is a gun and id be way more excited if we were signing him than Anderson.

 

[Wrighty]

Joey Manu's best days are long gone.

Let us have our dreams!!!