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

 

[WAH MAN]

I could see Linnane getting a crack at fullback if all the first grade options were unavailable. What's his defence been like in Cup?

He's literally two games in after a mega layoff for an ACL. He played centre once. Then standoff once. Just my opinion but how would that satisfy the job description for fullback in your thoughts?

 

[sup42]

he's a tough hombre for his size lol

Agreed.

He is a lot stronger than he looks.

I like his mobility in defence.

He has great footwork, and a good read (his read is up there with the better centers).

I love how light on his feet this guy is and his decision making to ignore lead runners and watch the ball.

Specifically he is very free laterally and in reverse, kinda the foundation skills of elite defensive backs in the NRL. But you gotta have the mobility in your toes and feet to maximize that ability to pivot and adjust rapidly.

I was very pleased to see how he hunts that last pass off a break and how his instincts in that moment are to choose the right channel inside vs outside as a support runner, that makes two we have in our ranks now, Morgan Gannon is the other that understands support running.

Alofiana has that potential, yet to see him scream up in an unexpected support run yet tho....

 

[Viking]

He's literally two games in after a mega layoff for an ACL. He played centre once. Then standoff once. Just my opinion but how would that satisfy the job description for fullback in your thoughts?

Yeah, for some reason I thought he plays halves and fullback. In 2023 he was the standoff for both Ball and Flegg while Fletcher Sharpe was the fullback for both. Every good fullback should be able to play standoff and vice versa. I know the Broncos pathways make it mandatory that their juniors play both positions if they already play as one or the other. Calvin Harris Tevita and Toko Owen have done that already. I haven't heard the same thing about the Knights but Fletcher Sharpe has done it.

I thought Linnane was a strange buy for the club at the time he was signed but he's looking really good now. Where does he play when he gets to first grade? I know the club has a high opinion of the Knights halves coaching and that the Knights produce too many good halves to keep them all. They lost a really good one to the Storm in Cooper Votano.

 

[CWC]

Yeah, for some reason I thought he plays halves and fullback. In 2023 he was the standoff for both Ball and Flegg while Fletcher Sharpe was the fullback for both. Every good fullback should be able to play standoff and vice versa. I know the Broncos pathways make in mandatory that their juniors play both positions if they already play as one or the other. I haven't heard the same thing about the Knights but Fletcher Sharpe has done it.

I thought Linnane was a strange buy for the club at the time he was signed but he's looking really good now. Where does he play when he gets to first grade?

I thought centre and FB are potentially interchangeable - Inglis, Mitchell, Turbo, Roger etc so maybe he's groomed as an utility who could play 6 and centre, and cover FB, otherwise when Radcliff becomes our FB and gets injured midgame who is covering for him? TT will be 30+ by then.

 

[Viking]

I thought centre and FB are potentially interchangeable - Inglis, Mitchell, Turbo, Roger etc so maybe he's groomed as an utility who could play 6 and centre, and cover FB, otherwise when Radcliff becomes our FB and gets injured midgame who is covering for him? TT will be 30+ by then.

It depends on the type of centre, I think the majority of centres can't play fullback because of the weight they need to carry to play at centre. The current rules make tall fullbacks virtually redundant. Mitchell and Turbo have had multiple hamstring tears, the position requires too much running now and the expectation is for the fullback to shadow play for second phase opportunities instead for sitting back to chime in on the 4th or 5th tackle like Mitchell did. Wing, Fullback and Standoff are the positions a modern fullback should play well. Elite centres play fullback for better money.

As mecurial as Inglis was, he wouldn't survive at fullback in todays NRL. Roger went from wing to fullback to centre so it doesn't really count. He would've added 5kgs of body weight on each position change too. He would've struggled playing back at fullback long term without dropping weight. I think CNK struggles for the same reason. I've never seen anyone hit 30 and get lighter.

 

[CWC]

It depends on the type of centre, I think the majority of centres can't play fullback because of the weight they need to carry to play at centre. The current rules make tall fullbacks virtually redundant. Mitchell and Turbo have had multiple hamstring tears, the position requires too much running now and the expectation is for the fullback to shadow play for second phase opportunities instead for sitting back to chime in on the 4th or 5th tackle like Mitchell did. Wing, Fullback and Standoff are the positions a modern fullback should play well. Elite centres play fullback for better money.

As mecurial as Inglis was, he wouldn't survive at fullback in todays NRL. Roger went from wing to fullback to centre so it doesn't really count. He would've added 5kgs of body weight on each position change too. He would've struggled playing back at fullback long term without dropping weight. I think CNK struggles for the same reason. I've never seen anyone hit 30 and get lighter.

Think the hammer might be the perfect type, FB full time and centre for SOO

 

[The Warrior Waka]

No Try's scored on his edge since entering cup.

24 points conceded over two games since entering.

Win loss 2/0.

Typed all that partly in fun, coz it is a team game, but the first point, no try's let in on his watch stands.

He has dropped a couple of big back row forwards one on one and made it look easy, so I would say so far so good. Notwithstanding Pompey has let a few in....

No Try's scored on his edge since entering cup.

24 points conceded over two games since entering.

Win loss 2/0.

Typed all that partly in fun, coz it is a team game, but the first point, no try's let in on his watch stands.

He has dropped a couple of big back row forwards one on one and made it look easy, so I would say so far so good. Notwithstanding Pompey has let a few in....

Comparing Pomps to a 2 game old nsw player is not it bro lol.
He may have a promising career ahead of him. But you're setting up to the curse of the wahs fan henchman if he plays a few shit games. Let the kid live and learn. Hes still got his training shoes on. To much pressure for a kid who has just come back from a serious injury. Pomps is our Mr Fixit. And he does a job for us. Hes it for now.

 

[Viking]

Think the hammer might be the perfect type, FB full time and centre for SOO

He's the most natural runner in the game IMO. He knows how to relax at top speed which makes his energy use more efficient throughout the game. He never looks tired.

My only gripe with his fullback play is that his kick returns are usually soft and his team will start their set further back than if he tried to pick up extra meters post contact. I wonder what the Dophins forwards think of it. Maybe he's coached that way and it's so he can save himself for something special later in the set. He's not a busy fullback either, he picks his moments. Still a joy to watch overall.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

He's the most natural runner in the game IMO. He knows how to relax at top speed which makes his energy use more efficient throughout the game. He never looks tired.

My only gripe with his fullback play is that his kick returns are usually soft and his team will start their set further back than if he tried to pick up extra meters post contact. I wonder what the Dophins forwards think of it. Maybe he's coached that way and it's so he can save himself for something special later in the set. He's not a busy fullback either, he picks his moments. Still a joy to watch overall.

Hammer is beautiful to watch in full flight. Effortless running style. Reminds me of Greg Inglis.

 

[CWC]

Hammer is beautiful to watch in full flight. Effortless running style. Reminds me of Greg Inglis.

Inglis and Dan Carter are the two I’ve seen that runs casually but surprisingly fast

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Inglis and Dan Carter are the two I’ve seen that runs casually but surprisingly fast

Christian Cullen too. That boy would glide so effortless across the grass.

 

[Dead Man Switch]

It depends on the type of centre, I think the majority of centres can't play fullback because of the weight they need to carry to play at centre. The current rules make tall fullbacks virtually redundant. Mitchell and Turbo have had multiple hamstring tears, the position requires too much running now and the expectation is for the fullback to shadow play for second phase opportunities instead for sitting back to chime in on the 4th or 5th tackle like Mitchell did. Wing, Fullback and Standoff are the positions a modern fullback should play well. Elite centres play fullback for better money.

As mecurial as Inglis was, he wouldn't survive at fullback in todays NRL. Roger went from wing to fullback to centre so it doesn't really count. He would've added 5kgs of body weight on each position change too. He would've struggled playing back at fullback long term without dropping weight. I think CNK struggles for the same reason. I've never seen anyone hit 30 and get lighter.

Bro if you think hitting 30 and getting lighter is hard... TRY 40...eeekkk... especially if you have a sweet tooth and a lack of self control haha

Awesome insights there Viking! The NRL gets a lot of crap but they are so forward thinking and ahead of the game compared to most other sports. They have bought the smaller players back into the game (Which drives more fans who love the little guys holding their own) and are making them stars again. In fact the balance is great between all player sizes because the big guys who have talent are still in the game. or still serve total purpose. I would of never imagined the Warriors would be developing a 6'5 - 6'6/ 125 - 135kg Tepatasi Laumalili... but they are bit by bit for a future NRL use case.

Yes there is teething problems in 2026 (Full bitching and moaning) but it will the produce the best product into future years. Warriors adapting really well too. Building system over individual. Which in itself attracts super individuals who want to win and experience brotherhood and culture.

For all that has been said I reckon Barnett and Metcalf will still have lumps in their throats walking away from the Warriors premiership window. I also reckon the Warriors while ruthless in business will rally around Metcalf and build the man. That is the club that we are. Truly a family club.

Kosi didnt want to leave and neither did Crosby. Says it all.

 

[Horriors2013]

Lemana has pushed ahead of KPP so if there any more injuries to centre’s could definitely be an option to play NRL this year

You'd think so. But I doubt Webby would risk a newbie centre this year. He'd rather use Halasima or Capewah before using a junior. Leiataua has only recently cemented his place.

 

[Horriors2013]

The succession plan makes sense then with CNK here till 2027 and Taine till 2028

Yeah. It gives Ratcliffe and Lemana time to force their way in. If next year even better. But if 2028, that just follows the plan. It's nice to see some method in these signings.