Recruitment Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention Discussion​

-	Player	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029
1	Bunty Afoa	✔
2	Tom Ale	✔
3	Mitchell Barnett	✔	✔	✔
4	Rocco Berry	✔	✔
5	Tanah Boyd	✔	✔
6	Kurt Capewell	✔	✔
7	Erin Clark	✔	✔	✔
8	Wayde Egan	✔	✔	✔
9	James Fisher-Harris	✔	✔	✔	✔
10	Jackson Ford	✔	✔	✔
11	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔
12	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
13	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
14	Edward Kosi	✔
15	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
16	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
17	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
18	Te Maire Martin	✔
19	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
20	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
21	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
22	Adam Pompey	✔
23	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
24	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
25	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
26	Dylan Walker	✔
27	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔	✔
S1	Kayliss Faitialofa	S
S2	Kalani Going	S
S3	Luke Hanson	S
S4	Sio Kali	S
S5	Patrick Moimoi	S
S6	Tanner Stowers-Smith	S
-	Kahu Capper	T	T
-	Jett Cleary	T	S	S
-	Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	T
-	Motu Pasikala	T

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract, T = Train & Trial contract

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 27/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6
Unconfirmed Top 30 2025: 27/30
Unconfirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 22/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Adam Pompey, Dylan Walker

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[Brightman]

What I like best is these guys are defending at a similar level when they get their opportunity in first grade. Really quite impressive from both
Laban nsw cup
92% tackle efficiency
107 metres on average
15 appearances, 8 tries, 6 line breaks
Laban first grade
92% tackle efficiency
36 metres on average over 7 appearances
Halasima nsw cup
93% tackle efficiency
141 metres on average
12 appearances, 3 tries, 7 line breaks
Halasima first grade
84% tackle efficiency (though as someone pointed out it dropped because of needing to play centre in a game)
58 metres on average, 1 line break over 4 appearances
I’ve got these 2 as my future second row with Eddie Ieremia Toeava off the bench showing this year that he can handle second row, centre, prop

One thing is for sure, junior pathways and development is being managed much better..

 

[Noitall]

One thing is for sure, junior pathways and development is being managed much better..

Really want to see Zyon Maiu’u make a stride next year, he went backwards a touch from 2023. Went from 91% tackle efficiency and 97 metres on average in 2023, to 90% tackle efficiency and 80 metres on average in nsw cup. Though he played 26 games in 2023 and managed 16 this season. One thing to be optimistic about though is in his first grade debut he made 77 metres in 7 runs, so exactly what you want from your front rower and 5 tackles, no misses

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Really want to see Zyon Maiu’u make a stride next year, he went backwards a touch from 2023. Went from 91% tackle efficiency and 97 metres on average in 2023, to 90% tackle efficiency and 80 metres on average in nsw cup. Though he played 26 games in 2023 and managed 16 this season. One thing to be optimistic about though is in his first grade debut he made 77 metres in 7 runs, so exactly what you want from your front rower and 5 tackles, no misses

Where do you see Ale slotting in bro?

Thought he looked really good at times in 2024, and I'm a fan but I can't see where he fits in moving forward. Off contract too, so unless he's training the house down in preseason or there's a key injury, I can't see what we're trying to do

 

[Canonball]

After an already loooong off-season hoping some stellar signing news would come out I'm actually now pretty happy with our squad going into next year - pretty excited to see how those younger players step up after some exposure to 1st grade last year - Halasima in particular but the others too Demitric Vaimauga, Zyon Maiu’u and Laban - and we couldn't have gotten a better replacement for AFB in JFH, who takes the squad in a different direction, hopefully instilling huge mana and attitude (we definitely had off field issues last year, anyone know exactly what these were ? Someone here must ...)

As such I'm so unbothered by the pack they're hardly worth mentioning - i mean there is size as an issue but the game has changed so much even in the last 2-3 seasons with the 6 agains and tackle rules etc. that more mobile forwards are the go now - the hooker an lock position are going to be key for us - and we have great options both ways - the Healey signing was really out of the gate I think, and Egan should be less busted at least to start with

So it does come down to the backs - I said elsewhere I reckon the only two locks are DWZ and Ali - everyone else is definitely competing for a spot - the two factors that bother us here are speed and playmaking - and that's fair - it would be incredbile if we somehow piucked up a marquee half in the next few weeks but chances are very low - so as that niche cache article pointed out our 4 half options all look like they offer something quite different to eachother - so it's really becomes a matter of gameplan and fitting stregths together... I don't think we'll do much on the speed front and it won't be a priority for recruiytmemt anyway ... tho some of those train and trial contracts are tasty in that respect

 

[Noitall]

Where do you see Ale slotting in bro?

Thought he looked really good at times in 2024, and I'm a fan but I can't see where he fits in moving forward. Off contract too, so unless he's training the house down in preseason or there's a key injury, I can't see what we're trying to do

Yeah I saw glimpses too this season, really running with intent. Liked hearing Barnett on Monty Betham once a Warrior say he doesn’t believe Tom knows how good he can be. I am a fan of Ale so hope he can get there. Going to throw a hypothetical out there. Storm just missed out on Fonua Pole, with all that’s going on at storm with Pezet in negotiations with knights, I wonder if we would entertain the idea of sending Ale to storm and they release Hughes? They really are in a battle to keep Pezet, then there’s Wishart who was a chance to go to dragons, but Ilias has signed there

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Tohu Harris will be paid $950K next season

Who is the highest-paid NRL player? Top rugby league salaries by position | Sporting News Australia

A summary of the salaries of top-paid rugby league players in the NRL.

www.sportingnews.com

Which is probably why he has never once entertained retiring when asked. What a waste of a mill

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I tihnk Halasima, Laban , Sifakula, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava have enormous potential?

That's not our 2nd row though is it? You've just named some juniors, which kinda proves the point.

 

[Brightman]

Really want to see Zyon Maiu’u make a stride next year, he went backwards a touch from 2023. Went from 91% tackle efficiency and 97 metres on average in 2023, to 90% tackle efficiency and 80 metres on average in nsw cup. Though he played 26 games in 2023 and managed 16 this season. One thing to be optimistic about though is in his first grade debut he made 77 metres in 7 runs, so exactly what you want from your front rower and 5 tackles, no misses

So do I. He'll benefit immensely from having JFH around and I see Zyon Maiu’u progressing in a similar fashion to Spencer Leniu, a contribution too valuable to ignore but playing in a position that generally takes time to mature into..

 

[Naynay]

That's not our 2nd row though is it? You've just named some juniors, which kinda proves the point.

One of them (most like Laban or Halasima) will likely slot into one of the second row positions with Capewell/Ford on the otherside i would say.

Basis what has been shown I would say Halasima to be the damaging runner and then Capewell/Ford as a work rate second rower.

 

[Noitall]

So do I. He'll benefit immensely from having JFH around and I see Zyon Maiu’u progressing in a similar fashion to Spencer Leniu, a contribution too valuable to ignore but playing in a position that generally takes time to mature into..

Will be keeping an eye on Tanner Tanner Stowers-Smith too next season. Stands at 183cm just like Zyon Maiu’u, but a bit lighter at 101kg. He’s got a real hard edge to him and a couple of kilos of extra muscle in preseason could see him become a factor going forward

 

[The Warrior Waka]

That's not our 2nd row though is it? You've just named some juniors, which kinda proves the point.

I don't know, I don't have a time machine and I'm still in 2024. How'd you get to the first game in 2025 to predict this all so fast?

 

[snake77]

One thing is for sure, junior pathways and development is being managed much better..

There are some promising players knocking on the door of first grade. Hopefully they come through next year.

The first grade side hasn't seen a lot of new talent coming in for next year when you compare us to some of the other sides. That wouldn't be much of a concern if we had a similar year to 2023. But instead we have to improve from bottom of the table with a similar playing group.

For the development I like seeing the signings for the teams below the NSW Cup side. If we can get our coaching systems in place we should have players coming through that are used to playing competitive football and also dealing with the travel.

There have been a few halves signed for the development sides. Hopefully a few of them come good.

 

[CWC]

Was sure I saw somewhere that Tohu is on $500k for 2025? Certainly not gospel though

Still the Guinness World Records for the most expensive tofu ever (come at me bro)

 

[peewee]

Still the Guinness World Records for the most expensive tofu ever (come at me bro)

Not being rude. But thats all he is worth now.

 

[Fizurg]

Still the Guinness World Records for the most expensive tofu ever (come at me bro)

The tofu might not be great but the delivery is exceptionally fast.

 

[Cces]

Tohu started 2024 with a 237m and 37 tackle (@95%) effort in an 80 minute performance. If he's not run ragged early doors he'll make valuable contributions & none of us can change what he gets paid anyways

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Tohu started 2024 with a 237m and 37 tackle (@95%) effort in an 80 minute performance. If he's not run ragged early doors he'll make valuable contributions & none of us can change what he gets paid anyways

I have always like Tohu as a player. Really skilful and tough but it is how he ends the season that matters. I would like us to playing late into September 2025.
Really hope he can keep the form for the whole year.

 

[Neo]

I have always like Tohu as a player. Really skilful and tough but it is how he ends the season that matters. I would like us to playing late into September 2025.
Really hope he can keep the form for the whole year.

I know at his age things change quickly but in that home final against the Knights I thought he was the best player on the ground. Hopefully the forward pack is travelling well and he can be managed well. It’s not often you get a player of his class at the Warriors so they need to make the most of him

 

[Fonzie]

TWL will be dropping an interview with Cappy this evening

 

[Riz]

TWL will be dropping an interview with Cappy this evening

Awesome, can't wait!