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	✔	✔	✔
	Morgan Harper	✔
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	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔
24	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
25	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
26	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
27	Dylan Walker	✔
28	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔	✔
S1	Kayliss Faitialofa	S
S2	Kalani Going	S
S3	Luke Hanson	S
S4	Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	S	✔	✔
S5	Sio Kali	S
S6	Patrick Moimoi	S
-	Kahu Capper	T	T
-	Jett Cleary	T	S	S
-	Motu Pasikala	T	✔	✔

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

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 21/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Tanner Stowers-Smith, Dylan Walker

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[Leon Black]

And to think there was a time some of us wanted the Warriors to sign big red. I'm ashamed of that now.

Remember that game he cried against us… and went off injured wanting to meet whoever cleaned him up behind the sheds? May have been Katoa from memory

 

[Leon Black]

Eddie for a 19 year old is a mature beast. Prop, back row, lock or centre, he always stood out against old pros, no SG Ball or Flegg. We need these guys more than your highlight reel player if we are to succeed in the future. Real footballers, ala Golden Boot Yeo

 

[Leon Black]

And to think there was a time some of us wanted the Warriors to sign big red. I'm ashamed of that now.

And I’m ashamed to admit I peed a little when I read your post on big red

 

[Worried2Death]

And I’m ashamed to admit I peed a little when I read your post on big red

Imagine being too big a dickhead even for the Raiders with their history of dickheads

 

[Leon Black]

Luka seems at home, hope he had an injury free season…


View: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS61fwTVp/

 

[Noitall]

What was the score this day?

Who cares? He don’t play there anymore and his club he’s at now doesn’t want him. Hasn’t quite worked out for him, but he has a title in saying that. Have you had a change of heart and want him now?

 

[Noitall]

F*** me this should be called the Fantasy Thread.
Anyways Brandon Smith was great as a Cameron Smith back up and running random bench guy.
Decent for the Kiwis too.
No F***** way the Warriors would sign him.
He fails all criteria.

Yeah can only dream of Jock Madden. That money SJ turned down should just about cover his salary

 

[Fizurg]

Luka seems at home, hope he had an injury free season…


View: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS61fwTVp/

A buddy of mine works for this show and said he was a really good dude.

 

[Ferdie]

Some of this reporting makes no sense to me.

They made a huge announcement on the Motu Pasikala re-signing only for him to be on a train and trial.

They're now over the development contract limit with 7. Maybe Kalani Going moves into the top 30?

Not going to lie, a little bit surprised that Kayliss Fatialofa got one. Great future player, but hasn't really stamped his mark at NSW cup level yet. I'm not sure what his best case scenario ceiling looks like either?? Maybe a slimmer Siosifa Talakai?

Sio Kali getting one isn't really a surprise. Dude is future NRL star if he can stay injury free long enough (fingers crossed)

Been re-watching some of the Eddie Ieremea-Toeava highlights. He already has by far the highest motor I've ever seen from a Warriors prospect (some future Simon Mannering shit) but theres some serious athletic ability I missed or forgotten about. Some of those break aways down the sideline and corner dives are amazing for a dude his size. He doesn't have the skill level, speed or feet that Halasima has. Development isn't linear though. Could Eddie end up being the most successful first grader of this crop of juniors in 10 years time?

They most rate Patrick Moimoi very highly. To get another development contract after missing the year with an ACL injury. I'd be giving him the year to work his way back through NSW cup first.

Neither hooker prospect Jacob Auloa or Makaia Tafua got one? Will either leave off the back of that especially with us signing Sam Healey?

There's a bit of a logjam of youth edge forwards coming through and for a while I thought Eddie Ieremea-Toeava could be the one that misses out, sitting behind Laban and Halasima in the pecking order. But if you think he has a Mannering style engine, then maybe he should focus on lock?
With Kalani Going playing at lock most weeks at NSW Cup level, I haven't really seen much of any of the kids at that position. So there could be an opportunity there as the other youth middle forwards all seem to be sharing time at Prop.

 

[Noitall]

There's a bit of a logjam of youth edge forwards coming through and for a while I thought Eddie Ieremea-Toeava could be the one that misses out, sitting behind Laban and Halasima in the pecking order. But if you think he has a Mannering style engine, then maybe he should focus on lock?
With Kalani Going playing at lock most weeks at NSW Cup level, I haven't really seen much of any of the kids at that position. So there could be an opportunity there as the other youth middle forwards all seem to be sharing time at Prop.

For memory I think Ale was the only other player to spend any time at lock apart from Going in nsw cup?

 

[Noitall]

Was having a look at the storm forum to see what the thinking was behind the Pezet extension. One poster made a really good point. Why is the clause in Pezet’s contract only attached to Hughes? Braith Anasta is the agent of Pezet and Munster, but as the poster said that they could see Pezet just as possible as the future five eighth as halfback with Munster missing a good portion of last season to injury and in the last week had both hips operated on

 

[Defence]

The only real thing I remember of him being selected as an AB for the end of year tour as a very fresh faced islander, and when they showed a clip of all the All Blacks out at dinner and Ice ordered a steak. They asked how he would like it and he replied 'large' lol.

Hahaha I’m gonna use that.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

For memory I think Ale was the only other player to spend any time at lock apart from Going in nsw cup?

I still think it's Ale's best position.

 

[Noitall]

I still think it's Ale's best position.

Feel like it’s a make or break season for him. Really hope he has a big year

 

[Defence]

People are quick to forget how good cheese was in his prime- arguably the best hooker in the game- he’s won premierships and had some barn burners for the kiwis.
His main weapon was his explosiveness though and age and injury have robbed him of that so I wouldn’t touch him now tbh but that doesn’t take away from what he’s achieved in his career.

 

[Damo]

People are quick to forget how good cheese was in his prime- arguably the best hooker in the game- he’s won premierships and had some barn burners for the kiwis.
His main weapon was his explosiveness though and age and injury have robbed him of that so I wouldn’t touch him now tbh but that doesn’t take away from what he’s achieved in his career.

Even in his prime he was nothing but a good bench hooker, if that. Well off being considered the best hooker in the game.
Only won one premiership where he contributed consistently during the season for the Storm in 2020 and even so that was behind the greatest hooker of all time.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

For memory I think Ale was the only other player to spend any time at lock apart from Going in nsw cup?

Demitric played 10 games at lock in 2023 for NSW Cup. The NSW team should move another player to lock if they do not think Going will make FG. Be nice if Walker doesn't have to fill that spot when Harris is injured.

 

[WA Warrior]

People are quick to forget how good cheese was in his prime- arguably the best hooker in the game- he’s won premierships and had some barn burners for the kiwis.
His main weapon was his explosiveness though and age and injury have robbed him of that so I wouldn’t touch him now tbh but that doesn’t take away from what he’s achieved in his career.

Agreed, always remember him ripping Aussie a new asshole in 2018 I think it was.
At his best he was a great 60 minute hooker that had a bustling running game.
I think he hasn’t got back to his best as a hooker since he started that hybrid lock hooker role he played at the Storm.

 

[Damo]

Agreed, always remember him ripping Aussie a new asshole in 2018 I think it was.
At his best he was a great 60 minute hooker that had a bustling running game.
I think he hasn’t got back to his best as a hooker since he started that hybrid lock hooker role he played at the Storm.

Always remember him being too tired to tackle a bloke through the middle against Australia in the RLWC.
Pity we have never been able to have him and Jeremy Marshall-King fit for long at the same time.

 

[WA Warrior]

Always remember him being too tired to tackle a bloke through the middle against Australia in the RLWC.
Pity we have never been able to have him and Jeremy Marshall-King fit at the same time.

That would be a great combo. Might see it next year maybe