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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[Defence]

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.

2020 and 2021 storm forward of the year and dally m hooker of the year nothing but a bench hooker, if that?
Ok….

 

[Damo]

2020 and 2021 storm forward of the year and dally m hooker of the year nothing but a bench hooker, if that?
Ok….

Yep. He played 5 games at hooker for the Storm in 2020, rest off the bench or at prop.
2021 was just warming the spot for Harry Grant to take over the year after. There's a reason he's been/being moved on for other hookers at two teams now.
I am being harsh for sure, but I just think he's an awesome middle forward more than an awesome hooker.

 

[~Navigator~]

I don't know what positions he will play but I hope he brings us good luck,

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[Defence]

Yep. He played 5 games at hooker for the Storm in 2020, rest off the bench or at prop.
2021 was just warming the spot for Harry Grant to take over the year after. There's a reason he's been/being moved on for other hookers at two teams now.
I am being harsh for sure, but I just think he's an awesome middle forward more than an awesome hooker.

2021- 22 games at hooker.
Amongst all hookers he was 1st for tries 4th for try assists, 1st for line breaks, 2nd for line break assists, 89% win record, minor premiership, storm forward of the year (Hughes beat him to player of the year by 1 point) dally m hooker of the year.
They loaned grant out because smith was the better player at that stage.
It’s like Tyson and Lennox Lewis- some guys peak early some take time.

 

[Damo]

2021- 22 games at hooker.
Amongst all hookers he was 1st for tries 4th for try assists, 1st for line breaks, 2nd for line break assists, 89% win record, minor premiership, storm forward of the year (Hughes beat him to player of the year by 1 point) dally m hooker of the year.
They loaned grant out because smith was the better player at that stage.
It’s like Tyson and Lennox Lewis- some guys peak early some take time.

All those achievements and still punted the next year for Harry Grant

 

[Fizurg]

All those achievements and still punted the next year for Harry Grant

if Harry Grant was capable of playing other positions and Cheese wasn’t they would have moved Harry. It’s the same with Manu. Being versatile means you get moved around.
Anyone arguing the Cheese wasn’t a great hooker in his prime has a short memory.

 

[Five&Last]

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.

Definitely has the motor for it but would need to work on his ball playing. Both Halasima and Sifakula better passers at this stage.

 

[Milking!]

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.

Didn’t he win the award in 2021 for literally being the best hooker in the NRL.

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

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.

Clearly some odd arguments going on out there for Cheese to once be suggested as the best hooker in the game. Might have been mentioned already however an interesting point made the other day by Guru that in the season Cheese won Dally M hooker, Harry Grant averaged 60 minutes a game… so Cheese basically won the award playing lock but with the number 9 on his back.

 

[Milking!]

I don't know what positions he will play but I hope he brings us good luck,

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Perfect no 14 utility in today’s NRL.

 

[Noitall]

Perfect no 14 utility in today’s NRL.

Dalai wahma

 

[Damo]

if Harry Grant was capable of playing other positions and Cheese wasn’t they would have moved Harry. It’s the same with Manu. Being versatile means you get moved around.
Anyone arguing the Cheese wasn’t a great hooker in his prime has a short memory.

If he's supposedly the best hooker in the world, why would you move him?

 

[Damo]

Didn’t he win the award in 2021 for literally being the best hooker in the NRL.

Yeah, and regularly only played the first 25 or so at hooker that season.

 

[~Navigator~]

These guys seem to think we have filled our top 30.
At the bottom. Of this story which I think is cool also.

Warriors youngster earns extension, handed Top 30 spot for 2026

His cousin is former New Zealand All Blacks star Isaia Toeava.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[Riz]

These guys seem to think we have filled our top 30.
At the bottom. Of this story which I think is cool also.

Warriors youngster earns extension, handed Top 30 spot for 2026

His cousin is former New Zealand All Blacks star Isaia Toeava.

www.zerotackle.com

Cappy said we're at 29 in his interview with TWL last week.

 

[Defence]

All those achievements and still punted the next year for Harry Grant

No shame in losing your spot to Harry grant.
Anyway each to their own- we both agree we wouldn’t sign him now.

 

[Milking!]

Yeah, and regularly only played the first 25 or so at hooker that season.

Must’ve played pretty well in those 25mins (I’m joking!)
Yeah, I get that part of it falls under the oddness of the Dally M system (he played very well in a thunderous Storm side, and started at 9, hence many points as a hooker), but he was defo elite at that time - at both roles.
That all said, while I love the rascal, sounds the chances of him even considering coming to the Wahs are slim to FA … and slim just left town.

 

[PhilsySH35]

Not sure, what you're watching but from what i see, he draws a lot of attention in the middle as a huge running threat from dummy half opening up opportunities out wide. He's smart and has enough skills to capitalize on opportunities. Unfortunately, his style of play didn't really suit roosters style in my opinion.

I have to agree with Damo. When he first came on the scene he was a great dummy half runner, scoring tries close to the line etc., but his passing game was or still very ordinary, however if we can get him very cheap I'd take him.

 

[cock_o]

Cheese dosen't want to leave Sydney. Auckland likely the place he wants to live.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

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.