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	Jett Cleary	✔	S	S
9	Wayde Egan	✔	✔	✔
10	James Fisher-Harris	✔	✔	✔	✔
11	Jackson Ford	✔	✔	✔
12	Leka Halasima	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
13	Morgan Harper	✔
14	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
15	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
16	Edward Kosi	✔
17	Jacob Laban	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
18	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
19	Jye Linnane	✔	✔	✔	✔
20	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
21	Te Maire Martin	✔	✔
22	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
23	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔	✔	✔
24	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
25	Adam Pompey	✔	✔	✔
26	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔	✔	✔
27	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
28	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
29	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
30	Dallin Watene-Zelezniak	✔	✔	✔
S1	Kayliss Fatialofa	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
-	Morgan Gannon	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Haizyn Mellars	✔	✔	✔
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

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

Top 30 2026: 29/30
Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos), Haizyn Mellars (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
2026 Losses: Edward Kosi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper
Can negotiate with other clubs from Nov 1, 2025 (Entering final year) : Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Freddy Lussick, Te Maire Martin, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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This thread is solely for Warriors recruitment and retention discussion. Any posts not related to the above will be deleted.

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[Worried2Death]

Where's that guy from the Tits forum, he'll know if he ever played hooker

 

[Inruin]

Yeah. No games from the bench since 2022 so can't see how Des tried converting him to HookerView attachment 10761

Who said Des? He was a half, the gold coast tried to turn him in to a 9. He played 7 in 2023 for most of the season for 8 wins, played the first 9 rounds or so for 1 win this year. Just think some are hyping him up based solely on having a long kicking game but the GC couldn't seem to find a spot for him between 6, 7 and 9, and then offered him up to super league. Now Des might be a mad bastard but with a shortage of halves going around currently we appeared to be the only ones interested. Great depth signing and needed, but yeah, temper the expectations I think.

 

[Worried2Death]

Who said Des? He was a half, the gold coast tried to turn him in to a 9. He played 7 in 2023 for most of the season for 8 wins, played the first 9 rounds or so for 1 win this year. Just think some are hyping him up based solely on having a long kicking game but the GC couldn't seem to find a spot for him between 6, 7 and 9, and then offered him up to super league. Now Des might be a mad bastard but with a shortage of halves going around currently we appeared to be the only ones interested. Great depth signing and needed, but yeah, temper the expectations I think.

They're tempered now, starting to think we bought a lemon

 

[Inruin]

They're tempered now, starting to think we bought a lemon

I think we bought a solid depth signing that will likely get a fair bit of first grade time and is a better option than what we had. Also, gives the cup side more options in the halves which is sorely needed

 

[Worried2Death]

I think we bought a solid depth signing that will likely get a fair bit of first grade time and is a better option than what we had. Also, gives the cup side more options in the halves which is sorely needed

Just prudent depth to prepare the way for the arrival of Jet.

 

[Warriorshopeful]

Who said Des? He was a half, the gold coast tried to turn him in to a 9. He played 7 in 2023 for most of the season for 8 wins, played the first 9 rounds or so for 1 win this year. Just think some are hyping him up based solely on having a long kicking game but the GC couldn't seem to find a spot for him between 6, 7 and 9, and then offered him up to super league. Now Des might be a mad bastard but with a shortage of halves going around currently we appeared to be the only ones interested. Great depth signing and needed, but yeah, temper the expectations I think.

Where's all the hype on Tanah? All I've seen is 1 or 2 posts that he may be able to kick a goal

Most people don't even have him in their starting 17.

 

[Inruin]

Just prudent depth to prepare the way for the arrival of Jet.

I'm tempering my expectations even more with him.

 

[Worried2Death]

I'm tempering my expectations even more with him.

You're a real ray of sunshine today aren't you

 

[Inruin]

Where's all the hype on Tanah? All I've seen is 1 or 2 posts that he may be able to kick a goal

Most people don't even have him in their starting 17.

The key was in the words - some are hyping him up based on a long kicking game.

 

[Inruin]

You're a real ray of sunshine today aren't you

Ohhh we have a Cleary....

 

[tajhay]

This is at the top of every single page on this thread.

This thread is solely for Warriors recruitment and retention discussion. Any posts not related to the above will be deleted.

Repeat offenders could have their access to this page limited.

Please be mindful of what you are posting in this thread before clicking the reply button.

Do people really want examples of what this means or would prefer to figure out themselves what the words mean?

Take it to other threads. If its not recruitment or retention related, its not to be in this thread.

 

[Woofa]

And winning the comp shouldn’t even be a consideration initially.

Getting a team up and running, growing the pathways and culture for the club is the first hurdles. Then in the longer term you could be in a position for a title.

Ironically, if the game in NZ grows significantly with a second team, I think it puts the Warriors in a better position to win a title than with just the single team.

On topic, (probably more expansion) this will all help the Warriors recruitment with a bigger game.

Storm year 3 says hello. but I do agree

 

[Fizurg]

For Healy. Any player that leaves their family in another country for at best a bench spot in a non top eight team wasn’t highly in demand.
For Boyd, I have a feeling he had hooker/half dual in fantasy which indicates he was considered a hooker at some point.

 

[Brightman]

As good as Wayde Egan is now when we signed him he was unwanted by the Panthers who finished 10th. He played a total of 18 games.
Yes he's much improved but, I still view him as a liability due to his frequent head knocks and HIA disruptions to the team on the paddock.
Plus he doesn't consistently churn out to performances yet.

Healy could well kick on as Egan has, but without the downside..

 

[Fizurg]

As good as Wayde Egan is now when we signed him he was unwanted by the Panthers who finished 10th. He played a total of 18 games.
Yes he's much improved but, I still view him as a liability due to his frequent head knocks and HIA disruptions to the team on the paddock.
Plus he doesn't consistently churn out to performances yet.

Healy could well kick on as Egan has, but without the downside..

Seems optimistic to hope this player out performs a player that’s considered one of the best in his position in the comp.

 

[Billyspleen75]

Major Aussie papers saying Tohu Harris has retired!

 

[nzwarriorsfaithful]

Major Aussie papers saying Tohu Harris has retired!

wild !

 

[Inruin]

Major Aussie papers saying Tohu Harris has retired!

Seems unlikely given this:

Harris lengthens club career to eight seasons

Captain Tohu Harris has added another year to his stay with the One New Zealand Warriors.

www.warriors.kiwi

you sure its not a pisstake? Or could be a complete change of heart. Maybe the wrist injury isnt recovering as he would have liked?

 

[Funky Ed Koosie]

Major Aussie papers saying Tohu Harris has retired!

Yeah, reading the same thing

 

[Fizurg]

So that’s an extra spot and a reasonable chunk back in the cap?