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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[Kestrel84]

I think Tohu's performance in 2023 was the best we could hope for, for an injury ravaged, beaten down beast of a player like him. I never felt comfortable going into this off-season that Tohu would play on or be able to recapture that 2023 form - it felt like we could be faced with a sad, slow, bowing out in a way that disrespects his career and what he's done. A shame it has ended this way, but rather it now than during round 4 or some point when the team structure need to be reconsidered.

I can't imagine any new signings will be on the cards for this season, and I think that is good. We need to take time and rebalance the team, reward effort of younger players and let things unfold. It also (I hope) forces the progression of some of these younger players coming through. (If we end up playing Jackson Ford at Lock and blocking some of these young guns, I will cry a little)

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Well seems like some talk about Dylan Brown. The reporter quotes a random Kiwi on Twitter so likely not very serious.

Dylan Brown in massive development at Warriors after Tohu Harris' sad retirement

Dylan Brown is free to leave the Eels due to his unique contract. Read more here.

au.news.yahoo.com

At least those guys can see what some cant..

Speaking on SEN radio this week, former NRL player Jimmy Smith said: "Dylan Walker does it well but he's been more effective at 14." Journalist Michael Carayannis said: "He's another guy (like Harris) who looked battered throughout last season at times, and those shots from the big men in the middle caught up with him at times."
...
But they'll sorely miss Harris' skill. He was as good as any of the best locks in the game. If I'm (coach) Andrew Webster I'd be trying to keep Dylan Walker on the bench so he can come on when the opposition is tired."

 

[Noitall]

At least those guys can see what some cant..

Speaking on SEN radio this week, former NRL player Jimmy Smith said: "Dylan Walker does it well but he's been more effective at 14." Journalist Michael Carayannis said: "He's another guy (like Harris) who looked battered throughout last season at times, and those shots from the big men in the middle caught up with him at times."
...
But they'll sorely miss Harris' skill. He was as good as any of the best locks in the game. If I'm (coach) Andrew Webster I'd be trying to keep Dylan Walker on the bench so he can come on when the opposition is tired."

Walker has to go back to the bench in my view, and only lock when he does come on unless injuries force something else. When he was put into the halves in 2023 it didn’t work and he was put at second row in the disastrous titans thrashing last year

 

[Leon Black]

My old man reckons he read we have signed Josh King from the Storms.

Hope he had a moment and dreamt it whilst he was Wayne King!

 

[Dannevegas]

My way too early 26 lineup

Tauapiki
Kali
Leiataua
Berry
Watene-zelezniak
Cleary
Metcalf
Fisher-harris
Egan
Demitric Vaimauga
Halasima
Laban
Erin Clark

Healy
Zyon Maiu’u
Barnett
Eiremia-toeava

 

[Wah's Up]

I may have missed it in this thread but Erin Clark looking good on Insta Posts

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I have a hard time fitting both Walker and Erin Clark into my starting 17.

 

[Noitall]

My old man reckons he read we have signed Josh King from the Storms.

Hope he had a moment and dreamt it whilst he was Wayne King!

That would be a good score I reckon. Was talk Christian Welsh was being let go, so I could see this happening

 

[Warriorsfan92]

I have a hard time fitting both Walker and Erin Clark into my starting 17.

Why?

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Why?

The same player to me. Plus with Egan at 9 we'd need

13. Erin Clark

14. Walker
15. Lussick
16. Prop
17. Prop

I'd rather trade or release Walker, have Halasima or Vaumaga start with Erin Clark at 14.

 

[Noitall]

The same player to me. Plus with Egan at 9 we'd need

13. Erin Clark

14. Walker
15. Lussick
16. Prop
17. Prop

I'd rather trade or release Walker, have Halasima or Vaumaga start with Erin Clark at 14.

I don’t really see them as the same player being that Walker’s role sees him with the most impact at lock because of his ball playing and that’s solely where he contributes in the middle whereas Erin Clark contributes at prop but offers lock too if needed, but it’s his energy off the bench that is his upside like Jazz. His average input is pretty good with 99 run metres and tackles at 97% so he could be handy to come on like Jazz did from the bench. When you consider JFH came into to nrl as a second rower, as has Barnett played a lot of second row we’ve got a really mobile middle. Can see everything being done at speed as Webster said was going to be the case in 2024

 

[tyrael]

So what, we just don’t bother then?
Who then?
I reckon 1-1.3 million could (that’s could) change his mind.
Just cause we go for him doesn’t mean he signs with us.
But it also means we don’t not go for him either. By that logic we should never go for Australian players at all.

He’s from and was on holiday in Wellington just last month so he obviously still has connections in NZ.

 

[Wrighty]

My old man reckons he read we have signed Josh King from the Storms.

Hope he had a moment and dreamt it whilst he was Wayne King!

"Joshua King is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop or lock forward for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League."

6 foot 2 - 105 kgs
112 average running metres per game in 2024
Signed for 2025 off contract for 2026. Could be a 2026 signing. or maybe they are negotiating an early release.
79 games at prop
53 at lock
64 off the bench
Turns 30 in Feb 2025 and 31 in Feb 2026 so a strange signing of his age and movement towards younger singings with the speed of the game.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

"Joshua King is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop or lock forward for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League."

6 foot 2 - 105 kgs
112 average running metres per game in 2024
Signed for 2025 off contract for 2026. Could be a 2026 signing. or maybe they are negotiating an early release.
79 games at prop
53 at lock
64 off the bench
Turns 30 in Feb 2025 and 31 in Feb 2026 so a strange signing of his age and movement towards younger singings with the speed of the game.

Screams average. Average meters, average size, towards the end of his career, etc.

But if the brains trust see something we need, then I could see it as a solid depth signing.

 

[Make my day]

Turns 30 in Feb 2025 and 31 in Feb 2026

Glad you did the maths for us there Wrighty

 

[Wrighty]

Screams average. Average meters, average size, towards the end of his career, etc.

But if the brains trust see something we need, then I could see it as a solid depth signing.

He's 105 kgs and while he played 2024 at prop played all of 2023 at lock. He would be coming here to be our first choice starting lock.
Walker is only 98 kgs and so is Erin Clark. Both are susceptible to getting banged around if starting at lock.

Yes, this means both Erin Clark and Walker will be on the bench together, however given Tevaga and Walker were on the bench together in 2024 then Cark and Walker on the bench is viable.

 

[Ref]

Dude is handy at the Storm.
Would be handy here but no more impactful than Ford and a poor man’s Barnett.
A waste of salary cap and a hindrance to our junior development if signed.
Can’t see it at all.

 

[Wrighty]

Zero tackle lists his salary as $350K https://www.zerotackle.com/players/josh-king/

Maybe if the rumour is true we would be offering an upgrade to break his contract a year early and offering $450K?

Spend the rest of Tohu's money on contract advanced payments.

 

[tyrael]

I'm ok with Josh King. We need Prop depth and he will be well drilled coming from the Storm. Even if he plays lock for some of the time, he will be a prop rotation when Erin Clark/Walker comes on.

 

[Wrighty]

Dude is handy at the Storm.
Would be handy here but no more impactful than Ford and a poor man’s Barnett.
A waste of salary cap and a hindrance to our junior development if signed.
Can’t see it at all.

Jackson forward is the same height 187cms but lighter weighing in at 101Kgs vs King's 105 kgs

If King could be the exact same as Ford but just not have tits for hands and actually catch the ball instead of dropping it all the time he would be quite a useful player. So would Ford if he learned to catch.