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	Zyon Maiu’u	✔	✔
19	Te Maire Martin	✔
20	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
23	Adam Pompey	✔
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	Sio Kali	S
S5	Patrick Moimoi	S
S6	Tanner Stowers-Smith	S
-	Kahu Capper	T	T
-	Jett Cleary	T	S	S
-	Eddie Ieremia-Toeava	?
-	Motu Pasikala	T	?	?

C = Club option, M = Mutual option, P = Player option, S = Supplementary contract (Formerly, Development), T = Train & Trial contract, ? = Wtf is up with Motu Pasikala

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 28/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6
Unconfirmed Top 30 2025: 29/30
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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[Leon Black]

Well the bulldogs have just about a whole new team and they have no cap

The Laundy’s with Gus’ influence could be the new Sombrero club to take on Uncle Nick and his City Ford Chooks… possibly giving players 50% ownership of any one of their pubs VIP gaming rooms

 

[Cces]

To everyone saying Metcalf can’t kick and organise, he can.

Is there a particular game, against decent opposition, that showcases this? I know he had a game at Halfback in NSW Cup in 2024 but that was the second to last Rabbitohs

 

[Noitall]

I would Take Dyl Brown in a heartbeat, and back Metcalf to be the 7 he thinks he is. To everyone saying Metcalf can’t kick and organise, he can. They would be a gun halves pairing

Interesting Dylan Brown’s manager talking him up as a franchise player. Jerome Luai has made the shift to be the face of the tigers citing needing to step out of Cleary’s shadow and perhaps Brown wants to do the same in regards to Mitchell Moses? Luai another five eighth so will be interesting to see how he fits alongside Lachlan Galvin

 

[Damo]

Interesting Dylan Brown’s manager talking him up as a franchise player. Jerome Luai has made the shift to be the face of the tigers citing needing to step out of Cleary’s shadow and perhaps Brown wants to do the same in regards to Mitchell Moses? Luai another five eighth so will be interesting to see how he fits alongside Lachlan Galvin

Luai has stepped up frequently as the primary half, it does help he has had the stacked Panthers team around him to be fair. But also looked really good leading Samoa around too.

 

[Noitall]

Luai has stepped up frequently as the primary half, it does help he has had the stacked Panthers team around him to be fair. But also looked really good leading Samoa around too.

Tried to have a look at his performances at halfback as opposed to five eighth but all his details have switched over to tigers now. Luai was playing halfback when we got a victory over panthers. Could be another to say he can’t step up to be the controlling halve with Samoa not doing so well in terms of victories in the tour of England. Seen plenty say they don’t think the panthers win the 2023 final if he stays on the field at the end, just others opinions though. Will be interesting to see if it’s a success at tigers for him and how they play him

 

[Damo]

Tried to have a look at his performances at halfback as opposed to five eighth but all his details have switched over to tigers now. Luai was playing halfback when we got a victory over panthers. Could be another to say he can’t step up to be the controlling halve with Samoa not doing so well in terms of victories in the tour of England. Seen plenty say they don’t think the panthers win the 2023 final if he stays on the field at the end, just others opinions though. Will be interesting to see if it’s a success at tigers for him and how they play him

Come on. Samoa had Francis Molo starting at prop and Jazz Tevaga at hooker. Not even Nathan Cleary could save that

 

[Noitall]

Come on. Samoa had Francis Molo starting at prop and Jazz Tevaga at hooker. Not even Nathan Cleary could save that

Worrying Nathan Cleary detail comes to light as Panthers face ugly NRL finals situation

The Panthers missed Nathan Cleary against the Raiders. Find out more here.

au.sports.yahoo.com

This article details how important Cleary is to panthers with them very beatable without him only winning 4 of 11 without him. Not all on Luai though with other factors and Brad Schneider the other halve. Will be interesting to see how he goes out of the panthers system

 

[Inruin]

Rugby league project has Luai at halfback 8 times last year for 6 wins.

Cleary only played 10 rounds by the look of it last season and the Panthers lost 7 games all year.

 

[Damo]

Worrying Nathan Cleary detail comes to light as Panthers face ugly NRL finals situation

The Panthers missed Nathan Cleary against the Raiders. Find out more here.

au.sports.yahoo.com

This article details how important Cleary is to panthers with them very beatable without him only winning 4 of 11 without him. Not all on Luai though with other factors and Brad Schneider the other halve. Will be interesting to see how he goes out of the panthers system

I also can find an article:

"The Record Without Jarome Luai Is No Good!" | Ryan Girdler On Penrith Panthers

Penrith Panthers legend Ryan Girdler joined The Rush Hour with Gus, Jude & Wendell after the shoulder dislocation to star Jarome Luai.

articles.listnr.com

“The record without Jarome is not so good,” said Girdler.

With the five-eighth in the side the Panthers have a win rate of 88.5% (77 wins, 9 losses), whilst it drops heavily without him 53.8% (7 wins, 6 losses).

---

View: https://x.com/randostatsguy/status/1773107731794120940

This was in March last year though ^ so not too bad.

 

[Noitall]

Rugby league project has Luai at halfback 8 times last year for 6 wins.

Cleary only played 10 rounds by the look of it last season and the Panthers lost 7 games all year.

He should go well at tigers then next to Galvin. At 27 and playing predominantly five eighth in his career, it’ll be interesting to see how he copes with being the dominant halve week in week out

 

[Noitall]

I also can find an article:

"The Record Without Jarome Luai Is No Good!" | Ryan Girdler On Penrith Panthers

Penrith Panthers legend Ryan Girdler joined The Rush Hour with Gus, Jude & Wendell after the shoulder dislocation to star Jarome Luai.

articles.listnr.com

“The record without Jarome is not so good,” said Girdler.

With the five-eighth in the side the Panthers have a win rate of 88.5% (77 wins, 9 losses), whilst it drops heavily without him 53.8% (7 wins, 6 losses).

---

View: https://x.com/randostatsguy/status/1773107731794120940

This was in March last year though ^ so not too bad.

Will be interesting to watch how they cope without him. Wonder how many of those were at halfback and at five eighth?

 

[Playdaball]

I'm starting to think our decision to let Montoya go , may come back and bite us. We don't really have a de3cent repalcement .

 

[Damo]

I'm starting to think our decision to let Montoya go , may come back and bite us. We don't really have a de3cent repalcement .

I don't see Pasikala as being able to do the grunt work he did yet. Kosi is Kosi. Think you could be right.

 

[ROCCO]

They must be looking at Mulitalo or permanent shift for RTS to wing. That's the justification for letting Montoya go.

 

[Damo]

They must be looking at Mulitalo or permanent shift for RTS to wing. That's the justification for letting Montoya go.

Outside back injuries are pretty much inevitable, our depth is very thin. Caveat I guess would be Leiataua, Pompey etc can all fill in at wing.

 

[CWC]

Moala, Pasikala, I think there is another kid coming through? Wingers with raw pace need to s tart playing at 19-21. Then there is Kosi lol

 

[Cces]

Moala, Pasikala, I think there is another kid coming through? Wingers with raw pace need to s tart playing at 19-21.

Sio Kali. Only seen at Centre so far at Cup level but has played Fullback & Wing in age group comps

 

[Neo]

Sio Kali. Only seen at Centre so far at Cup level but has played Fullback & Wing in age group comps

He has looked classy when he has played Cup. If he can stay injury free he definitely looks like he has NRL quality

 

[defensivebomb]

its also about length. His Eels contract might be 1mil next year but its only 1 year..

In legal terms, the length is 1 year and the girth is $1m

 

[Riz]

He has looked classy when he has played Cup. If he can stay injury free he definitely looks like he has NRL quality

He is a walking injury! Hopefully not something that is going to continue, as he has the ability to be a very good 1st grade.