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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[Tragic]

But this is not how most people negotiate with me in my business career, If you over negotiate you build resentment and that is not good for Brown or his agent in both the short and long run. I am having a real hard time seeing the logic in this, DCE is on $1M and he not worth more than him.
Nathan Cleary is on $1.2M and he seems to be saying he wants that sort of same pay.

I am a very logical person to a fault, I can't see the sanity in trying to get what Cleary gets by Brown and his agent.

Simple demand and supply. DCE and Cleary are not part of the supply. Everyone wants to buy a half and there is fuck all in the shop.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

Just to break up the Brown talk, which I am ambivalent about.

I am staggered that we haven't made an outside back signing for this year. I thought it was a given. Even a depth player out of QCup or something. We are looking to become a development club, which look like it is working for forwards, but there is very little of note coming through on the flanks.

I can't see us getting anywhere at all this year with the back line we have.

I've heard George/Cappy talk about our one roster spot (now two) a bit, but it is pretty late in preseason now.

 

[defensivebomb]

Just to break up the Brown talk, which I am ambivalent about.

I am staggered that we haven't made an outside back signing for this year. I thought it was a given. Even a depth player out of QCup or something. We are looking to become a development club, which look like it is working for forwards, but there is very little of note coming through on the flanks.

I can't see us getting anywhere at all this year with the back line we have.

I've heard George/Cappy talk about our one roster spot (now two) a bit, but it is pretty late in preseason now.

Yeah we are long on centres / second rowers and short of out and out speedsters eh

 

[BigUCE]

Just to break up the Brown talk, which I am ambivalent about.

I am staggered that we haven't made an outside back signing for this year. I thought it was a given. Even a depth player out of QCup or something. We are looking to become a development club, which look like it is working for forwards, but there is very little of note coming through on the flanks.

I can't see us getting anywhere at all this year with the back line we have.

I've heard George/Cappy talk about our one roster spot (now two) a bit, but it is pretty late in preseason now.

Have signed winger daeon amituanai out of the panthers cup team, but his stats aren’t anything to write home about.

 

[Noitall]

Have signed winger daeon amituanai out of the panthers cup team, but his stats aren’t anything to write home about.

Certainly not defensively

 

[Wrighty]

Just to break up the Brown talk, which I am ambivalent about.

I am staggered that we haven't made an outside back signing for this year. I thought it was a given. Even a depth player out of QCup or something. We are looking to become a development club, which look like it is working for forwards, but there is very little of note coming through on the flanks.

I can't see us getting anywhere at all this year with the back line we have.

I've heard George/Cappy talk about our one roster spot (now two) a bit, but it is pretty late in preseason now.

I know you don't want to hear the following answer but I think they will park that we need an extra winger until the Dust settles on Brown. If we decide to not chase him then yes we might turn the eye of Mordor to an off contract wing.
However if we are going to be in the mixer for Brown then we will be aware that should we be the successful candidate we will then talk trade with the Eels for 2025. That trade talk could look anything and either further deplete our outside backs e.g they want Rocco Berry or CNK or the trade talk could solve our need for an extra wing by making a multi player sway with Eel where they throw in a Wing to make it a 2 for 2.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

I know you don't want to hear the following answer but I think they will park that we need an extra winger until the Dust settles on Brown. If we decide to not chase him then yes we might turn the eye of Mordor to an off contract wing.
However if we are going to be in the mixer for Brown then we will be aware that should we be the successful candidate we will then talk trade with the Eels for 2025. That trade talk could look anything and either further deplete our outside backs e.g they want Rocco Berry or CNK or the trade talk could solve our need for an extra wing by making a multi player sway with Eel where they throw in a Wing to make it a 2 for 2.

Why would we do a trade? He has an option to go to another club. If we got him we got him. Any trade talk is just imagination.

 

[Blain]

Just to break up the Brown talk, which I am ambivalent about.

I am staggered that we haven't made an outside back signing for this year. I thought it was a given. Even a depth player out of QCup or something. We are looking to become a development club, which look like it is working for forwards, but there is very little of note coming through on the flanks.

I can't see us getting anywhere at all this year with the back line we have.

I've heard George/Cappy talk about our one roster spot (now two) a bit, but it is pretty late in preseason now.

It feels like we have enough NRL level backs at the club, I think there could be a position shift or two on the cards.

Fullbacks; CNK, Taine
Wings; DWZ, RTS, Kosi, Kali (development deal)
Centres; Ali, Berry, Pompey

You can probably argue 7 of those guys deserve to start round 1, with 5 spots available. Add in a Kosi and juniors like Pasikala and Kali around who can play wing (generally wings are covered depth wise by youngsters, most clubs don't burn roster a spot on 4th string wingers).

I have no idea what combo they will roll out round 1 though.

 

[Wrighty]

Why would we do a trade? He has an option to go to another club. If we got him we got him. Any trade talk is just imagination.

I said for 2025 in my post.

 

[Warrior#214]

Well Browns clothing line is opening in NZ soon.
Found this on Brown

No Cookies | CODE Sports

No Cookies | CODE Sports

www.codesports.com.au

and then this

wethenorthnz

wethenorthnz

wethenorth.co.nz

So as us Warrior fans normally do 1 + 1 equals 26

Pretty sure the equation is actually
x = 1
y = 1
z = Premiership win in 2026
so
x + y = z (to the power of keeping the faith x #upthewahs)

 

[Te Mana-wah]

The kid is all class. Anyone not wanting to sign him go and have a look at his highlights he's a freak. Sign him up 1 mill

Spine of Tuaupiki, Brown and Metcalf would be deadly quick.

 

[Defence]

Bit late to the party but after reading all the pros and cons I think I’ve landed in the sign him camp.
The way the halves market is- a player of his age, experience and x factor is worth a mil.

 

[Ever Hopeful]

It feels like we have enough NRL level backs at the club, I think there could be a position shift or two on the cards.

Fullbacks; CNK, Taine
Wings; DWZ, RTS, Kosi, Kali (development deal)
Centres; Ali, Berry, Pompey

You can probably argue 7 of those guys deserve to start round 1, with 5 spots available. Add in a Kosi and juniors like Pasikala and Kali around who can play wing (generally wings are covered depth wise by youngsters, most clubs don't burn roster a spot on 4th string wingers).

I have no idea what combo they will roll out round 1 though.

Where would you have that set of backs (with halves added) ranked against other clubs for 2025? Kali and Ali have some great potential, Pasikala looks like a good mover without the top end, but they are green for 2025.

Our wingers are flawed (jury out on RTS), and I don't think we can afford an injury to either. Two inevitable injuries in fullback/centre and we look rough too. I thought Moala-Graham got schooled at the back end of the season. And this is in regard to what I already believe is a bottom 6 back line at full strength.

I don't understand the lack of investment. And I don't see it related in any way to Dylan Brown, Wrighty.

 

[Playdaball]

Bit late to the party but after reading all the pros and cons I think I’ve landed in the sign him camp.
The way the halves market is- a player of his age, experience and x factor is worth a mil.

Despite some reservations, you’d have to have a go at securing his signature. We have spare $$ and you could build a team around him , especially as we don’t have any real notable halves at the moment.

 

[Noitall]

Despite some reservations, you’d have to have a go at securing his signature. We have spare $$ and you could build a team around him , especially as we don’t have any real notable halves at the moment.

Get Brown first and by then Jahrome Hughes will think, shit I’m the missing part of the puzzle here and proceed to get a release from storm. Like MLK, I have a dream

 

[Noitall]

Spine of Tuaupiki, Brown and Metcalf would be deadly quick.

And with some Egan deception out of dummy half, would be a real threat. Healey looks a unit too

 

[Wrighty]

I said for 2025 in my post.

@Christchurch_Warrior initially my post was unclear and I edited in "for 2025" later which may have caused some confusion.
If the warriors were to be the successful suitor then they may well be happy to wait for 2026 when he is officially available. However, the Warriors might also make tentative inquiries about bringing him now. An incredibly minor sign that is probably just a coincidence, that Eels may entertain thoughts of a 2025 earlier swap is that apparently they want this resolved by round one starting.

 

[BigUCE]

Dylan Brown has reportedly been offered to rugby Australia through a leaked email sent out by his agent.