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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[Riz]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jhAzJ-TMxM

Hard to get the full picture from these highlights but nothing there to be too excited about that I can see...

It would be a very Warriors thing to do, to go out and get a player for a position we are already stacked in...

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Wtf.....Honestly, Signing another backrower we'll end up losing one of our young guns.
And we can't even turn our biggest backrower(Marata) into a prop!
So the log jam gets worse in the backrow.

Barney, Fish & Ford are our props. Will they take Erin from the 13 & turn him into a prop?
Afoa & Ale are obviously on the outer.

Leka, Capewell, Deme, Nuikore, Clark, Ieremia-Toeava & now this guy.

Can we have one big fuck off prop please. Just one. On the bench. 15 - 20 mins each half that will smash people over. Yes, Even punch people

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Are we now looking toward England for a signing??? Whoops someone beat me to it (above). Don't assume that it will be a POM, could be a Kiwi or Aussie

View attachment 12233

Very weird chasing after a player who has mainly played second row or played on the bench. Who is he replacing? Bunty and Ale are off contract but they do not play much FG. If he was playing lock in the SL I could understand it but he isn't. I would lose my shit if we lost someone like Leka to get this dude.

 

[JustLikeStartingOver]

You probably dont have to pay a young Englishman much, there’s hardly any money in the super league. But we have young edges for Africa maybe we do need more middles.

 

[Noitall]

You probably dont have to pay a young Englishman much, there’s hardly any money in the super league. But we have young edges for Africa maybe we do need more middles.

Height is obviously something we feel we’re lacking with interest in Hazelton and this guy reasonably tall too

 

[JaggedJ]

Could be our greatest English import since Mason Tonks and Jordan Baldwinson.

Although that concussion history is scary.

 

[WahsaurusRex]

We should be chasing Pahulu not this bloke. We need another front rower not back rower, especially with Bunty and Ale potentially on the outer. Also born in NZ which is a bonus

How he hasn’t been signed by us (or by anyone for that matter) for ‘26 yet is beyond me, Fits the mould we are going for perfectly

 

[Noitall]

How he hasn’t been signed by us (or by anyone for that matter) for ‘26 yet is beyond me, Fits the mould we are going for perfectly

Was a rumour souths were interested in Pahulu and considering letting Davvy Moale go. Lot of potential too Moale and only 22. From Christchurch too

 

[Worried2Death]

Was a rumour souths were interested in Pahulu and considering letting Davvy Moale go. Lot of potential too Moale and only 22. From Christchurch too

His price will have gone up tonight, guy's a beast

 

[mangereMB]

Jayden Brailey heading to Canberra may force tom starling out could be a shout for a 14 role?

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

Jayden Brailey heading to Canberra may force tom starling out could be a shout for a 14 role?

He can only play 9 so wouldn’t make any sense. Already have Healey

 

[run_it_str8_again]

Can we get a compassionate signing? We've done a good amount of releases.

Are we now looking toward England for a signing??? Whoops someone beat me to it (above). Don't assume that it will be a POM, could be a Kiwi or Aussie

View attachment 12233

Us Warriors or Wigan Warriors or Cell block H Warriors or Rainbow Warriors?

 

[tajhay]

Brad Arthur addresses Morgan Gannon exit rumours amid NRL links

Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur is expecting Morgan Gannon to still don the Blue and Amber in 2026 despite exit speculation.

www.loverugbyleague.com

Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur is expecting Morgan Gannon to still don the Blue and Amber in 2026 despite exit speculation.

Reports emerged overnight that the 21-year-old, who can play both back-row and half-back, is attracting serious interest from NRL outfit New Zealand Warriors, with a three-year contract tabled to bring Gannon to Mount Smart.

If Gannon was to make the move, he would link-up with former Leeds Rhinos boss Richard Agar – the coach who handed him his Rhinos debut.

Brad Arthur addresses Morgan Gannon exit rumours​

The academy graduate is off-contract at the end of the season, so is free to speak to clubs over a possible move for 2026, but speaking to members of the media ahead of his side’s clash with Warrington, Arthur detailed they have already opened up talks to keep him around for the foreseeable future.

“He’s contracted this year, and Bleasy is working with his management to extend his deal,” he said. “I know he loves the club and he appreciates what the club have done for him, all the indicators are he wants to continue to play here.”

He added: “I’m pretty comfortable with where he’s at. I’d expect him to be playing for Leeds next year, but until it’s sorted, the decision is yet to be made.”

But, while he expects Gannon to remain at Headingley for a while, he did admit the Halifax-native does harbour NRL aspirations.

“He probably does have aspirations to play in the NRL some day,” said the former Paramatta Eels boss. “But that might be further down the track.”

“I’d expect him to be excited by that interest, but he’s a pretty level-headed kid, and he knows that in his development he’s still a long way off where he could get to in the future.”

“Does he have the potential to play in the NRL? He might do, but I think at the moment he’s best served to stay here.”

 

[Worried2Death]

Jayden Brailey heading to Canberra may force tom starling out could be a shout for a 14 role?

Love Starlink, one of my favourite players, but Egan's as good on his day.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Wtf.....Honestly, Signing another backrower we'll end up losing one of our young guns.
And we can't even turn our biggest backrower(Marata) into a prop!
So the log jam gets worse in the backrow.

Barney, Fish & Ford are our props. Will they take Erin from the 13 & turn him into a prop?
Afoa & Ale are obviously on the outer.

Leka, Capewell, Deme, Nuikore, Clark, Ieremia-Toeava & now this guy.

Can we have one big fuck off prop please. Just one. On the bench. 15 - 20 mins each half that will smash people over. Yes, Even punch people

you want Kane Evans back?

 

[sydneywarrior92]

Can we get a compassionate signing? We've done a good amount of releases.


Us Warriors or Wigan Warriors or Cell block H Warriors or Rainbow Warriors?

Fish was a compassionate signing for us.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

you want Kane Evans back?

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Brad Arthur addresses Morgan Gannon exit rumours amid NRL links

Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur is expecting Morgan Gannon to still don the Blue and Amber in 2026 despite exit speculation.

www.loverugbyleague.com

If Brad Arthur was offered a contract he would be back quick smart! Maybe get the coach as well!

 

[Billyspleen75]

Brad Arthur addresses Morgan Gannon exit rumours amid NRL links

Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur is expecting Morgan Gannon to still don the Blue and Amber in 2026 despite exit speculation.

www.loverugbyleague.com

That's the first reference I've seen of him being able to play halfback too. A 1.91m 101kg back rower who can play halfback.. Sounds like potentially a young Yeo/Harris clone

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

That's the first reference I've seen of him being able to play halfback too. A 1.91m 101kg back rower who can play halfback.. Sounds like potentially a young Yeo/Harris clone

Played five eighth 4 times. No idea if he was any good at it.

Morgan Gannon - Playing Career - Positions - RLP

A stats breakdown of positions played by Morgan Gannon, a rugby league player who played for the Leeds Rhinos.

www.rugbyleagueproject.org