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	Morgan Harper	✔
13	Chanel Harris-Tavita	✔	✔
14	Sam Healey	✔	✔	✔
15	Edward Kosi	✔
16	Jacob Laban	✔	✔
17	Ali Leiataua	✔	✔	✔
18	Freddy Lussick	✔	✔
19	Te Maire Martin	✔
20	Luke Metcalf	✔	✔
21	Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad	✔
22	Marata Niukore	✔	✔
23	Adam Pompey	✔	✔	✔
24	Tanner Stowers-Smith	✔
25	Taine Tuaupiki	✔	✔
26	Roger Tuivasa-Sheck	✔	✔
27	Demitric Vaimauga	✔	✔	✔	✔
28	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
-	Jett Cleary	T	S	S
-	Jye Linnane	-	✔	✔	✔
-	Motu Pasikala	T	✔	✔

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

Confirmed Top 30 2025: 28/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2025: 6/6

Confirmed Top 30 2026: 24/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Jye Linnane (Newcastle Knights)
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Tanner Stowers-Smith
Off Contract from 01/11/25: Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Jacob Laban, Freddy Lussick, Luke Metcalf, Marata Niukore, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

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[KO WAI RA]

If CG is verbatim correct, then it’s quite astute to release Walker on compassionate grounds asap,knowing that other previous players had inquired about jumping ship already….
-roster spots & cap space ain’t an issue at present….
Good position to be in with season just started…
Set the hināke George !!!!

 

[Zaggo]

If CG is verbatim correct, then it’s quite astute to release Walker on compassionate grounds asap,knowing that other previous players had inquired about jumping ship already….
-roster spots & cap space ain’t an issue at present….
Good position to be in with season just started…
Set the hināke George !!!!

Phone is running HOT again?

 

[sydneywarrior92]

As was CNK & AFB

AFB used compassionate grounds to both sign with us and later ditch us so I guess things even out in his case. I guess my wider point, and probably yours too, is that the compassionate clause is a two way street and has benefited us at times too. But on balance, it has probably hurt us disproportionately relative to other clubs.

 

[juju]

If CG is verbatim correct, then it’s quite astute to release Walker on compassionate grounds asap,knowing that other previous players had inquired about jumping ship already….
-roster spots & cap space ain’t an issue at present….
Good position to be in with season just started…
Set the hināke George !!!!

The issue is that's a massive IF

 

[Brightman]

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

“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.”

What Brad Arthur said is self-serving, if this kid wants to be the best he needs to play in the best competition among the best players.

and another thing, Sam Burgess racked up a similar record at such a young age before going to Australia and becoming the best..

 

[Tookey 2.0]

Just a question around recruitment for those who may be in the know.

The last few years we've had a few signings that are essentially very quiet, prior to them being announced. Fish, RTS, Clark and a few more.

With this news about our offer to the Englishman, it's been widely reported. Would we have made this information known, and if so, why?
Just wondering how with some signings it's very hush hush and we don't find out until their signed, and others we seem to know about lots in advance.

I know some (dirty Sharks Hazleton and BHU) use our name to drive contract value up, but that doesn't seem to be the case with this English fulla.

 

[Leon Black]

Looking at those who watch the cup team week in, week out- Who is the most likely to slot into the 13 long term of the young crop of forwards we've got??

Demitirc played lock in '23 until doing his ACL, and since being back he has played in the front row since.

Ieremia-Toeava can play everywhere it seems- An edge with the size to play prop and the skill to play centre, smells similar to Yeo's early days to me

Though, I see a bunch of mentions of Leka in the teamlist thread taking up Walker's minutes.

And as a side note, do Kayliss Fatialofa and Tanner Smith-Stowers look the goods? Is Kayliss even in the same conversation as EIT, Laban, and Halasima in terms of our young second rowers, or are they all a cut above him? Is Tanner on track to be a starter one day, or is he looking more of a regular bench prop?

Fatialofoa looks the real deal in limited appearances, strong runner, great footwork and speed. TSS more a Steve Price type player, big motor, does the donkey work well but speed is a slight issue. Pure professional though.

 

[sydneywarrior92]

miss the rhinoceros. Watching him run like a madman is what got me hooked into league back in the good old days of 2002-2003. Don't think he was ever that tall or big but geez he used to run like his life depended on it. Shouldn't be too hard to find another one in our NZ backyard right?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA1KuanpYGA

 

[Ref]

“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.”

What Brad Arthur said is self-serving, if this kid wants to be the best he needs to play in the best competition among the best players.

and another thing, Sam Burgess racked up a similar record at such a young age before going to Australia and becoming the best..

In November 2007 Sam Burgess was playing test league just before his 19th birthday and brutalised us.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

We already have. Clark is already better at 13 this year than Tohu was last year. Walker has been playing a much smaller role this year.

People are stuck in 2023.

Fuck me i love the internet.

Tohu Harris 2024 (according to league live)
Rd 1 v Shark.
80mins
Run metres: 237m
Tackles: 38 of 39
1 penalty conceded

Rd 2 v Storm
80 minutes
Run metres 154m
Tackles: 29 of 33

Rd 3 v Raiders
80 minutes
Run metres: 130m
Tackles: 52 of 50
1 LBA
1 error

Erin’s 2025 stats?
Impressive, absolutely. But not that good.
And there’s a lllooonnnggg season to go.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Fuck me i love the internet.

Tohu Harris 2024 (according to league live)
Rd 1 v Shark.
80mins
Run metres: 237m
Tackles: 38 of 39
1 penalty conceded

Rd 2 v Storm
80 minutes
Run metres 154m
Tackles: 29 of 33

Rd 3 v Raiders
80 minutes
Run metres: 130m
Tackles: 52 of 50
1 LBA
1 error

Erin’s 2025 stats?
Impressive, absolutely. But not that good.
And there’s a lllooonnnggg season to go.

One amazing game and then doing in 80 what Clark is doing in 45. Plus now we don’t have a player lying in the ruck for 30secs.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

One amazing game and then doing in 80 what Clark is doing in 45. Plus now we don’t have a player lying in the ruck for 30secs.

Huh? Erin only plays 45 minutes?

So we can chuck him on the bench and get the same output?
We should do that…….. especially now the guy who used to do it is gone in Walker.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

Can we stop fighting over who is better out of tohu & Clarke? One is premiership winner, international captain & one of the best ball player locks of all time. The other is a young, talented athlete who has 1 international cap to his name. It’s night and day.

But irrespective of this, this doesn’t discount what Erin is currently producing. He’s punching above expectations, and that’s all we can ask for.

Will he be a future elite lock? Probably not. Does it matter? Probably not. There’s no other player like tohu, that would come to the warriors so we need to stop the comparisons and accept our new direction.

Erin Clarke is great, but he will never be Tohu. Nor does he need to, to be successful.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

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

Just because we are trying to sign him, it doesn't mean he's an instant starter, he's a 21 year old, and will have loads to learn in the NRL, he will probably play cup at first the way webby operates.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Looking at those who watch the cup team week in, week out- Who is the most likely to slot into the 13 long term of the young crop of forwards we've got??

Demitirc played lock in '23 until doing his ACL, and since being back he has played in the front row since.

Ieremia-Toeava can play everywhere it seems- An edge with the size to play prop and the skill to play centre, smells similar to Yeo's early days to me

Though, I see a bunch of mentions of Leka in the teamlist thread taking up Walker's minutes.

And as a side note, do Kayliss Fatialofa and Tanner Smith-Stowers look the goods? Is Kayliss even in the same conversation as EIT, Laban, and Halasima in terms of our young second rowers, or are they all a cut above him? Is Tanner on track to be a starter one day, or is he looking more of a regular bench prop?

I have really liked what I've seen of both Smith and Fatialofa.

 

[Ref]

I have really liked what I've seen of both Smith and Fatialofa.

Same.
Stowers Smith is on an upward trajectory and I think he’d bring the same form to first grade.
Fatialofa has so much game to him.
We aren’t badly off for up and comers.

 

[rugged]

We need to be open to looking at super league top talent but not 21 year olds with concussion history

 

[Wah's Up]

We need to be open to looking at super league top talent but not 21 year olds with concussion history

Best bet is to watch NZ sevens teams. They consistently have the fastest and fitest players.

 

[Noitall]

We need to be open to looking at super league top talent but not 21 year olds with concussion history

Josiah Pahulu might end up doing similar if he cops another head knock? Had a few lately apparently in trainings and preseason and bulldogs have gone cold on him because of it. Probably the best time while young to step aside for a season to get on top of it. Gannon made his club debut at 17 and expected to be in the English team in the near future, so obviously a talented guy. Not too concerned about him playing mostly second row, so did Tohu and Yeo before they switched to lock. Obviously has some ball playing skills having played in the halves also

 

[Wrighty]

We need to be open to looking at super league top talent but not 21 year olds with concussion history

How is concussion history different than our TMM signing? I don't mean to put you on the spot. I jam just responding.