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
-	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: 23/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Nil
2026 Losses: Nil

Off Contract: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Morgan Harper, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Tanner Stowers-Smith

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[Wrighty]

He's been the heart and soul of the Knights over the span of his career and out of mutual respect between him and the club, I doubt they would stand in his way if he wanted to depart in 2026. Similar to the panthers stance of releasing fish early.

Fish had an airtight case though. Tajhay has a point that Kalyn hasn't lived here since 13.
That's why I asked about Blake Green. After we made him a monster offer I thought he just told his club he wanted to leave now and twisted their arm.

 

[Warriorsfan92]

This is all from a random comment on x,

 

[UpDaWahsAucks]

Should we all sign up to the knights forum and start asking questions?

But then we'd have to talk to Knights fans

 

[Wahs_Ultras]

This is all from a random comment on x,

So was the fish signing

 

[Wrighty]

He's the second best player in the world.

 

[Jaffa J]

I always thought if Ponga came back to NZ it would be for the All Blacks not us would obviously love the signing but doubt it will happen

 

[Wrighty]

I always thought if Ponga came back to NZ it would be for the All Blacks not us would obviously love the signing but doubt it will happen

Yes, this, if he came all this way to live in New Zealand wouldn't it be to play rugby union. Coming to NZ to play for the Warriors sounds like a compromise of his dreams?

 

[Leon Black]

 

[Leon Black]

All low brow pages have taken this from the Mole, their ‘reliable’ sauces are mayo like textures, we are being set up for tomorrow I suspect!

 

[Wrighty]

All low brow pages have taken this from the Mole, their ‘reliable’ sauces are mayo like textures, we are being set up for tomorrow me thinks…

Most elaborate April Fools joke of all time that started 24 hours early? Maybe - be an April 1 to remember for for sure.

 

[BangBro's (still banging)]

Have we crossed out Jared Hayne?

 

[Ever Hopeful]

If he ever did need an honest assessment of the club, I'm sure Barnett is not someone to beat around the bush, and he seems to respect the jersey.

Why am I feeding this? . Most fun the forum has been for a while though!

 

[Leon Black]

Most elaborate April Fools joke of all time that started 24 hours early? Maybe - be an April 1 to remember for for sure

Have we crossed out Jared Hayne?

He scored 5 tries in a skins v shirts OzTag game before he got out of the big house

 

[The Warrior Waka]

What is Kalyn's connection to New Zealand? in full....

Born in WA. Both parents are kiwis. Returned to NZ(Palmy) when he was young for 5 years. His dad Andre wanted him to spend more time with his Koro & Nanny & get some grounding with his Tikanga(customs and traditional values, especially in a Maori context)

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Kaylyn would be awesome ! Cobbo would be nice. I still hold out hope that maybe Nathan Cleary would return to the club that his father coached & played at. He was a ball boy for. And wahs was his favourite club as a kid. He learned to play in Auckland. Pipe dreams. But I've had this feeling for 2 years now lol. One of, Kalyn or Cleary, With Cobbo signing would be a dream!

 

[Blain]

Sounds like a classic baseless rumour IMO. We have the cap, but that's about all I can see as a reason there is a link to us. He's contracted until the end of next year, isn't linked to Auckland from what I know (people forget that Auckland isn't home for a lot of guys who are from NZ). There were rumours of him possibly considering switching to the Kiwis, but that was just a rumour.

Don't get your hopes too far up eh fellas.

Cobbo chat in here, I don't think he would be a good fit. I don't think he's a better fullback than RTS or Taine, he's far to heavy. Good talent though, especially if he has matured.

 

[Leon Black]

Born in WA. Both parents are kiwis. Returned to NZ(Palmy) when he was young for 5 years. His dad Andre wanted him to spend more time with his Koro & Nanny & get some grounding with his Tikanga(customs and traditional values, especially in a Maori context)

During COVID, I was lucky enough to play a few rounds behind him and his old man. I always stirred him up about coming to the Wahs or whether he wanted to be an All Black. His old man was very vocal, but KP wasn’t as much.

Damn, he was a gun golfer—not the old man. He used a scope and had an incredible swing. No wonder he was a young amateur champ. I’ve heard O’Brien has been a bit on the nose—apparently, he loves the grog.

 

[The Warrior Waka]

During COVID, I was lucky enough to play a few rounds behind him and his old man. I always stirred him up about coming to the Wahs or whether he wanted to be an All Black. His old man was very vocal, but KP wasn’t as much.

Damn, he was a gun golfer—not the old man. He used a scope and had an incredible swing. No wonder he was a young amateur champ. I’ve heard O’Brien has been a bit on the nose—apparently, he loves the grog.

Yeah bro. Heard he was a bit of a Taika Woods.

 

[Wrighty]

Sounds like a classic baseless rumour IMO. We have the cap, but that's about all I can see as a reason there is a link to us. He's contracted until the end of next year, isn't linked to Auckland from what I know (people forget that Auckland isn't home for a lot of guys who are from NZ). There were rumours of him possibly considering switching to the Kiwis, but that was just a rumour.

Don't get your hopes too far up eh fellas.

I just want to say. It is a rumour. Make of it what you will. This thread is for discussing rumours so we are on topic and doing nothing wrong. The rumour sounds pretty out there for all the reasons people have listed. But you have now been informed and know the latest that there is a rumour doing the rounds of Ponga to Warriors for whatever that is worth to each person who reads it. Rumours are rumours. There is nothing of substance behind any of them. But we are definitely on topic to give our opinions of the rumour ds you have done above.

 

[Dippa]

If there is any truth to these rumours of a potential monster signing then this club deserves one especially with all the compassionate releases.

The “speedy outside back” still holds merit for me. Rumours are getting louder that CNK is out at the end of this year so either the club is set to hand Taine the baton or looking to bring in an elite fullback. DWZ AND RTS seem locked for the foreseeable future so can’t see an elite winger on the cards and with Rocco back, Ali locking down and Pomp’s as mr reliable, what’s left? Yes, speed, but who?????