Recruitment Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention

Warriors 2025/2026 Recruitment & Retention Discussion
-Player20252026202720282029
1Bunty Afoa
2Tom Ale
3Mitchell Barnett
4Rocco Berry
5Tanah Boyd
6Kurt Capewell
7Erin Clark
8Wayde Egan
9James Fisher-Harris
10Jackson Ford
11Leka Halasima
12Morgan Harper
13Chanel Harris-Tavita
14Sam Healey
15Edward Kosi
16Jacob Laban
17Ali Leiataua
18Freddy Lussick
19Te Maire Martin
20Luke Metcalf
21Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
22Marata Niukore
23Adam Pompey
24Tanner Stowers-Smith
25Taine Tuaupiki
26Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
27Demitric Vaimauga
28Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
S1Kayliss FatialofaS
S2Kalani GoingS
S3Luke HansonS
S4Eddie Ieremia-ToeavaS
S5Sio KaliS
S6Patrick MoimoiS
-Kahu CapperTT
-Jett ClearyTSS
-Morgan Gannon-
-Jye Linnane-
-Motu PasikalaT??
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: 25/30
Confirmed Supplementary 2026: 1/6

2026 Gains: Jye Linnane (Newcastle Knights), Morgan Gannon (Leeds Rhinos)
2026 Losses: Nil

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



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Might have to fast track Laban to share minutes with Leka, and implement the transition of Marata to the middle…

Probably up Demi’s minutes as a prop-proper too…he’s given the license to offload now and he’s amazing. Gannon is the permanent lock cover for Clark next year anyway, Demi should be Barney or Fish’s long term replacement as a prop

Or for this season they could use Clark in the prop rotation and keep Demi as bench lock and the same game plan, just more minutes. TMM or Healey to cover lock if injuries happen mid game

I think Clark, Ford and Demi will probably end up as our veteran prop trio once Fish/Barney wind down, Gannon or someone will be long term 13.
 
Ive been keeping an eye on it but only watched a handful of highlights of the cup boys this year.

For those in the know how is Toby Crosby progressing? Smokey to see some game time in NRL side this year with Mitch’s injury or still a year or two away?

He looks fantastic with the ball in hand, starting to do the things he did in Union on a league field.
He could be a smokey late in the season, long shot but I would not discount him now that he is getting used to the fitness.
 
So next year our pack is likely
Fish
Egan
Barney
Marata
Cape
Clark

What’s happening with our bench??
Ford
Leka
Demi
Gannon

Probably only need 1 of Ford or Demi if Gannon the cover for 13 can’t play hooker and we need a spine cover, who do we drop? Would be great if he does and is a good player, that’s a lethal pack. We don’t wanna ship Marata now as he is playing well and we need to keep him for insurance if Barney takes a while or doesn’t hit form next year

If they ship Marata and Barney’s not right we have Demi/Gannon/Laban/spine cover, Ford starts, TSS, Ale? depth, and Crosby and a couple of second rowers ready to play FG
 
So next year our pack is likely
Fish
Egan
Barney
Marata
Cape
Clark

What’s happening with our bench??
Ford
Leka
Demi
Gannon

Probably only need 1 of Ford or Demi if Gannon the cover for 13 can’t play hooker and we need a spine cover, who do we drop? Would be great if he does and is a good player, that’s a lethal pack. We don’t wanna ship Marata now as he is playing well and we need to keep him for insurance if Barney takes a while or doesn’t hit form next year

If they ship Marata and Barney’s not right we have Demi/Gannon/Laban/spine cover, Ford starts, TSS, Ale? depth, and Crosby and a couple of second rowers ready to play FG
I’m starting Gannon over Marata.
Not recruiting a player from England to be on the bench imo.
We definitely have a good pack moving forward!
 
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I’d take Nelson AS for a couple of seasons to teach the young guys some aggression and add some punch off the bench…
Doesn't strike me as the hardest worker. He could've been as good as Tino with his talent. I think you take him out of the Storm system, he's just an average plodder.

Its a no from me also.
 
We'll likely get dispensation to promote a development player to the top 30 with Barnett gone. My call is Crosby to get a debut off the bench later in the season. TSS clearly the next man up. It will be interesting to see if Ale can force his way back into the side.
It’s going to be tricky to hold onto everyone that looks promising. There are likely traits that they are looking for and Crosby coming across as so professional you’d think would rate highly. Seems that the length of contract for Halasima and Laban likely sees second row sorted to some extent. Vaimauga in the middle seems like that’s somewhat sorted, Crosby seems the ideal candidate to succeed JFH at this point
 
Tui Kamikamica apparently being shopped around, he’d be not a bad idea on a 1.5yr deal at least covering Barnett
Sounds like broncos are guaranteeing him more minutes than at storm. Storm keen to keep him and I think they’d keep him over NAS? Kamikamica is 31 and NAS 29 but it’s the $900k price tag the storm is paying for his output that likely sees him surplus to demand? If there was a guarantee of NAS to buy in and get the best out of him, $600k with storm chipping in $300k per season would be a risk I would take. At his best, he’s impossible to stop close to the line
 
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