Barnett gone end of 26

[Izz]

Barnett leaving end of the year: https://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2026/02/24/barnett-leaving-at-end-of-year-for-personal-reasons/

 

[Rich102]

New Zealand Warriors co-captain Mitchell Barnett will be heading back to Australia at the end of the season due to personal reasons.


Originally contracted to the end of the 2027 season, Barnett now is expected to have a plethora of options, as he will look for a new team for next season and beyond.

Warriors CEO Cameron George has confirmed in a statement that the 31-year-old will leave the club, expressing how appreciative the club is about what Barnett has been able to do since joining the club.


“We're very sad to see this happen but Mitch and his family need to be back home,” he said.

“He has become such a big part of our club. We love having him here and we know how much he loves it, too, but it's important he, Clare and their boys are back around their family support network."

Mitchell Barnett's journey from Newcastle to New Zealand has been a defining chapter in his career.

 

[Rich102]

Worst news possible.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Optimistic take on this:

Barnett will be 32 when he leaves and coming off an ACL. Has so far only played a decent number of games in 1 out of 3 seasons for us. His career peaked with us. It's not great news but I dunno, I can't get too worked up about an injury prone bloke leaving in the twilight of his career when we are stacked with good young forwards?

 

[Rich102]

Hear it's to do with the health of a child.
Bad news. I hope things turn out well.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Hear it's to do with the health of a child.
Bad news. I hope things turn out well.

That's terrible to read.

Will be sad to lose a player of his quality, but some things are bigger than the game.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Bugger to lose him, had that bit of mongrel about him.

PNG must be watching all our compassionate releases and be shitting themselves.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Hear it's to do with the health of a child.
Bad news. I hope things turn out well.

Will be interesting to see how his season goes with that playing on his mind.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

NO MITCHELL NO

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Hear it's to do with the health of a child.
Bad news. I hope things turn out well.

Yeah, to do with medical care for his kid. Can't begrudge him. Gutted though

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I see Brisbane are on his list, out of state still doesn’t solve all the family reasons for departing

 

[hitro]

please recruitment try to get Tapine

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

We released RTS and got Charnze straight away
We released AFB and got JFH straight away
We release Barnett and get .......

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

I reckon Tapine or Moses Leota will be signed

 

[Izz]

I reckon Tapine or Moses Leota will be signed

Ooh, wouldn't mind us some Leota...

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Ooh, wouldn't mind us some Leota...

Put the band band back together? Yea that would be nice eh.. Fish definitely plays better with Leota alongside him.

Think Moses and his family is pretty settled over there though. Been there since he was 14ish so I dunno how much of a “homecoming” it’d be these days. Still…

 

[Beavers Headgear]

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Warriors demand player swap from clubs seeking to sign Origin star

There’s no lack of interest in Mitchell Barnett, but prospective clubs are going to have to compensate the Warriors in exchange for his signature.

www.smh.com.au

Interesting… George wants a player swap from whoever picks up Barnett, with Parra and Brisbane having already contacting Gavin Orr.

I’d take Mariner off Madge’s hands in a heartbeat. Dude is a gun.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Optimistic take on this:

Barnett will be 32 when he leaves and coming off an ACL. Has so far only played a decent number of games in 1 out of 3 seasons for us. His career peaked with us. It's not great news but I dunno, I can't get too worked up about an injury prone bloke leaving in the twilight of his career when we are stacked with good young forwards?

That's a pretty fair take.

And it seems like George is pushing for a player swap. To Brisbane for someone like Willison, Te Kura, or Mariner/Karapani?

 

[Big Marn]

Barnetts wifes parents live on the gold coast so Titans might be an option. Fotuaika?