Rumours and Stuff

[Parra Pride]

New Zealand Warriors 2026 NRL season scouting report: Best 17, contract statuses, rookie watch​

Boasting some of the best young talent in the game, the strength of the Warriors’ title charge will come down to a number of key roster decisions from Andrew Webster, including a possible fullback shake-up.

Take me there

Is this the Warriors' best 17?

Free agency wrap & rating​

The priority from the moment the 2025 season curtain came down was the re-signing of starting half Luke Metcalf. A new deal takes the strike weapon out to 2028. The Warriors also identified speed out wide as an issue, resulting in the acquisition of former Titans flyer Alofiana Khan-Pereira. While the Warriors do boast plenty of talent coming through their ranks, they have let go plenty of depth players that are capable of NRL including Freddy Lussick (Panthers), Ed Kosi (Rabbitohs), Bunty Afoa (Tigers), Morgan Harper (released) and Tom Ale (Panthers).
Rating: B-

Coach status & safety rating​

Two finals appearances in the past three years for head coach Andrew Webster puts the 43-year-old on safe ground, so too, his contract through until the end of 2028. However, there’s no denying that after missing the finals in 2023, the Warriors faded badly when it mattered most last season, winning just two of their last eight games. Injuries absolutely played their role, but any coach can’t afford consistent seasons of making up the numbers.
Rating: B

ZIP ZIP MAN
The timing of the return from a torn ACL of the man they call ‘Zippy’, Warriors halfback Luke Metcalf, is critical to the Warriors fortunes. It’s hoped that he can be back by May. You would then concede that it may take Metcalf several weeks to rediscover his timing and combination with his fellow spine members, particularly five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita.

TAINE OR CHARNZE
Few Warriors players play with more energy and enthusiasm than fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. He has been a constant in the Warriors backline, but would be aware that the young and fleet-footed Taine Tuaupiki is forever biting at his heels.

Crystal ball​

Stay healthy, play finals. That’s the equation for the Wahs. The recovery from a torn ACL of starting half Luke Metcalf is pivotal to the Warriors chances in 2026. Metcalf’s return around May makes it paramount that the Warriors find early season wins before he returns. The same can also be said about representative prop Mitchell Barnett (returning mid-June), who managed just 11 games before he suffered a torn ACL last season.

2026 odds​

Premiership: $26
Minor premiership: $26
To make grand final: $12
Top four: $5.50
Top eight: $2.40
Most losses: $17

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/new-zealand-warriors-2026-nrl-season-scouting-report-best-17-contract-statuses-rookie-watch/news-story/e6ad3e68bd83783d47a3e98dd02a002b?amp

CNK has to be one of the most overrated players in the comp, will never comprehend playing him at fullback when you have RTS.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

So 15 on the list are NSW cup players. Majority of rest wouldn't scrape into most sides. Russel, Kutaoga,Morreti,Tulagi for example. And two have left.

It doesn’t matter if they wouldn’t play for ‘most sides’, they only need one other club to be interested and we are paying more than minimum wage. Kautoga and Tuilagi could be earning less than every other club’s starting edge forwards and still be on $450k each. Minimum salary is for guys like JFI and Latu when they come into the top 30 next year, not for top 17 players who’ve been full time footballers for several years.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

CNK has to be one of the most overrated players in the comp, will never comprehend playing him at fullback when you have RTS.

On the wing RTS doesn’t have to do a lot of the toil, especially off the ball, support play and whatnot. He can just focus on running the ball.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Probably not too controversial. I do think Herbie probably commands close to a million he is alot better as a player than Crichton though.Who probably gets that due to winning comps at the riff.

Plus goalkicking and leadership

 

[Chipmunk]

It doesn’t matter if they wouldn’t play for ‘most sides’, they only need one other club to be interested and we are paying more than minimum wage. Kautoga and Tuilagi could be earning less than every other club’s starting edge forwards and still be on $450k each. Minimum salary is for guys like JFI and Latu when they come into the top 30 next year, not for top 17 players who’ve been full time footballers for several years.

Kautoga would be on $250k at most. Tuilagi $300k.

They're both still fringe first graders who could lose their spot to anyone else pretty quickly.

 

[eels_fan]

Kautoga would be on $250k at most. Tuilagi $300k.

They're both still fringe first graders who could lose their spot to anyone else pretty quickly.

I’d like to think so, but MoN so they could be on substantially more

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Kautoga would be on $250k at most. Tuilagi $300k.

They're both still fringe first graders who could lose their spot to anyone else pretty quickly.

Tuilagi maybe, but he re-signed in December 2024 and started in round one 2025. He also finished the year as a starting edge forward, so I'd say he was expected to be top 17 when we re-signed him. Likewise with Kautoga when we re-signed him in June. He played first grade whenever he was available, not playing a single game in NSW Cup, and he started every game but one. He also played 80 minutes nearly every week, unlike Tuilagi. But Tuilagi had his best ever season and put up solid NRL numbers. Kautoga was even better.

 

[hineyrulz]

Quoting yourself? Again?
Go to bed Pat. Before it gets ugly.

Too late.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I’d like to think so, but MoN so they could be on substantially more

The average salary is $400k. Why would two blokes who spent most of the year starting in first grade be on less than that?

 

[Chipmunk]

The average salary is $400k. Why would two blokes who spent most of the year starting in first grade be on less than that?

Because we refused to play 3 blokes (Lane, Matterson and Cartwright) all on $400k plus who would've otherwise occupied the positions.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Because we refused to play 3 blokes (Lane, Matterson and Cartwright) all on $400k plus who would've otherwise occupied the positions.

We refused to play Lane and Cartwright because their replacements were already at the club. Matterson was only used as a middle. He started on the edge in one of his NSW Cup games.

 

[Eelementary]

Probably not too controversial. I do think Herbie probably commands close to a million he is alot better as a player than Crichton though.Who probably gets that due to winning comps at the riff.

I rather Crichton highly - he is also a leader.

 

[Eelementary]

Kautoga will have a breakout season, and force an upgrade to his deal, I reckon.

 

[Stagger eel]

Kautoga will have a breakout season, and force an upgrade to his deal, I reckon.

you could argue he was almost there before he got injured.

 

[Avenger]

Kautoga reminds me of a stronger version of Nikora (who I right highly).

 

[emjaycee]

I heard that losing Kautoga was Gould's biggest regret of the 3 we signed from Dogs.

Suck shit Phil.

 

[Twizzle]

Quoting yourself? Again?
Go to bed Pat. Before it gets ugly.

Before ?

 

[Gary Gutful]

and as any Pouciple will tell you, Pou’s self serving analysis and circular logic are far more reliable than published information, public statements, inside information, media analysis or extrapolation based on known facts.

Pou is more likely to deal in stats and supporting information than a lot of other people who use anecdotal information. He even cops a lot of shit for it (“I prefer the eye test”, “stats don’t tell you everything” being common responses…).

 

[Pazza]

Why would you think we have a $2M hole to start with? We signed or extended all these merkins since the end of the 2024 season:

Date	Player signed/extended	Player released
10-Sep		Campbell-Gillard
26-Sep	Guymer, Renisini
27-Sep	Hawkins
3-Oct	Williams
23-Oct	Papalii, Samrani, Doorey	Sivo
7-Nov		Gutherson
18-Nov	Addo-Carr
27-Nov	Hands, Russell
3-Dec	Tuilagi
13-Dec	Kautoga
17-Jan	Moretti
28-Feb	Moses
1-Mar	Renisini (again)
14-Mar		Drown
25-Mar	Walker
17-Apr		Ofahengaue
21-May	Tuivaiti, Penisini, Mataele, Volkman
29-May	Addo-Carr
27-Jun	Kautoga (again)
30-Jun	Da Silva
1-Jul	Smith
2-Jul	Samrani (again)
11-Jul	Papalii (again)
15-Jul	De Belin
14-Aug		Lane
22-Oct		Hands
23-Oct		Hawkins
29-Oct	Pezet
30-Oct	Doorey
16-Nov		Lomax
22-Nov	Addo-Carr
10-Dec	Iongi
5-Jan	Kelly

There's a lot more activity in the left hand column than the right.

A lot of bodies on the left and a lot of $$$ on the right

Thanks for clearing that up

 

[Pazza]

So 15 on the list are NSW cup players. Majority of rest wouldn't scrape into most sides. Russel, Kutaoga,Morreti,Tulagi for example. And two have left. They'd all be cheap

Hes unknowingly nuked his own point....