2026 recruitment & retention

[double hoops]

I agree, actually the warriors recruitment over the last few years has been overall very good, not just Clarke, Barnett, Niukore, Klokstad, Metcalf, Big Fish, even Capewell they’ve all been good for them, now they have some very promising youngsters coming through, exciting times ahead for the warriors fans, who go pretty good themselves.

Metcalf is coming of age.

People call for our teens to play halves next year. Should look at this lad. Metcalf was a young talent with us who showed he's speed and ability at the 9s.

But How many years has it taken this young talent to own a starting spot at 7?

PLenty can have a good game, even the shoe done that, but a top performance with consistency.

Its rare from a younger ones. Rare.

 

[Saabnaldo]

Dom young leaving roosters apparently. Wonder where he ends up

 

[Rafferty]

Metcalf is coming of age.

People call for our teens to play halves next year. Should look at this lad. Metcalf was a young talent with us who showed he's speed and ability at the 9s.

But How many years has it taken this young talent to own a starting spot at 7?

PLenty can have a good game, even the shoe done that, but a top performance with consistency.

Its rare from a younger ones. Rare.

Yes his going well in a team that’s doing well, it’s probably fair to say there’s considerable upside yet as he matures and his speed is definitely a massive asset, seems Webster has given him the license to play what he sees, which seems silly to say when his your half, maybe it’s more about the confidence Webster has showed in him, to stick after the season opener.

I like the fact he went to Webster over the off season and said he could lead the side, wanted to take over from SJ, says a lot about his mind set, but your right his 26 now, it’s not like his 18,19.

And still his a work in progress, however his established himself as there half now no doubt.

I don’t know a lot about our young halves, but it’s a lot to expect teenagers to come in and run a side, the Fogarty signing is a good move, give these lads time to serve their apprenticeships.

There are a couple of young half’s doing well, Katoa but his had his learning curves and his a well developed youngster, Savala another bigger body (who gets pretty well looked after) but it seems to look like he’ll cut it, it’s a big step playing 27 hopefully plus games of grade at an early age, especially with the 7 on your back, bit different if your a 19 year old Halasima, come on down, but no doubt the season will still prove a challenge for him too, playing 80 each week, taking on the line.

 

[double hoops]

Terrell May. How great is he going up front right now? I think he walks into one of the Blues jerseys unopposed right now.

Another talent we had our hands on as a youngster. Perhaps our staff seen the talent but couldn't afford to keep it.

My memory is 3/4 of that blacktown team seemed to up and all move to North's all together. I assume money dried up? But always just seemed like the Roosters took over our entire NSW Cup development program not just Terrell. A few of which have been regulars in a couple of strong years for North's

What's May now. 26.

22 when he was with us.

Hynes another with us at 21 or 22. Unwanted to play senior footy. A couple of years doing just that and ripping the NRL up.

I know we can't keep em all.

But Real question given the Blacktown union / de union. Obviously the club was sharing some of the costs.

Is it club not investing the same sort of budget on ressies or that second tier list and developing over 20s as compared to Storm, Roosters, Sharks etc....

Im struggling to think of a 20+ lost diamond we can thank reserve grade for finding and or polishing in the last decade?

 

[Ohgeez]

Terrell May. How great is he going up front right now? I think he walks into one of the Blues jerseys unopposed right now.

Another talent we had our hands on as a youngster. Perhaps our staff seen the talent but couldn't afford to keep it.

My memory is 3/4 of that blacktown team seemed to up and all move to North's all together. I assume money dried up? But always just seemed like the Roosters took over our entire NSW Cup development program not just Terrell. A few of which have been regulars in a couple of strong years for North's

What's May now. 26.

22 when he was with us.

Hynes another with us at 21 or 22. Unwanted to play senior footy. A couple of years doing just that and ripping the NRL up.

I know we can't keep em all.

But Real question given the Blacktown union / de union. Obviously the club was sharing some of the costs.

Is it club not investing the same sort of budget on ressies or that second tier list and developing over 20s as compared to Storm, Roosters, Sharks etc....

Im struggling to think of a lost diamond we can thank reserve grade for finding and or polishing in the last decade?

If the Covid bubble didn’t happen May might have still been at the club now. He had worked his way into training with the 1st grade team once a week until the team left for QLD & had no space for him to come. I think it rubbed him the wrong way not being taken with the squad so he declined a train & trial deal for the following year then accepted one instead with roosters.

 

[Heckenberg]

Sipley leaving at the end of the year might free up a little money from the salary cap but it doesn’t open the door for a new signing as he is essentially being replaced in the top 30 by the Australian schoolboys prop playing Jersey Flegg Simione Laifai.

This is a good thing

 

[Ohgeez]

This is a good thing

Yea it is, although this isn’t the mobile lighter forward everyone on here wants

 

[Disco]

This may be an unpopular opinion....but if Titans chipped in a touch I'd happily go Fifita.

Haumole on the right, Fifita left....oooft

 

[Stevo]

This may be an unpopular opinion....but if Titans chipped in a touch I'd happily go Fifita.

Haumole on the right, Fifita left....oooft

No thanks. He reminds me of T-Rex

 

[Disco]

No thanks. He reminds me of T-Rex

Yeah he seems pretty polarising but I think he cops more than he should due to that previous big contract and his high profile.

Statistically he matches up if not exceeds Haumole last year.

Obvs this year there are some issues.

Haumole right with Garrick and Saab.
Fifita left with Koula and Lehi.
Tom floating in behind.

Defenses would be lost at sea

 

[BOZO]

No thanks. He reminds me of T-Rex

Fifita and T-Rex
Great when they get Going
But they lack Discipline Drive and Motivation
Maybe the right coach can lead them in the right Direction

I am waiting to see if Wayne can Save Schuster
Schuster has recently come came from injury playing NSW cup

Zero Tackle ...
South Sydney Rabbitohs star Jai Arrow has revealed his happiness for teammate Josh Schuster after he made his long-awaited return to rugby league last week after a 12-month hiatus from the field.
Appearing in his first match for the Rabbitohs since leaving the Manly Sea Eagles and overcoming a calf injury that delayed his return last weekend, Schuster impressed in the NSW Cup competition.

Coming off the interchange bench, the one-time Samoan international finished the match against the North Sydney Bears with one try assist, a line-break assist, three tackle busts, 40 running metres and six tackles without a miss.
Only signed until the end of 2025, the 23-year-old will be attempting to see his form continue in the lower grades as he contends for a spot in the first-grade team in the coming weeks and continues to remain fit and healthy.

"It was the first time I saw him since he played on the weekend and I did ask him how it was and he said he was excited to finally be back out there playing," Rabbitohs teammate Jai Arrow said.

"He's a guy who enjoyed a lot of off-beat cardio and a lot of hot boxing sessions and things like that.
Only signed until the end of 2025, the 23-year-old will be attempting to see his form continue in the lower grades as he contends for a spot in the first-grade team in the coming weeks and continues to remain fit and healthy.

"It was the first time I saw him since he played on the weekend and I did ask him how it was and he said he was excited to finally be back out there playing," Rabbitohs teammate Jai Arrow said.
"He just hasn't been able to get himself on the field but it's good to see him come in today with a big smile on his face and he's finally back out there playing footy."

Schuster - named as the starting five-eighth - will feature in his second match for the Rabbitohs this week but will remain in the NSW Cup as they take on a Canterbury Bulldogs side that includes the likes of Blake Wilson, Cassius Tia, Drew Hutchison, Joseph O'Neill, Jake Turpin and Kurtis Morrin.

 

[Ohgeez]

If we have the money it’s a no brainer to get Fifita here.

 

[Bomb Voyage]

Maybe we are looking at him to replace Burbo on that left edge?

 

[double hoops]

Can anyone see us having the money thou? In the last decade our club has appeared flat out affording the chook so to run a chook raffle.

 

[The Who]

If we have the money it’s a no brainer to get Fifita here.

It would be a huge risk. We lost out with The Shoe. Both have heaps of potential but rarely deliver.
I just don't think our decision-makers would have the courage.

 

[Woodsie]

Brandon Smith looks set to leave the Roosters immediately in a move Phil Gould says is "interesting".

Smith had already signed with South Sydney for 2026 and 2027 but reports on Wednesday say he will join the Rabbitohs as soon as this week.

It will end a tumultuous Roosters stint for the larrikin Kiwi wrecking ball.

 

[double hoops]

Let me guess. Roosters and Bulldogs both have cap space for an experienced halfback.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

So Chooks release Brandon and Dom immediately and get DCE, Manly gets da Silva and Dave Fifita...
it's hard to keep up

 

[Disco]

It would be a huge risk. We lost out with The Shoe. Both have heaps of potential but rarely deliver.
I just don't think our decision-makers would have the courage.

Does he rarely deliver though?

Averaged 129m a game last year which was No1 for edge backrowers in the NRL.

Average 5 tackle busts a game last year which was No1 for edge backrowers in the NRL.

Had 36 offloads last year, only 4 edges had more.

Was 6th overall fr edges for line breaks and 2nd overall for edges for line break assists.

I think his issue is people expect him to be the best backrower in the comp and he is certainly not. That said his is still a very good player.

 

[Ohgeez]

It would be a huge risk. We lost out with The Shoe. Both have heaps of potential but rarely deliver.
I just don't think our decision-makers would have the courage.

I don’t think Titans half’s do a great job getting him get involved honestly, Brimson & Campbell are both fun to watch but they are definitely at their best when running the footy. Brooks loves going to the line & hitting the back rower or turning them back inside so I can’t see him being a passenger with how we play. Fifita has looked a lot better with a player like Foz in that team who is a natural ball player