Warriors coach Andrew Webster has confirmed he's been in direct, personal dialogue with in‑form five‑eighth Chanel Harris‑Tavita about the possibility of extending his stay at the club beyond this season.
Harris‑Tavita has been one of the Warriors' standout performers in 2026, but his name hit headlines this week after reports emerged that he met with Cowboys coach Todd Payten to discuss a potential move to North Queensland in 2027.
The 27-year-old comes off contract at the end of 2026, and it is no surprise that he may be exploring his options considering the backlog of halves currently on the Warriors' books and the inevitable squeeze that comes with it.
When asked about the reports, Webster said he preferred not to talk about recruitment but admitted that he's already had direct conversations with Harris-Tavita about extending his time with the Warriors.
“Chanel and I are in dialogue around [extending his contract], so communication's been good I'll say that … I'm having conversations with him personally,” Webster said.
“We love him, don't want him to leave, but we'll just continue to see how it plays out.”
Webster's comments underline a desire to keep Harris‑Tavita, who has been central to the Warriors' attacking rhythm and defensive steel this season, which sees them sitting towards the top of the ladder after nine rounds.
Despite the logjam of halves at the Warriors, Webster indicated Harris‑Tavita – who played his 100th NRL game last week against the Dolphins and has 10 matches for Samoa to his name – has been rewarded for his sublime form which continues to see him pull on the number six jersey each week.
“Well, I think it's been clear at the moment that we're just rewarding the team that's playing well,” Webster said.
“The way it keeps going at the moment, we've rewarded Boydy (Tanah Boyd) and Chanel, so we'll just keep going that way. Those things are just good headaches at the moment.”
North Queensland's pursuit of Harris‑Tavita is no surprise considering it was revealed current five-eighth Jake Clifford has hesitated to sign a two-year extension with the club.
It is believed that is what prompted the Cowboys to hold talks with Harris-Tavita, although an offer is yet to be tabled.
