NRL best 17s for 2025: New Zealand Warriors

Inconsistency was the bug that hit the Warriors again in 2024, with the club falling from the heights of a finals appearance in 2023 to missing the finals in 2024.

After such a bright campaign in 2023, Andrew Webster's second year in charge of the Auckland-based club was a difficult one to say the least.

Injuries and other issues didn't help, but they now begin life after Shaun Johnson and Tohu Harris following twin retirements over the off-season, and will be out to turn a rapid corner.

Fitness of key players - Luke Metcalf in particular - will be critical to their chances of working their way back into the top eight, but so too will be playing each game at the same intensity level, something they struggled with enormously in 2024.

Here is how the Zero Tackle team sees the Warriors lining up in 2025.

Recruitment report

Ins: Tanah Boyd (Gold Coast Titans, 2026), Erin Clark (Gold Coast Titans, 2027), James Fisher-Harris (Penrith Panthers, 2028), Samuel Healey (Cronulla Sharks, 2027)

Outs: Addin Fonua-Blake (Cronulla Sharks), Tohu Harris (retired), Shaun Johnson (retired), Zyon Maiu'u (Canterbury Bulldogs), Marcelo Montoya (Canterbury Bulldogs), Jazz Tevaga (Manly Sea Eagles), Setu Tu (Brisbane Tigers)

Re-signed: Mitchell Barnett (2027), Rocco Berry (2026), Wayde Egan (2027), Jackson Ford (2027), Chanel Harris-Tavita (2026), Jacob Laban (2026), Ali Leiataua (2027), Freddy Lussick (2026), Luke Metcalf (2026), Taine Tuaupiki (2026), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (2027)

Off-contract at end of 2025: Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Edward Kosi, Te Maire Martin, Adam Pompey, Dylan Walker

Full squad

Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Mitchell Barnett, Rocco Berry, Tanah Boyd, Kurt Capewell, Erin Clark, Wayde Egan, James Fisher-Harris, Jackson Ford, Leka Halasima, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Samuel Healey, Edward Kosi, Jacob Laban, Ali Leiataua, Freddy Lussick, Te Maire Martin, Luke Metcalf, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Marata Niukore, Motu Pasikala, Adam Pompey, Taine Tuaupiki, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Demitric Vaimauga, Dylan Walker, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak

Supplementary contracts: Kayliss Fatialaosa, Kalani Going, Luke Hanson, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Sio Kali, Patrick Moimoi, Tanner Stowers-Smith

Who plays where?

Fullback
The fullback spot for the Warriors is a real question mark heading into the 2025 season for coach Andrew Webster.

He made it clear last year that Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was the number one option, but it didn't play out that way all year after the return of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

His stint in rugby left him starting in the centres, but there is no guarantee that is where he will be by the end of 2025.

Still, the form of Nicoll-Klokstad through 2023s run to the finals, and again as a bright spot in 2024, should leave him as the first-choice for 2025.

Taine Tuaupiki is the other back up option in the squad for the Auckland-based outfit.

Wingers
The Warriors have lost Marcelo Montoya during the off-season, opening up a spot on the wing.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak retains his spot without a shadow of a doubt, but who lines up on the other extreme of the field is up in the air.

It could be Edward Kosi or Adam Pompey as out-and-out wingers, but we tend to think the Warriors will want to play Ali Leiataua as a first-choice centre during 2025.

That means there is no room for Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in the centres, and instead he will have to line up on the wing.

Early season injuries mean things aren't likely to start this way though, and the Warriors backline is somewhat up in the air, with the likes of Kosi or Motu Pasikala in the mix for Round 1 given their injuries, with Rocco Berry and Adam Pompey both likely to miss the opening round.

Centres
Given we have named Tuivasa-Sheck on the wings, at full strength, it means the Warriors are going to be looking at Ali Leiataua and Rocco Berry in the centres.

Berry has really grown into an NRL player over the last couple of seasons and will be hoping to shake off his reported pre-season injury issues to feature in the first part of the season and nail down a spot.

Leiataua, on the other hand, is one of the most talented New Zealand-based juniors who has come into the sport in many years, and will be out to lock down a spot of his own this year.

Adam Pompey is the key back-up option, but the versatility of the Warriors backline means it's unclear exactly who will be first cab off the rank in case of an injury anywhere within the back five.

Halves
The retirement of Shaun Johnson is a sad day for the Warriors, but it's also a chance to get things moving in the right direction once again.

In truth, the Warriors looked far better with him out of the side than when he was playing throughout 2024.

We have Te Maire Martin at halfback and Luke Metcalf at five-eighth in the best 17 to start 2025, but after the first trial, they could run out in reversed rolls - Metcalf played halfback against the Sharks.

Metcalf is the key creative player for the Warriors heading into 2025. He played limited games due to injury in 2024, but made everyone around him look far better when he was on the park.

The Warriors have plenty of options to back up the starting duo, with Chanel Harris-Tavita and new recruit Tanah Boyd pushing for spots, while utility Dylan Walker also spent some time at five-eighth last year.

Middle forwards
The retirement of Tohu Harris is another body blow for the fabric of the Warriors, although he too missed games with injury in 2024 and was clearly approaching the end of his excellent career.

The replacement at lock forward is a pretty easy decision, with Erin Clark set to simply slot into the role he has been playing at the Titans in recent times.

The former dummy half has really made something of himself as a middle third ball runner, and it's a role he will share with Dylan Walker throughout 2025.

The props are also in for change, with James Fisher-Harris slotting straight into the role vacated by Addin Fonua-Blake, who has joined the Sharks.

The former Panther will be joined by 2024 State of Origin debutant Mitchell Barnett, who was among the best props in the game last year.

There is plenty of back-up in the middle third for the Warriors, led by the likes of Marata Niukore, Bunty Afoa and Tom Ale, while the recently re-signed Demitric Vaimauga also adds something to the engine room in reserve.

Hooker
The Warriors will again run out with Wayde Egan in the number nine jumper to start 2025.

He may not have made his Origin debut yet - and may not this year either - but has featured in the conversation in recent years and, with his defensive intensity and creativity, wouldn't look out of place at that level.

A real quiet achiever, Egan has been one of the Warriors' most important players in recent seasons.

He again receives back-up from Freddy Lussick, who is challenged for the first back up spot by Samuel Healey this year after the youngster made an off-season move across the Tasman from the Cronulla Sharks.

Edge forwards
Despite being listed among the back-up options for the middle third, we expect to see the versatile Marata Niukore land a starting spot in the second row.

The forward has been a bright spot for the Warriors since his move across the Tasman from the Eels, and should continue to be in 2025.

He will be joined in the second-row by Kurt Capewell. The veteran has Origin experience, and brings a calming influence to the Warriors even as he approaches the back-end of his career.

Given the amount of experience retiring over the off-season, his role becomes even more important in 2025.

Jackson Ford is the unlucky one to miss out on a starting spot here, while the likes of Jacob Laban and Leka Halasima provided suitable back up depth for the Auckland-based outfit.

Interchange
Dylan Walker is the obvious walk up utility. His ability to play in the forwards - whether it be lock or hooker, or even on the edge at a pinch, as well as being able to slot in at five-eighth and centre leave him one of the best in the competition.

Off-contract at the end of the year, he will be also under pressure to perform and land a new NRL deal for 2026.

Jackson Ford missed a starting role by the narrowest of margins and should feature off the bench as a specialist second-row option.

We have Bunty Afoa as a walk-up start to provide depth in the middle third, while the last spot will depend on the balance Andrew Webster wants to provide his side.

Another edge would see young gun Jacob Laban slot straight into the side, but if he wants to go with a middle option, it could be either Tom Ale or Demitric Vaimauga.

Given Ford can play through the middle, we have given the spot to Laban, but this one is certainly up in the air.

The best 17

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
3. Rocco Berry
4. Ali Leiataua
5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
6. Luke Metcalf
7. Te Maire Martin
8. James Fisher-Harris
9. Wayde Egan
10. Mitchell Barnett
11. Kurt Capewell
12. Marata Niukore
13. Erin Clark

Interchange
14. Dylan Walker
15. Jackson Ford
16. Bunty Afoa
17. Jacob Laban