Chiefs 2026

[Mr Fish]

Naitoa Ah Kuoi has signed on for one more season with the Chiefs:

https://chiefs.co.nz/news-item/vibes-versatility-naitoa-ah-kuoi-stays-with-gallagher-chiefs-for-another-year/

[Mr Fish]

Squad

Props
Sione Ahio
George Dyer - rumoured to be heading to Munster
Ollie Norris
Reuben O'Neill
Jared Proffit
Aidan Ross

Hookers
Brodie McAlister
Bradley Slater - rumoured to be heading to the Blues
Samisoni Taukei'aho
Taine Kolose

Locks
Naitoa Ah Kuoi
Josh Lord
Fiti Sa
Manaaki Selby-Rickit
Jimmy Tupou
Tupou Vaa'i
Jayden Sa

Loose forwards
Kaylum Boshier
Jahrome Brown
Samipeni Finau
Luke Jacobson
Simon Parker
Wallace Sititi
Malachi Wrampling-Alec
Oli Mathis

Halfbacks
Cortez Ratima
Xavier Roe
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi

First fives
Josh Jacomb
Damian McKenzie
Kaleb Trask

Midfield
Anton Lienert-Brown
Rameka Poihipi
Daniel Rona
Quinn Tupaea
Gideon Wrampling

Outside backs
Leroy Carter
Liam Coombes-Fabling
Etene Nanai-Seturo
Emoni Narawa
Shaun Stevenson
Kyren Taumoefolau

The only confirmed departures so far are Shaun Stevenson and Aidan Ross with Kyren Taumoefolau rumoured to be joining.

Presumably the Chiefs will be making some room for Oli Mathis and potentially Jayden Sa. Manaaki Selby-Rickit and Jimmy Tupou could be off-contract, same with Liam Coombes-Fabling out wide. George Dyer is rumoured to be heading to Munster but I'll believe that when I see it.

[Chris]

@Mr-Fish said in Chiefs 2026:

Squad

Props
Sione Ahio
George Dyer - rumoured to be heading to Munster
Ollie Norris
Reuben O'Neill
Jared Proffit
Aidan Ross

Hookers
Brodie McAlister - rumoured to be heading to the Blues
Bradley Slater
Samisoni Taukei'aho
Taine Kolose

Locks
Naitoa Ah Kuoi
Josh Lord
Fiti Sa
Manaaki Selby-Rickit
Jimmy Tupou
Tupou Vaa'i
Jayden Sa

Loose forwards
Kaylum Boshier
Jahrome Brown
Samipeni Finau
Luke Jacobson
Simon Parker
Wallace Sititi
Malachi Wrampling-Alec
Oli Mathis

Halfbacks
Cortez Ratima
Xavier Roe
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi

First fives
Josh Jacomb
Damian McKenzie
Kaleb Trask

Midfield
Anton Lienert-Brown
Rameka Poihipi
Daniel Rona
Quinn Tupaea
Gideon Wrampling

Outside backs
Leroy Carter
Liam Coombes-Fabling
Etene Nanai-Seturo
Emoni Narawa
Shaun Stevenson
Kyren Taumoefolau

The only confirmed departures so far are Shaun Stevenson and Aidan Ross with Kyren Taumoefolau rumoured to be joining.

Presumably the Chiefs will be making some room for Oli Mathis and potentially Jayden Sa. Manaaki Selby-Rickit and Jimmy Tupou could be off-contract, same with Liam Coombes-Fabling out wide. George Dyer is rumoured to be heading to Munster but I'll believe that when I see it.

Anton Lienart-Brown is taking a sabbatical in 2026 so will miss SR.
Slater is the hooker rumoured to be heading to the Blues.

[Mr Fish]

@Chris Sorry yes typo!

[zedsdeadbaby]

Last I heard Mathis had not made his mind up

[Mr Fish]

@zedsdeadbaby said in Chiefs 2026:

Last I heard Mathis had not made his mind up

Would be a shame if the Chiefs missed out on him but I'm not sold that he's the second coming just yet and they're not exactly short on talent in the loose forwards or outside backs. But it would be great to develop a bonafide openside flanker for the future.

[zedsdeadbaby]

Agree, good pedigree so far though.
Suspect he will be playing for one of this weekend’s two finalists.

[Bovidae]

@Mr-Fish said in Chiefs 2026:

Naitoa Ah Kuoi has signed on for one more season with the Chiefs:

He was already signed for 2026 I thought. There were articles reporting it.

[Crazy Horse]

Jeez I hardly remember the last time I saw Trask play. He makes Blackadder look like he's made of steel.

[Bovidae]

@Mr-Fish said in Chiefs 2026:

George Dyer - rumoured to be heading to Munster

He signed a new contract in July last year until 2027 so this is doubtful.

If both Tupou (he signed a 2-yr deal for 2024/25) and MSR leave, I would prefer a loose forward as there are enough locks. I am hoping Andrew Smith has a big NPC. A no.7 should be the top priority.

Trask signed for 2024-25 when he went to Japan.

[ARHS]

Am hoping to see Benet Kumeroa and Tepaea Cook Savage added along with Mathis and A Smith. Kaivelata would be good too and maybe Sinton.

[Kiwidom]

@ARHS I had forgotten about Kaivelata, think he only signed a short term contract in Japan ,so he might be returning

[nostrildamus]

@Crazy-Horse said in Chiefs 2026:

Jeez I hardly remember the last time I saw Trask play. He makes Blackadder look like he's made of steel.

Rightio I'm going to call Ethan 'Man of Steel' from now on in...

[Mr Fish]

@Kiwidom said in Chiefs 2026:

@ARHS I had forgotten about Kaivelata, think he only signed a short term contract in Japan ,so he might be returning

Should know very soon if he's hanging around with Kobe or departing.

[Mr Fish]

In fact Kobe have already posted their farewells on Instagram and KK is not included, so probably safe to assume he's not coming back to NZ next year.

[Bovidae]

Even though Kumeroa has been a regular in the WTG and involved more pre-game since Ahio got injured, the Chiefs will need a LH to replace Ross. Take out Kaivelata, I would opt for a younger prop to develop. Mason Tupaea (if not wanted by the Blues) or Will Martin would be my choices.

[African Monkey]

@Bovidae said in Chiefs 2026:

Even though Kumeroa has been a regular in the WTG and involved more pre-game since Ahio got injured, the Chiefs will need a LH to replace Ross. Take out Kaivelata, I would opt for a younger prop to develop. Mason Tupaea (if not wanted by the Blues) or Will Martin would be my choices.

I'd be surprised if Mason Tupaea wasn't retained by the Blues. I think Jordan Lay is leaving, and Ofa doesn't seem to be returning anytime soon, so I'm gonna assume that he'll be signed on and he got a fair bit of game time in the 2nd half of the season.

[ARHS]

Frank Vaenuku and Gibson Popoalii are two others I would be happy to see signed for Chiefs, with ALB on sabbatical

[Bovidae]

@Mr-Fish said in Chiefs 2026:

In fact Kobe have already posted their farewells on Instagram and KK is not included, so probably safe to assume he's not coming back to NZ next year.

CM have now confirmed Kaivelata isn't coming back to play for them. Probably being lined up to play for Japan.

Also, the Chiefs seem to be slowly announcing who is leaving starting with Aidan Ross today.

[OleOleOle]

Kaleb Trask heading back to Japan on a 2 year deal…not sure which club