The lengthy off-contract list Warrington Wolves must soon confront

THE 2027 season is still several months away, but Super League clubs will soon be able to make plans for even longer-term.

And given the contract status of a large number of their players, that is something Warrington Wolves will be acutely aware of.

From December 1, players who are about to enter the final year of their contracts will be free to negotiate deals for 2028 and beyond with rival clubs, bringing about the possibility that several Super League and NRL stars will kick off the new season knowing they will be playing elsewhere the following year.

Currently, there are 14 first-team players in Sam Burgess’ Warrington squad to whom that applies including several established first-team stars.

Four players who were new signings for 2026 – Albert Hopoate, Josh Smith, Toff Sipley and Kelepi Tanginoa – are about the enter the final year of their deals as is fellow overseas player Sam Stone.

Homegrown talents Arron Lindop, Cai Taylor-Wray, Adam Holroyd, Leon Hayes and Jake Thewlis are also about to be off-contract along with props Liam Byrne and Max Wood.

Although this is yet to be officially confirmed, The Wire are believed to have activated 12-month extension options in the contracts of front-row pair James Harrison and Luke Thomas, both of whom were due to be out-of-contract at the end of this year, but they will now need to negotiate new deals for both should they wish to keep them beyond the end of 2027.

Warrington are believed to hold similar options in their favour for Tanginoa, Byrne, Wood, Lindop and Taylor-Wray, which puts them in a strong position in terms of their futures with the club.

However, it could well be that an interesting recruitment cycle is about to begin at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

(OP) = 12-month extension option in club's favour

James Harrison*, Luke Thomas*

* = club understood to have activated 12-month extension options, officially unconfirmed

Arron Lindop (OP), Leon Hayes, Adam Holroyd, Cai Taylor-Wray (OP), Max Wood (OP), Liam Byrne (OP), Toff Sipley, Albert Hopoate, Josh Smith, Jake Thewlis, Sam Stone, Kelepi Tanginoa (OP)

Matty Ashton, Luke Yates, Ben Currie, Mitchell Prest, Toby Crosby, Jacob Gagai

Danny Walker, Brodie Croft