Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[jrtiger]

I think it’s pretty clear we need at least 2 middle forwards to properly start competing for the top 8 and give ourselves a real chance to build off.

We have the salary cap space maybe we throw the cash this summer going all in on one of either Tino/Hass and making a statement.

There’s also a few players who could make a positive impact all also available to talk to clubs come November 1st in around 6 weeks.

- Lindsay Smith
- Josh Curran (easily could get early release for 2026)
- Ray Stone (also a good chance of getting a potential early release)
- Griffin Neame
- Jaemin Jollife

Really like our squad in the backline, halves and edges especially with KPP joining. If we can give Terrell/Twal some extra help in the middle we’ll make some real noise in 2026.

Liam Henry.

 

[innsaneink]

Mark N.reminds me of RTS....looks like hes carved out of a block of granite...so strong.

Dunno why we talkin bout him were more chance of winning the comp next year than him coming here

 

[Holman Barnes #1 Fan]

Mark N.reminds me of RTS....looks like hes carved out of a block of granite...so strong.

Dunno why we talkin bout him were more chance of winning the comp next year than him coming here

"Hey Mark, the Wests Tigers want to sign you."

Mark:

 

[Camel2281]

W

Umm.why ? Would you prefer Skelton over Marky Mark.

I'd have him in the centres instead of Toa and give him plenty of early ball

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Mark N.reminds me of RTS....looks like hes carved out of a block of granite...so strong.

Dunno why we talkin bout him were more chance of winning the comp next year than him coming here

Right on mate, to use the done to death quote from The Castle.......tell em there dreaming.

OK I'll let the door slap my arse on the way out.

 

[Odessa]

Better them, than us. I say.
He'd be a star for them though.

I think we've got a good one in Ethan Roberts on our hands.

Still think perhaps Viliami Fifita or Lazarus Vaalepu [or both 🤔] are worth a look. On the cusp of being break out first graders imo

I think the Dragons will land him maybe for around 700K

 

[weststigerman]

Mark N.reminds me of RTS....looks like hes carved out of a block of granite...so strong.

Dunno why we talkin bout him were more chance of winning the comp next year than him coming here

I mean, there were about 10 pages dedicated to Tino coming here not that long ago. Mavrik Geyer who we actually did sign barely got a mention in here.

This thread is for dreaming.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

I mean, there were about 10 pages dedicated to Tino coming here not that long ago. Mavrik Geyer who we actually did sign barely got a mention in here.

This thread is for dreaming.

Actually he did get mentioned mate some were writing him off as a reserve grader before he even throws on a jersey to prove himself.

That's the forum hey, a wild swinging pendulum.

 

[Odessa]

I mean, there were about 10 pages dedicated to Tino coming here not that long ago. Mavrik Geyer who we actually did sign barely got a mention in here.

This thread is for dreaming.

I think the difference could be ones a premiership winner wanted by more then one club and the other is playing reserve grade with very few first grade appearances in a team that has had a few forwards out injured and still struggling to get a bench spot

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Mark N.reminds me of RTS....looks like hes carved out of a block of granite...so strong.

Dunno why we talkin bout him were more chance of winning the comp next year than him coming here

May as well be talking about To’o. The conversation will end the same way.

 

[crazycat]

You'd have to consider it. He is basixally Farnworth without the polish, but half the price.

Yea,

I mean we would have to be offering something over 500, as easts are doing that.

Do you seriously think the Chooks will let him walk, maybe rugby, but zero chance to another NRL franchise. Would love him at our club and I think I read somewhere he played some junior league for Balmain..could be wrong, anyway not going to happen

He has told the Chooks he is worth more then 500k, the Chooks have only offered this.

I say we offer 650k, this means:
The chooks match that offer. Their cap is tighter...
OR
We get him and Taylan May + Mark N would be a great combo.
OR
Unkle Nick hires Mark N's grandma as a senior club manager for 200k or something and hides the payment...

Roosters will let people go. I don't think their cap is in a good position.

 

[Muffstar]

Yea,

I mean we would have to be offering something over 500, as easts are doing that.

He has told the Chooks he is worth more then 500k, the Chooks have only offered this.

I say we offer 650k, this means:
The chooks match that offer. Their cap is tighter...
OR
We get him and Taylan May + Mark N would be a great combo.
OR
Unkle Nick hires Mark N's grandma as a senior club manager for 200k or something and hides the payment...

Roosters will let people go. I don't think their cap is in a good position.

I think he is hedging his bets about returning to Union due to the upcoming World Cup.
Whilst the Roosters may have offered 500K I wouldn't be surprised if they are hoping the NRL steps in and supplements the offer. I thought Abdo said at some point they would help players stay in League instead of returning to Union depending on the caliber of player. I maybe wrong about that tho?

 

[Betterdays22]

I think he is hedging his bets about returning to Union due to the upcoming World Cup.
Whilst the Roosters may have offered 500K I wouldn't be surprised if they are hoping the NRL steps in and supplements the offer. I thought Abdo said at some point they would help players stay in League instead of returning to Union depending on the caliber of player. I maybe wrong about that tho?

Agreed. Things seem to have brightened a bit for the wallabies in the last couple of months. If they are in with a shout for a home world cup he will want to be a part of it...

 

[gregjm87]

Yea,

I mean we would have to be offering something over 500, as easts are doing that.

He has told the Chooks he is worth more then 500k, the Chooks have only offered this.

I say we offer 650k, this means:
The chooks match that offer. Their cap is tighter...
OR
We get him and Taylan May + Mark N would be a great combo.
OR
Unkle Nick hires Mark N's grandma as a senior club manager for 200k or something and hides the payment...

Roosters will let people go. I don't think their cap is in a good position.

Or the most likely scenario he knocks us back and signs with Roosters for 500

 

[crazycat]

Agreed I have been hugely impressed with his efforts this yr also.
Thinking that a rotation of him and either Douiehi / Latu would balance our 13 rotation as both cannot maintain impact for more than half a game and gas out quite dramatically.
I can’t see if he is available to sign immediately maybe an ITK can shed some light.
Also I’m sick of just plonking a FR at #13 the experiment has been far from a success.

Yea, When I look at our team list. We have a bunch of Front rowers listed as "locks".

Jack bird (listed at) Lock, Charlie Murray lock, Kit Laulilii lock, Justin Matumua Lock.

I hope our teams page doesn't refer to those actually training at Lock. https://www.weststigers.com.au/teams/?competition=111&team=500023

 

[Betterdays22]

May as well be talking about To’o. The conversation will end the same way.

Think Brian may have put some teammates offside of late...

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Think Brian may have put some teammates offside of late...

This Brian May?

 

[hodgo]

Cant remember where i saw it but Marky Mark has been quoted as saying he will be going back to rugby for the World Cup. It was the reason he signed a two year deal i believe. could be wrong

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...s/news-story/16f4cf99e47c5064a14bf86d03364d8e

The new Buzz Rothfield at DT @Joel Helmes 🙂

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Code Sports no BS – Fan view: Why good times are finally here for Wests Tigers

Wests Tigers fans have been through it all. But with stability in the front office and improvement on the field, it is finally a very different time to be a supporter of the club, writes JOEL HELMES.

Give up? Raise the white flag? Walk away? Most reasonably-minded Wests Tigers fans have likely contemplated finding an escape hatch at some point in the past decade.
Consistently losing on the field, the desertion of generational talent to other clubs, having a coach walk out mid-contract to win four straight premierships elsewhere, archaic home grounds, and never-ending boardroom and ownership turmoil would test the most patient and loyal sports fan.

We Wests Tigers fans have been through it all. You name it, we’ve probably experienced it. We’ve been to Hades so many times it feels like we have a standing reservation!

Yet despite all the setbacks and challenges, we’re still here and Wests Tigers remain the undisputed sleeping giant of the NRL.

Wests Tigers are the NRL’s sleeping giant. Picture: NRL Photos
In 2025, despite another season that ended with the club not playing finals football (a record that now stretches a bewildering 14 seasons), few would argue that the giant has at least started to stir.

The season began with hope and promise (something every fan has before a ball is kicked), with some classy new imports coming to hopefully help out a new generation of promising young stars.

Unfortunately, one of those stars was already looking for one of those aforementioned escape hatches, Lachlan Galvin.

The messy Lachlan Galvin divorce derailed the Tigers’ finals fairytale. Picture: NRL Photos
What played out during our messy divorce from the highly-touted young playmaker halfway through the year derailed those hopes of an almost unheard of last place to finalist fairytale.

It was just the latest in our history of copping something on the chin and carrying on.

Despite this, we could see some genuine change in the confidence and camaraderie of the team in the second half of the year.

There were some really satisfying wins, including toppling eventual semi-finalists such as the Roosters and Sharks. Wests Tigers also went toe to toe with the high-flying Raiders on their home turf.

But proving that the squad, while being much more competitive, isn’t quite there yet, the boys went down to the lowly Cowboys and Titans in games that probably should have gone into our win column.

Still, breaking a run of three straight wooden spoons is at least something to (sort of) celebrate, isn’t it?

The Tigers celebrate after beating the Roosters in Round 18. Picture: NRL Photos
What does 2026 promise for our club?

Well, things are different. We have arguably the best CEO in the game at the helm in Shane Richardson (“Richo” as he’s widely known), and many of his moves over the past 18 months have helped give us the first thing any organisation needs to succeed, stability.

We have one of rugby league’s best CEO’s in Richo. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard
After a fan revolt (led, I’m proud to say, by us), Wests Tigers now have, for the time ever, an independent board (almost completely) free of the ghosts of our long past.

Our coach, Benji Marshall, has moved on to his green P plates and has shown he’s likely to prove himself a competent NRL coach moving forward. While our squad, echoing perhaps the stability being found in the Wests Tigers’ back office, looks settled with very few alterations likely to come over this off-season.

This is a very different place to be, as for years we’ve had consistently high player turnover, which has never produced any real or tangible success for the team.

We will be boosted by the consistent Kai Pearce-Paul in 2026, along with returning halves option Jock Madden, and some other promising youngsters. Most fans probably believe we might still be one dominant prop forward short, but fingers are crossed another Terrell May will fall into our laps over the warmer months.

Speaking of Terrell, it is impossible not to love what he produces for us week after week. To then add his brother Taylan, a high-quality player himself, helps to cancel out the disappointment of some of those player departures in recent years that have stung the fan base.

Another positive, and certainly something to look forward to for us, is that those substandard home grounds finally look set to enter the 21st century. Strong lobbying from Richo helped secure funding for much-needed upgrades from all three levels of Government.

That funding means that the Wests Tigers can continue to call Leichhardt Oval and Campbelltown Stadium home for years to come. Again, this provides some always welcome certainty and stability for fans, and that can’t be discounted.

While the club tells us sponsorship incomes are up, and membership numbers (now accurate) are trending north.

So, while it has been a really hard slog to be a Wests Tigers fan in recent years, there are some signs that we are finally being set up for genuine and sustained success. Given what we’ve been through, I don’t think any rival NRL fans would deny we deserve at least a peek at heaven.