They are just holding out, they want to have the $$ to resign Samuela, Latu & possibly (as a sweetener to get those two) their brother Manase.
They also waiting to offload a few players between now & Nov 1 when they can go to the market as other clubs will be shedding players due to cap restraints or player/manager dissatisfaction with their present club's offers/contract standoffs.
They save part of the $1.2M they would have been paying Jerome next year, then there's young Kit & Luke Laulilli departing for Perth, Toa & possibly Skelton being moved on along with a few others.
Then there's the cap increase, the Wests Tigers, unlike a lot of other teams has a not so insignificant war chest there to tie up the Fainu boys, upgrade a few contracts and still have cap space to go to the market for another quality outside back, second rower & possibly even a much needed prop.