Tigers to make call on Mason this week

[Discussion_Bot]

Wests Tigers will decide within days whether to offer controversial rugby league figure Willie Mason a lifeline.

Chief executive Stephen Humphreys last night confirmed the club had met with Mason and expected a decision to be made ''one way or another'' this week as to whether the former Bulldog and Rooster would be offered a deal for the remainder of this season. ''I have met with Willie and his manager,'' Humphreys said. ''It was a good, positive meeting, and we've both got some things to think about over the next few days.''

The fact that the Tigers have been prepared to publicly state their interest in signing Mason would suggest the club is strongly considering offering a contract to the player, who recently returned to Australia after a stint at French rugby union club Toulon.

[Original Article](//news/club-news/1-player-contracts/494-tigers-to-make-call-on-mason-this-week)

 

[happy_tiger]

Knew they got rid of Mitch Brown for a reason

 

[k-bags]

Hmmm. Not sure how I feel about the prospect of Wilie becoming a Tiger. I would hate for this to be a knee jerk reaction to our bad start to the season.
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[mike]

Not a big fan but the bottom line is at the moment Wests Tigers could use him.
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[AJ1]

Hmmm. Not sure how I feel about the prospect of Wilie becoming a Tiger. I would hate for this to be a knee jerk reaction to our bad start to the season.
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Not the case at all. It's no secret that we have been in talks with Mason since Nov last year.

I'm not a fan of Mason either but we need an intimidating and aggressive forward in our team.

 

[cuzx2]

Don't do it. He's poison in a club
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[flapjack]

Geez, this is NOT the player that will add starch and committment to our pack

 

[RatedRKO]

I wouldn't mind seeing him as long as he is on match payments or something. Worst case would be he does nothing for the team and we get rid of him.

 

[awalker10]

Please Tigers,

Do not sign Willie Mason!
We might be short of forwards at the moment but this guy is a proven nightmare. He has been trouble for all teams he has been involved in in the last few years.

 

[underdog]

Please Tigers,

Do not sign Willie Mason!
We might be short of forwards at the moment but this guy is a proven nightmare. He has been trouble for all teams he has been involved in in the last few years.

wow, you joined just to say that.

Mason has been weak minded under weak minded coaches and clubs.

Sheens will straight and narrow the guy, or kick him out.

Look at the changes we saw in Utai when he came to us.

 

[851]

Whether you like him or not,we need him,and I for one would be happy with that,we need him now and later when everyone is fit competition for spots in the team should promote good footy.

 

[cuzx2]

Please Tigers,

Do not sign Willie Mason!
We might be short of forwards at the moment but this guy is a proven nightmare. He has been trouble for all teams he has been involved in in the last few years.

wow, you joined just to say that.

Mason has been weak minded under weak minded coaches and clubs.

Sheens will straight and narrow the guy, or kick him out.

Look at the changes we saw in Utai when he came to us.

Utai wasnt an infectious party boy who has a record of being a motivator of players around him in the wrong direction.
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[system]

Mason was sacked from the Roosters for the same reason Anthony Watts and Nate Myles were.

Scapegoats for Carney.

He was actually great for the Cows when he was there and if there is any club he could have fallen into the party culture it is the Cows

 

[killa_tigerz]

Y r u focusing on all the bad stuff y not look at the good he will bring to the club. He played for NSW he played for AUSTRALIA where he dominated at both levels he helped lead the bulldogs to a GF win where he won the CLIVE CHURCHILL MEDAL. He will go out and will prove all doubters wrong
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[Pawesome]

If you can sign a player like Mason you do it.. sure everyone has an opinion of him but you cant doubt his results on the field and if he comes with a passion to play he will defiantly be an asset..

Besides everyone looks better in the Black White and Orange..

 

[Guest]

Willie Mason says he still has three years of good football left in his rugby league career

The Daily Telegraph
March 20, 2012 7:28AM
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As Wests Tigers emerged as his most likely NRL saviour, Willie Mason revealed a desire to emulate former Canterbury-Bankstown teammate Steve Price and play into his mid-30s.

Almost two months of speculation surrounding Mason's comeback finally crystallised on Monday when Tigers boss Stephen Humphreys confirmed the joint-venture club was in talks to immediately sign the colourful 32-year-old.

The Daily Telegraph understands Tigers and Australia coach Tim Sheens initiated discussions about a two-year deal earlier this month.

There was originally some concern from figures above but two consecutive defeats in which young Tigers props Matt Groat and Aaron Woods were dominated appear to have quashed opposition to the former Blues enforcer heading to Concord.

The loss of international duo Gareth Ellis (cork) and Keith Galloway (toe) has weakened the Tigers' depth up front.

Thanks to a concerted personal training regimen, Mason has dropped 5kg since returning to Australia in late January from an unfulfilling stint in French rugby.

The Daily Telegraph found him on Monday evening in Centennial Park, completing a one-hour session with sprint coach Roger Fabri.

Mason said he had always believed his NRL return would happen this year.

"It's not like I'm 36 and washed up," the 115kg prop said. "I've still got three years left in me. Pricey (Steve Price) was still running around when he was 35 and he'd have gone another year if not for injury.

"And then you look at Petero (Civoniceva). He's still going great at almost 36 as well. If I thought I was no good I could just retire and sink into some media work.

"But I want to play on and I've always believed I can still compete at the highest level."

Humphreys said the deal could be finalised as soon as this week - pending talks with sponsors, players and the NRL.

"People have said for months now that we are talking to Willie or have signed him," Humphreys said. "We haven't. But it is fair to say we have had some loose discussions with him over the last couple of weeks. I am not sure where it will go.

"I dare say in the next week or so we will come to some conclusion."

Mason was in a near-identical exile during the 2010 off-season, when Sydney Roosters coach Brian Smith cut him from Bondi Junction. He found an 11th-hour home at North Queensland Cowboys, where he played every game and represented Country Origin.

"That was a worse circumstance than this because I hadn't touched a football (in) six months," Mason said.

"And I went out and had one of my best seasons.

"This time I kept pretty fit in France and only had two weeks off when I came home."

Fabri admitted to having doubts about Mason's ability to regain his athleticism, but said he had progressed remarkably over the past month.

"I've trained a lot of the guys from the Bulldogs like Sonny Bill Williams, Braith Anasta, Reni Maitua, Willie Tonga and Mase," Fabri said.

"They all have an incredible work ethic and it clearly comes from the culture at that club about a decade ago.

"Willie's going really good. He probably wouldn't mind me saying that he has proved me wrong."

 

[happy_tiger]

Y r u focusing on all the bad stuff y not look at the good he will bring to the club. He played for NSW he played for AUSTRALIA where he dominated at both levels he helped lead the bulldogs to a GF win where he won the CLIVE CHURCHILL MEDAL. He will go out and will prove all doubters wrong
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All of that was a long time ago football wise The CC medal was 2004 and SOO was 2006 I think

 

[simonthetiger]

The last year he played for the cow gals he was a standout.

 

[Huss_Jebzz]

Whether you like him or not,we need him,and I for one would be happy with that,we need him now and later when everyone is fit competition for spots in the team should promote good footy.

Thats right well said.
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[peatea]

I agree with RatedRKO - match payments this year and then see where he is at at the end of the year before offering a contract?? Imagine seeing Big Red and Willie packing the scrum together! The challenge, and an experienced head next to them could also be what the young props need!!