Wests Tigers’ messy boardroom clean-out has their CEO considering quitting and it could have a disastrous impact on their ability to retain co-captain Jarome Luai amid huge roster implications.
The joint venture club has a history of infighting between the two factions from Balmain and the Western Suburbs Magpies, and it is exactly the sort of instability that could see Luai exercise a get-out clause in his $6 million deal.
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If the club lose Luai, they will have lost the two playmakers they planned on building the club around for the next five years after Lachlan Galvin’s departure to the Bulldogs.
And it is not the only roster issue the Tigers have, with star fullback Jahream Bula off-contract in 2026 and yet to reach an agreement over an extension amid links to following Galvin to the Bulldogs.
Meanwhile, the club has struggled to sign star forwards with their pack looking thin, despite the arrival of England international Kai Pearce-Paul from the Knights.
And despite a massive overhaul over the past two seasons under Benji Marshall, their roster is far from settled and in need of more depth and star power to return to the finals.
The Tigers have the longest finals drought in the NRL, stretching back to 2011 when Marshall was at the peak of his powers as a player, but it remains to be seen if he is the coach to get them back to the promised land.
The club has 12 players coming off-contract in 2026, which means they are free to negotiate with rivals as the November 1 deadline has passed.
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Tigers CEO Shane Richardson could quit the club.Source: News Corp Australia
Meanwhile, they have 13 players coming off-contract in 2027, so the bulk of their squad will need to be re-signed over the next two seasons, while they have just five players signed for 2028 and none beyond that.
Of the players they have signed until 2028, Api Koroisau is the lone star and is likely on his last deal, while Alex Seyfarth, Jack Attard, Javon Andrews, Kai Pearce-Paul and Starford Toa are hardly household names you can build the club around as yet.
The Tigers roster still needs a lot of work to make them a contender and if they lose Luai they may need to start again from scratch.
Read on for the Tigers’ roster state of play.
Jarome Luai was heralded as the club’s first elite signing in a long time when he joined the club on a mega $6 million five-year deal from the Panthers.
Luai played 131 games for Penrith, winning four premierships from five grand finals, as well as playing 12 Origins for NSW and 16 Tests for Samoa to date, making him by far the best player to come to the Tigers in a generation.
However, Luai’s five-year deal came with the a get-out clause to leave the club after the 2026 season.
Luai has always pledged his commitment to the Tigers, but admitted the get-out clauses are designed to hold the club accountable.
Luai wants to win and after the club improved from last to 13th in his first year at the Tigers, he wants to get them back to playing finals footy in 2026.
Tigers CEO Shane Richardson is a massive fan of Luai’s from his days at the Panthers and was a huge reason why he joined the club.
Jarome Luai could leave the Tigers at the end of next season.Source: Getty Images
Now with Richardson’s future at the Tigers unclear amid reports he is considering quitting the club, it could be the catalyst for Luai to exercise his get-out clause.
The main issue for Luai leaving the club is he won’t get the amount of money he is on at the Tigers if he returns to the Panthers.
But he could command that money or even more at the Perth Bears or Papua New Guinea Chiefs in the future.
However, money is not Luai’s only motivating factor and if he wants to win he may have to move on from the Tigers amid their constant off-field dramas at board level, which do nothing to help the players win footy games.
Luai wasn’t at his brilliant best in his first year at the Tigers, but if he leaves it will leave a gaping hole in their side and has the potential to detract other star players from going to the club in the future.
Concussions force Manly star to retire | 00:42
THE HALVES HEADACHE
The Tigers planned to play Jarome Luai at halfback and Lachlan Galvin at five-eighth for the next five seasons, but that all fell over when the young No.6 left the club to join the Bulldogs midway through last season.
Luai initially changed his game in a bid to adapt to the chief playmaker role at No.7 and his form didn’t exactly match his pay packed in the new position.
Once Galvin left, Marshall chose to switch Luai back to his preferred No.6 role to unlock his running game and get him to play to his strengths.
However, that left a big hole at halfback, with young gun Latu Fainu getting the chance to fill the No.7 void, before Adam Doueihi finished the season in the role.
Fainu has scored five tries in 23 games for the Tigers since his debut in 2024, as well as playing one Test for Tonga and at just 20 years of age, he still has time on his side to be an excellent NRL playmaker in the future.
However, Doueihi is a seasoned NRL playmaker, having scored 29 tries in 115 games for the Rabbitohs and Tigers since his debut in 2018.
Adam Doueihi is the Tigers’ halfback by default.Source: Getty Images
Doueihi’s combination with Luai was building nicely at the back end of last year, but it remains to be seen if it is a combination that can get them back in the finals let alone competing for a title.
Fainu has a big future, but he could need a couple more years of development before he can be an elite NRL playmaker.
Doueihi is essentially a five-eighth who has been thrust into the chief playmaking role for a lack of other options, so the jury is out on whether he is the man to lead the Tigers back to the top of the NRL mountain.
And Luai hardly had his best season in the NRL last year, scoring just one try in 21 games, so the Tigers need a lot more from him to get bang for their buck on their hefty investment.
Doueihi and Luai will start next season in the halves, but only time will tell if they can get the Tigers back to playing footy in September.
Staggs reacts to new Broncos logo | 06:33
THE BULA DILEMMA
Jahream Bula is the Tigers’ X-factor player and has the potential to be one of the elite fullbacks in the game, but his future is uncertain amid links to the Bulldogs.
Bula is off-contract in 2026 and has been free to negotiate with rivals from November 1, with the Tigers failing to extend him before the deadline.
A potential reunion with former teammate Lachlan Galvin at the Bulldogs was reported as a possibility as the Tigers’ extension talks stalled.
The 23-year-old has scored 23 tries in 57 games for the Tigers since his debut in 2023 and has also scored five tries in five Tests for Fiji to date.
However, his form last season was a step backwards after his 10 tries in 21 games in 2024 had him heralded as one of the game’s future superstars.
The Tigers reportedly baulked at Bula’s extension asking price, which was around the $800,000-$900,000 a season mark, and want to see more improvement from their star fullback in 2026.
Jahrome Bula has been linked with the Bulldogs.Source: Getty Images
However, that is a dangerous game in the NRL, especially with the Perth Bears on the lookout for marquee signings for their inaugural season in 2027.
If the links to the Bulldogs prove true, Bula would be the second star young gun the club has lost to their Belmore rivals after Galvin’s departure last season.
That would be a devastating blow, given the Tigers planned to build around the pair for the next decade.
Players with Bula’s speed and skill don’t come around very often, especially to a struggling club like the Tigers, so losing him would be nothing short of catastrophic.
And the man who again is central in trying to retain Bula? Richardson.
V’Landys changes position on R360 stars | 00:48
THIN FORWARD STOCKS
The Tigers have an exciting pack, but apart from Terrell May, they don’t have many elite forwards at the top of their game to match the top teams in the competition.
Kai Pearce-Paul joins the club in 2026 from the Knights and while he is an English international and will add some much needed strike, he is still not an elite-level NRL player yet.
Fonua Pole and Samuela Fainu are excellent prospects and are still early in their careers, with the potential to become elite forwards in the future, but they are not there yet.
Alex Twal, Sione Fainu, Alex Seyfarth, Royce Hunt and Bunty Afoa are all solid first-graders, but it remains to be seen if the Tigers have enough depth and star power in their pack to be a finals team.
Kai Pearce-Paul joins the Tigers from the Knights in 2026.Source: Getty Images
And if injuries strike, which are inevitable in the NRL, then the Tigers might not have the depth to cover for losses in their already thin forward stocks.
Marshall clearly identified forward stocks as an area that needed more depth, which is why he signed Mavrik Geyer (Panthers), Ethan Roberts (Roosters) and Bunty Afoa (Warriors) ahead of next season.
But whether those players will be enough to get the Tigers back competing for the finals remains to be seen.
More likely the Tigers need to be on the lookout to pick up another couple elite forwards if they want to match the top teams in the NRL consistently.
Competition delay rocks R360 hopefuls | 00:39
CLOCK TICKING FOR BENJI
Benji Marshall deserves plenty of credit for turning the club around after three straight wooden spoons and moving them out of the bottom four last season.
He was able to attract some big players to the club in Jarome Luai, Terrell May, Sunia Turuva and Jeral Skelton, while he was instrumental in keeping skipper Api Koroisau long-term.
However, he did play a part in losing two of the club’s best young talents in Lachlan Galvin to the Bulldogs and Tallyn Da Silva and those losses will hurt more as those two young stars develop and get better at their new clubs.
Coaches have a role to play in recruitment, but they also have a big say in retention of players, so only time will tell if Marshall has pulled the right reins.
The club didn’t have to let Galvin go until the end of 2026, while Da Silva was also allowed to break his contract to join the Eels, so those two decisions could come back to bite them in the short term.
And if Bula goes, it will be another example of young stars leaving the club when they could have built around them for the future.
Benji Marshall is still learning as an NRL coach.Source: Getty Images
Marshall also needs to convince Luai to stay at the club long-term or he may have to start rebuilding his spine around Koroisau alone.
Marshall is heading into the third year of his four-year deal and has won just 15 of his 33 games for a win percentage of 31.25, while the Tigers finished last in 2024 and 13th in 2025.
But in a results driven business, Marshall needs to improve the team again in 2026 and make the finals if not go very close to it to ensure his future.
The Tigers have not played a final since Marshall was in the No.6 jersey in 2011 and if he can’t get them back there in 2026, he may not be at the club to see them break the drought.
Garrick set for Manly departure | 00:30
WHO THEY COULD TARGET
The Tigers are in desperate need of some elite strike power in their forward pack and a player to build a premiership winning team around.
Payne Haas would be the ideal man to do this, but he is unlikely to leave the Broncos unless the riches on offer from the Perth Bears prove too hard to ignore.
Still that is the calibre of forward they need to set the platform up front for their skilful backs to work their magic.
Another player they should look at is Souths enforcer Keaon Koloamatangi, who is off-contract in 2026 and has been linked to a potential switch to the Eels.
Roosters star Siua Wong and Panthers prop Lindsay Smith would be players that can add some much needed starch and strike to the Tigers’ pack.
Keaon Koloamatangi would be an ideal target for the Tigers.Source: Getty Images
And Shawn Blore is reportedly keen to return to Sydney and could be an option to rejoin the Tigers, and he is a far better player now than when he left to join the Storm.
If Bula and Luai end up leaving the Tigers they will need to make a play for a fullback and marquee half.
A player like Selwyn Cobbo may be the ideal man to replace Bula in the No.1 jersey in 2027 and Marshall has proven in the past he can attract big names to the club.
Connor Tracey could be straight swap from the Bulldogs if Bula goes the other way and he still has some good years ahead of him.
William Kennedy’s form at the Sharks has slipped, but he is likely to be forced out of the club in 2027 and would be a handy pick-up for the Tigers.
In the halves, Marshall should make another play for Adam Reynolds if he is forced out of the Broncos after missing out on signing him to a two-year deal earlier this year.
Adam Reynolds would be a great buy for the Tigers.Source: Supplied
Reynolds is exactly the organising type half the Tigers need to control their kicking game and allow Luai to play to his strengths.
Storm utility Tyran Wishart is a much younger option who can do the same job and is looking for a full-time playmaker role amid links to the Perth Bears.
Marshall has overseen a massive overhaul of the Tigers’ roster. but there is still some more work to be done to win a drought-breaking first title since he was playing in 2005 and if they don’t keep Luai and Bula, they may have to start again.
Turbo after premiership as Manly skipper | 01:07
TIGERS 2026 SQUAD
Top 30: Adam Doueihi (2027), Alex Twal (2027), Alex Seyfarth (2028), Apisai Koroisau (2028), Fonua Pole (2027), Jack Bird (2026), Jahream Bula (2026, MO 2027), Jarome Luai (2029), Jeral Skelton (2026), Heath Mason (2026), Heamasi Makasini (2027), Jordan Miller (2026), Jock Madden (2027), Justin Matamua (2025), Kai Pearce-Paul (2028), Kit Laulilii (2026), Latu Fainu (2027), Mavrik Geyer (2026), Samuela Fainu (2027), Sione Fainu (2026), Luke Laulilii (2026), Royce Hunt (2027), Solomone Saukuru (2026), Starford To’a (2028), Sunia Turuva (2027), Taylan May (2027), Terrell May (2027), Tony Sukkar (2026)
Development players: Bunty Afoa (2026), Javon Andrews (2026), Jared Haywood (2026), Charlie Murray (2026), Ethan Roberts (2026)
2026 gains: Kai Pearce-Paul (Knights), Jock Madden (Broncos), Javon Andrews (Gold Coast Titans under 20s), Mavrik Geyer (Panthers), Ethan Roberts (Roosters), Bunty Afoa (Warriors), Jack Attard (Panthers)
2026 losses: Solomona Faataape (Catalans), Josh Feledy (released), Alex Lobb (released), Justin Matamua (released), Brent Naden (released), Reuben Porter (released), Charlie Staines (Catalans), Brandon Tumeth (released)
OFF-CONTRACT IN 2026 BY POSITION
FULLBACK
Tom Chester, Kade Dykes, Sione Fonua, Trai Fuller, Jamayne Isaako, William Kennedy, Luke Laulilii, Heath Mason, Nick Meaney, Sean Russell, Tyrell Sloan, Connor Tracey, Taine Tuaupiki
WING
Michael Asomua, Selwyn Cobbo, Mathew Feagai, Reuben Garrick, Moala Graham-Taufa, Sione Katoa, Greg Marzhew, Marcelo Montoya, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Jaxson Paulo, Richard Penisini, Phillip Sami, Sam Stonestreet, Jed Stuart, Jonathan Sua, Jake Tago, Murray Taulagi, Christian Tuipulotu, Daniel Tupou, Will Warbrick
CENTRE
Jesse Arthars, Jake Averillo, Rocco Berry, Jack Bird, Braidon Burns, Wilson De Courcey, Dane Gagai, Mawene Hiroti, Delouise Hoeter, Thomas Jenkins, Brian Kelly, Nathan Lawson, Will Penisini, Jesse Ramien, Solomone Saukuru, Aaron Schoupp, Jeral Skelton, Enari Tuala, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Chris Vea’ila
FIVE-EIGHTH
Jack Cole, Tyson Gamble, Te Maire Martin, Josh Rogers, Trent Toelau, Manaia Waitere, Cody Walker
HALFBACK
Tanah Boyd, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jake Clifford, Tom Duffy, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Zac Herdegen, Kodi Nikorima, Joseph O’Neill, Jaxon Purdue, Niwhai Puru, Adam Reynolds, Brad Schneider, Ronald Volkman, Tyran Wishart
PROP
Tom Ale, Jake Clydsdale, Harrison Edwards, Sione Fainu, Emre Guler, Payne Haas, Braden Hamlin-Uele, Tuku Hau Tapuha, Liam Henry, Samuel Hughes, Jaiyden Hunt, Jaimin Jolliffe, Tui Kamikamica, Sean Keppie, Kaiden Lahrs, Simione Laiafi, Blake Lawrie, Matthew Lodge, Ata Mariota, Sam McIntyre, Francis Molo, Michael Molo, Josh Papalii, Junior Paulo, Toby Rudolf, Lindsay Smith, Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Siosiua Taukeiaho, Xavier Va’a
HOOKER
Jayden Berrell, Damien Cook, Zach Dockar-Clay, Tristan Hope, Jamie Humphreys, Freddy Lussick, Cameron McInnes, Zaidas Muagututia, Cory Paix, Jake Turpin, Sam Verrills, Billy Walters, Patrick Young
SECOND ROW
John Bateman, Shawn Blore, Billy Burns, Thomas Cant, Kurt Capewell, Angus Crichton, Tyson Frizell, Luke Garner, Mavrik Geyer, Jack Gosiewski, Charlie Guymer, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Brodie Jones, Oryn Keeley, Viliame Kikau, Mason Kira, Keaon Koloamatangi, Karl Lawton, Luciano Leilua, Connelly Lemuelu, Zyon Maiu’u, Toni Mataele, Ryan Matterson, Max McCarthy, Marata Niukore, Kai O’Donnell, Joe Roddy, Scott Sorensen, Tony Sukkar, Siosifa Talakai, Kelma Tuilagi, Siua Wong
LOCK
Nathan Brown, Josh Curran, Matthew Eisenhuth, Jesse Colquhoun, Kalani Going, Lipoi Hopoi, Blake Hosking, Kit Laulilii, Liam Le Blanc, Kurt Mann, Hohepa Puru, Hame Sele, Morgan Smithies, Ray Stone, Jack Todd, Jake Trbojevic, Dylan Walker