{"id":251929,"date":"2025-10-30T23:21:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T23:21:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/251929\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T23:21:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T23:21:09","slug":"five-november-1-targets-wests-tigers-nrl-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/251929\/","title":{"rendered":"FIVE November 1 targets: Wests Tigers – NRL News"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Wests Tigers<\/a> finally managed to move away from the wooden spoon in 2025, with Benji Marshall’s rebuild of the Concord-based outfit in full swing.<\/p>\n

That doesn’t mean they are going to become overnight premiership contenders, but the Tigers, for a change, look like a club more likely to be heading in the right direction than the wrong one.<\/p>\n

In recent years, they have expressed their desire very publicly to become a \u2018development’ club, utilising their own backyard to bring talent into first-grade.<\/p>\n

Those efforts are starting to bear fruit, and combined with a relatively stable roster, things are looking positive for the joint-venture.<\/p>\n

They will still need to head outside the club to find re-enforcements though, new faces who can bring a winning culture.<\/p>\n

We have seen exactly what has happened at the Canterbury Bulldogs<\/a> in recent years – an almost entire roster flip.<\/p>\n

That’s not to say the Tigers need to do the same, but with Jahream Bula<\/a> and Jarome Luai<\/a> yet to commit for 2027, there are areas of work needed when it comes to the contract front once the November 1 deadline ticks over.<\/p>\n

Current Wests Tigers 2027 squad
Javon Andrews<\/a>, Adam Doueihi<\/a>, Latu Fainu<\/a>, Samuela Fainu<\/a>, Phoenix Godinet, Jared Haywood<\/a>, Royce Hunt<\/a>, Apisai Koroisau<\/a>, Jock Madden<\/a>, Heamasi Makasini<\/a>, Taylan May<\/a>, Terrell May<\/a>, Kai Pearce-Paul<\/a>, Fonua Pole<\/a>, Ethan Roberts<\/a>, Alex Seyfarth<\/a>, Starford To’a<\/a>, Sunia Turuva<\/a>, Alex Twal<\/a><\/p>\n

Off-contract at the end of 2026
Bunty Afoa<\/a>, Jack Bird<\/a>, Jahream Bula<\/a> (mutual option) Sione Fainu<\/a>, Maverik Geyer, Tristan Hope<\/a>, Kit Laulilii<\/a>, Luke Laulilii<\/a>, Jarome Luai<\/a> (player option), Heath Mason<\/a>, Solomone Saukuru<\/a>, Jeral Skelton<\/a>, Tony Sukkar<\/a><\/p>\n

Current best 17 for 2027
1. Sunia Turuva<\/a>
2. Starford To’a<\/a>
3. Heamasi Makasini<\/a>
4. Taylan May<\/a>
5. No player signed.
6. Javon Andrews<\/a>
7. Latu Fainu<\/a>
8. Terrell May<\/a>
9. Apisai Koroisau<\/a>
10. Fonua Pole<\/a>
11. Samuela Fainu<\/a>
12. Kai Pearce-Paul<\/a>
13. Adam Doueihi<\/a><\/p>\n

Interchange
14. Jock Madden<\/a>
15. Royce Hunt<\/a>
16. Alex Twal<\/a>
17. Alex Seyfarth<\/a><\/p>\n

Not in 17: Phoenix Godinet, Jared Haywood<\/a>, Ethan Roberts<\/a><\/p>\n

As it stands, the Tigers have 20 players locked up for 2027, leaving ten spots to fill over the next ten months.<\/p>\n

They will be hoping two of those wind up with Jahream Bula<\/a> and Jarome Luai<\/a>, who will both need to take up options in their current contracts to remain with the Tigers beyond the end of 2026.<\/p>\n

Bula appears to be the more likely of the two to depart, leaving a vacancy in the backline, while the Tigers will also be likely looking to the forward pack to sign new faces.<\/p>\n

The pack needs refreshment even after a stronger than expected return in 2025, led by the surprise signing of Terrell May<\/a> from the Sydney Roosters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He will continue to lead the forward pack, but Royce Hunt<\/a> is likely to leave, and others haven’t quite hit the mark expected.<\/p>\n

Apisai Koroisau<\/a> has also re-signed at hooker, but a back up to him long-term could also be on the menu for the black and gold.<\/p>\n

Option 1: Reuben Garrick (Manly Sea Eagles)<\/p>\n

As mentioned, the most pressing issue for the Tigers is likely to be in the back five.<\/p>\n

Even if Jahream Bula<\/a> does re-sign, there are still question marks. Heamasi Makasini<\/a> is seen as one of the most talented young players in the game, but has played one first-grade game, while Starford To’a<\/a> may well only wind up on the fringes of the first-grade side in the years to come.<\/p>\n

Taylan May<\/a> has made an excellent start to his time at Tiger Town, but will also need to prove himself again at the start of 2026.<\/p>\n

That leaves queston marks, and with money to spend, the Tigers may well thrown some of it at the best outside back on the market in Reuben Garrick<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A tall, fast and agile player, Garrick goal kicks and can play any of centre, wing or fullback.<\/p>\n

His versatility, experience and talent should be the exact thing the Tigers are looking for when they head to the open market on November 1, and it wouldn’t surprise if they are one of the first clubs to throw money and an offer at Garrick.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Wests Tigers finally managed to move away from the wooden spoon in 2025, with Benji Marshall’s rebuild…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":251930,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-251929","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nrl","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-national-rugby-league","11":"tag-nationalrugbyleague","12":"tag-nrl","13":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251929","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251929"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251929\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/251930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}