Sign up now!!! <\/a><\/p>\n‘Only question is where Sharpe fits in’ | 06:14<\/p>\n
THE BIG BREAKDOWN \u2014 Ethan Lee Chalk<\/p>\n
STRENGTH<\/p>\n
The middle forwards. After struggling to find the right forwards, the Tigers may have finally found the answer. Fonua Pole has cemented himself as a regular starter. Terrell May was in contention to be named in the 2025 Dally M Team of the Year. Alex Twal has emerged as a leader on and off the field. Bunty Afoa provides valuable experience. Royce Hunt provides the X-factor the club has struggled to find. While all five players are nearly impossible to defend in one-on-one tackles and provide strong defence, their offloading is off the charts, creating second-chance plays where Api Koroisau, Adam Doueihi and Jarome Luai flourish.<\/p>\n
Terrell May was brilliant last season.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
WEAKNESS<\/p>\n
Depth and Experience. On paper, the Wests Tigers have an extremely strong side which includes ex-premiership winners, international stars and State of Origin representatives. However, if you delve deeper into their roster, you can see that their depth is not as strong as that of other teams in the NRL. One of the youngest teams in the NRL, if stars Api Koroisau, Jahream Bula and Jarome Luai pick up any injuries (like they did in 2025), their replacements won\u2019t be as strong. Ten members of their Top 30 squad and development list have played a combined 18 NRL matches, while a further seven have notched up fewer than 50 first-grade appearances.<\/p>\n
The Tigers can\u2019t afford injuries to star players like skipper Api Koroisau.Source: Supplied Source Known<\/p>\n
IT\u2019S A BIG YEAR FOR<\/p>\n
Jarome Luai. After winning four premierships with the Panthers, Jarome Luai arrived at the Tigers last season and unfortunately failed to reach expectations. Aiming to make the No.7 his own, he found himself transitioning back into the five-eighth role mid-way through the year and was unable to consistently lead them on the field week in, week out. Under heavy expectations for this year\u2019s campaign, 2026 will show whether Luai can be the number one option in a side or is better as a back-up and second option. This season could very well define his legacy. If he is able to guide the club back into the finals, he would have lived up to his $6 million pay packet and cemented his spot as one of the best playmakers in the competition.<\/p>\n
Jarome Luai needs to deliver in 2026.Source: Supplied<\/p>\n
WHO\u2019S UNDER PRESSURE?<\/p>\n
Jahream Bula. Despite being one of the most exciting prospects to come out of the club\u2019s pathways system, 2026 could be make or break for the Fijian international. In the midst of extension talks with the club, reports have emerged that he could be earning up to nearl $1 million a season. However, he has yet to prove that he is worth the hefty price tag. Yet to dominate the competition like Kalyn Ponga, Reece Walsh or James Tedesco, all eyes will be on him this season. If he is unable to string consistent performances together, the Tigers may decide to go to 2024 Australian Schoolboys representative Jack Attard as their long-term fullback option instead, who arrives at the club as a highly-touted rookie.<\/p>\n
Jahream Bula needs a big year in 2026.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
THE RISING STAR<\/p>\n
Heamasi Makasini. Described by officials and teammates as a \u201cspecial talent\u201d and compared to a modern-day version of Jonah Lomu, the rise of Makasini was one of the positives to come out of Tigers Town last season. One of the favourites to claim the 2026 Dally M Rookie of the Year, the athletic centre joined an illustrious group when he made his debut while still attending Newington College in the final round of 2025 and is set to add more appearances to his name. Likely to spend the first few weeks in NSW Cup, don\u2019t be surprised to see the Under-19s NSW Blues representative and former Under-18s Wallabies star taking apart his opposing centres.<\/p>\n
Heamasi Makasini is a star of the future.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
PREDICTED FINISH: 14th<\/p>\n
BEST 19<\/p>\n
1. Jahream Bula<\/p>\n
2. Sunia Turuva<\/p>\n
3. Taylan May<\/p>\n
4. Starford To\u2019a<\/p>\n
5. Jeral Skelton<\/p>\n
6. Jarome Luai<\/p>\n
7. Adam Doueihi<\/p>\n
8. Terrell May<\/p>\n
9. Api Koroisau<\/p>\n
10. Fonua Pole<\/p>\n
11. Samuela Fainu<\/p>\n
12. Kai Pearce-Paul<\/p>\n
13. Alex Twal<\/p>\n
14. Latu Fainu<\/p>\n
15. Sione Fainu<\/p>\n
16. Alex Seyfarth<\/p>\n
17. Royce Hunt<\/p>\n
18. Bunty Afoa <\/p>\n
19. Luke Laulilii<\/p>\n
TIGERS SQUAD<\/p>\n
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\u2019a (2028), Sunia Turuva (2027), Taylan May (2027), Terrell May (2027), Tony Sukkar (2026)<\/p>\n
Development players: Bunty Afoa (2026), Javon Andrews (2026), Jared Haywood (2026), Charlie Murray (2026), Ethan Roberts (2026)<\/p>\n
2026 gains: Mavrik Geyer (Penrith Panthers), Jock Madden (Brisbane Broncos), Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle Knights)<\/p>\n
2026 losses: Charlie Staines (Catalans Dragons), Tallyn Da Silva (Parramatta Eels), Solomona Faataape (Catalans Dragons), Josh Feledy (Manly Sea Eagles)<\/p>\n
Coach: Benji Marshall (2030)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The story of the Wests Tigers is a tale of a club that seems to treat stability like…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":473814,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[241606,64,63,689,9421,4428,7618,4532,7622,217316,28063,241600,234633,241594,241605,132832,12732,4509,241598,183861,168668,241603,222174,174139,241604,241599,145766,676,52627,38426,241609,18654,241596,231345,4436,76649,231342,217318,183428,183129,182820,4599,4415,174149,4582,241597,21384,133401,231229,222177,241610,33215,56527,4601,6407,236779,4464,761,762,673,4495,82653,158,677,122318,11396,4598,241608,13391,122347,241595,198762,28058,241602,9420,63405,85,670,241593,241607,4411,241601,241611,4515,21380],"class_list":["post-473813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-administrative-steel","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-benji-marshall","tag-brisbane-broncos","tag-cameron-ciraldo","tag-canberra-raiders","tag-canterbury-bulldogs","tag-centre-partnership","tag-charlie-murray","tag-clinical-tipping-point","tag-club-deal","tag-coaching-extension","tag-consistent-performances","tag-dally-m-team","tag-dan-ginnane","tag-david-fifita","tag-defence-first-identity","tag-development-list","tag-development-players","tag-effort-players","tag-ethan-lee-chalk","tag-ethan-roberts","tag-ex-premiership-winners","tag-expert-tigers-verdict","tag-extension-talks","tag-final-round","tag-finals-appearances","tag-finals-drought","tag-first-grade-appearances","tag-five-eighth-role","tag-football-team-it","tag-head-finals-bound-trio","tag-heath-mason","tag-hefty-price-tag","tag-horror-top-eight","tag-ideal-bench-utility","tag-inner-west","tag-international-stars","tag-jack-attard","tag-jack-bird","tag-james-tedesco","tag-jared-haywood","tag-jarome-luai","tag-jersey-means","tag-jock-madden","tag-junior-system","tag-ladder-bubble","tag-lee-chalk","tag-long-term-fullback-option","tag-lord-gould-of-brookwood","tag-luke-keary","tag-manly-sea-eagles","tag-michael-maguire","tag-mick-crawley","tag-mitch-moses","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-new-south-wales","tag-newcastle-knights","tag-newington-college","tag-nrl","tag-oceania","tag-pathways-system","tag-paul-crawley","tag-penrith-panthers","tag-permanent-state","tag-reece-walsh","tag-regular-starter","tag-room-the-man","tag-roster-overhaul","tag-royce-hunt","tag-second-chance-plays","tag-shane-richardson","tag-special-talent","tag-sports","tag-sydney","tag-tigers-preview","tag-tigers-squad","tag-tony-sukkar","tag-tragic-story-they","tag-valuable-experience","tag-wests-tigers","tag-work-ethic"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473813","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=473813"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/473813\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/473814"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=473813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=473813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=473813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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