James Tedesco set to sign NRL contract extension with Wests Tigers

THE first piece in the Wests Tigers’ salary cap jigsaw is set to fall into place with the club tantalisingly close to re-signing James Tedesco to a long-term deal.

Wests Tigers James Tedesco evades a defender during a opposed session with the Aussie men's Seven's team in preparation for Sydney Seven's and Auckland Nines. Picture: Gregg Porteous

THE first piece in the Wests Tigers’ salary cap jigsaw is set to fall into place with the club tantalisingly close to re-signing superstar fullback James Tedesco to a long-term deal.

Tedesco is poised to sign a three-year contract which the Tigers hope is the first of four big names re-signing with the club with captain Aaron Woods and halves Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses also coming off contract after this season.

Chief executive Justin Pascoe’s massive task of trying to retain the big-name quartet, all demanding hefty deals, at the one time, was made even more complicated by the fact they are managed by Isaac Moses, the uncle of Mitchell Moses.

Tedesco is viewed as a genuine marquee player at Concord and it is believed he will sign a three-year deal worth around $2.8 million.

Tedesco has emerged as one of the best fullbacks in the league.

Talks between Wests Tigers and Tedesco have been ongoing over the summer with an official announcement expected before the start of the 2017 season early next month.

Tedesco’s anticipated retention will give the remaining off-contract trio more impetus to stay at the joint venture club.

Pascoe was unavailable for comment.

Tedesco made his NSW debut last season after averaging a scintillating 130 metres a game in the NRL.

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There had been suggestions Tedesco was being courted by Sydney Roosters and North Queensland but it appears he will now be a long-term Tiger.

Tedesco recently denied his link to the Roosters, saying: “I haven’t spoken to them at all. No offers, no nothing that I know of. It was all in the media.”

The remaining three players remain on the open market — for now.

Woods and Moses are expected to be the Tigers’ next targets. They need forward power, meaning Woods is odds-on to remain and Moses is a star of the future, if not now.

The future of Brooks remains unclear.

The future for Brooks remains unclear. Speculation had been rife he may head to Canterbury but that appears to be pure conjecture.

Most rival club CEOs don’t believe the Tigers will be able to retain all four under the salary cap.

Like Tedesco, Moses had also been linked with the Roosters. In fact, there were suggestions he actually agreed to terms last year but backflipped.

Moses this week declared he wanted to remain at Wests Tigers.

“I’d love to stay here, we haven’t really spoken about it at all as a group, as a four,” Moses said. “But with salary cap reasons and things like that, everyone knows it’s a business these days, players get pushed out and things happen.”