NRL 2024 scouting report: Wests Tigers halves logjam, roster uncertainty, emerging talent
Two straight wooden spoons, a worrying get-out clause, a halves logjam, uncertainty around key forwards and an untried coach. Yet the Wests Tigers have genuine reasons for optimism in 2024.
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Two straight wooden spoons, a get-out clause for an Origin star, a halves logjam, uncertainty around key forwards and an untried rookie coach.
Wests Tigers have all the traits associated with a bottom-placed side, except one; a roster with plenty of upside.
With breakout star Jahream Bula, premiership-winning hooker Apisai Koroisau, a forward pack littered with representative players and a strong young core of talent around whom to build the club, Tigers fans have genuine reasons for optimism.
FATIMA KDOUH breaks down the most intriguing team going into the 2024 NRL season.
2024 squad
Adam Doueihi (2024), Aidan Sezer (2024), Alex Twal (2027), Alex Seyfarth (2025), Apisai Koroisau (2026), Asu Kepaoa (2024), Brandon Tumeth (2024, PO 2025), Brent Naden (2025), David Klemmer (2025, MO 2026), David Nofoaluma (2025), Fonua Pole (2025), Isaiah Papali’i (2025), Jahream Bula (2026, MO 2027), Jake Simpkin (2024), Jayden Sullivan (2027), John Bateman (2026), Jordan Miller (2026), Josh Feledy (2025), Junior Tupou (2024), Justin Matamua (2025), Lachlan Galvin (2026), Latu Fainu (2027), Samuela Fainu (2027), Shawn Blore (2024), Sione Fainu (2024), Starford To’a (2026), Stefano Utoikamanu (2024, MO 2025), Tallyn Da Silva (2026)
Outs: Luke Brooks (Sea Eagles), Tommy Talau (Sea Eagles), Daine Laurie (Panthers), Aitasi James (Sea Eagles), Rua Ngatikaura (unsigned), Tuki Simpkins (unsigned), Charlie Staines (unsigned), Brandon Wakeham (unsigned)
Best 17
1 Jahream Bula
2 David Nofoaluma
3 Starford To’a
4 Josh Feledy/Brent Naden
5 Junior Tupou
6 Jayden Sullivan
7 Aidan Sezer
8 Stefano Utoikamanu
9 Apisai Koroisau
10 David Klemmer
11 John Bateman
12 Isaiah Papali’i
13 Fonua Pole
14 Tallyn Da Silva
15 Justin Matamua
16 Alex Twal
17 Shawn Blore
David Klemmer $850,000 (27), John Bateman $670,000 (66), Isaiah Papali’i $640,000 (76), Adam Doueihi $600,000 (78)
Free agency wrap and rating
The jury is still out on Marshall’s halves recruitment drive. Aidan Sezer has been out of the NRL for four seasons, and will need to lean on every bit of his 205-game experience if he’s to be successful in the No.7 jumper.
Jayden Sullivan only has 27 games under his belt and, despite being viewed as the future at the Dragons, struggled to hold down a starting spot in the halves.
Sullivan will start at five-eighth with high expectations from Tigers fans given he was handed a two-year deal and earmarked as a future mainstay in the halves.
Latu Fainu is an unknown entity but a highly regarded prospect. He’s a crafty playmaker and should benefit under the guidance of Marshall’s hefty experience as a career half.
Latu came as a package deal with older brother Samuela, who had caught the eye of rivals like Parramatta.
But just like Latu, Samuela is viewed as a work in progress who should feature in the NRL side in 2024.
Rating: B-
Coach status and safety rating: Benji Marshall (2027)
Marshall will be the Tigers’ fourth coach in just seven years and if the club is serious about stability, the rookie coach should be given the time needed to rebuild this side.
Marshall had the full backing of former CEO Justin Pascoe and chairman Lee Hagipantelis, but now they’re gone. Interim chief executive Shane Richardson has thrown his support behind Marshall, declaring it his job to make the rookie mentor successful.
But Tigers fans might not be as patient or forgiving, and despite a perceived sense of job security, Marshall will be under the blow torch to deliver improvements as soon as 2024.
Safety rating: B
Likely debutants
Latu Fainu, Lachlan Galvin
Latu Fainu is viewed as a long-term halves option after Aiden Sezer, who is unlikely to be at the Tigers after next season.
Fainu, who joined the club on a package deal with brother Samuela worth $4 million over four years, is likely to be handed a debut on the back of an injury to either Sezer or first-choice five-eighth Jayden Sullivan.
Lachlan Galvin is the cream of the schoolboy football stocks, having been crowned the Peter Sterling Medal winner for player of the year in 2023. The crafty five-eighth is still only 18 and any debut likely won’t come until the latter part of 2024.
He’s also viewed as a future edge back-rower, or even a ball-playing lock thanks to his playmaking ability.
Galvin was upgraded from a development deal into the top 30 on November 1. One to watch.
Who takes the next step
Jahream Bula, Junior Tupou
Bula burst onto the scene in 2023 as a beacon of hope in an otherwise disappointing year for the Concord club.
Next season is primed for Bula to take the step from a prospect to an elite fullback. Bula already possesses the qualities needed to take that next step of his development – running, passing, defence and most importantly, confidence.
With the luxury of a full pre-season at fullback, building combinations, and chalking up reps, Bula is well placed to avoid the dreaded second-year syndrome.
Dolphins-bound Tupou has the attributes to influence a game on the back of his damaging runs that help put the Tigers in better field position at the start of sets – in a similar fashion to game’s best wingers.
The 21-year old is capable of that and more, and should be ready to take an increased workload next season, before joining the Dolphins in 2025.
Burning issues
Uncertain pack talk
David Klemmer, who has three years remaining on his contract, was shopped to other clubs without his knowledge. That’s not how you treat a veteran, State of Origin-calibre prop.
Former Parramatta back-rower Isaiah Papali’i has pledged his next 12 months to the Tigers but there’s speculation he may not see out the final year of his deal as the Tigers juggle salary cap space.
There’s been murmurs about a potential return to the New Zealand Warriors, or even back to the Eels, where he still maintains close friendships with a number of players.
Regardless, at a time when the Tigers need stability and consistency, player uncertainty won’t help.
This makes the appointment of interim CEO Shane Richardson even more vital, as he will no doubt identify and look to iron out these issues.
Stefano’s bizarre top-eight loyalty clause
he embattled Wests Tigers have a cloud hanging over them for the next 12 months due to a rare clause in State of Origin prop Stefano Utoikamanu’s contract.
Officially under contract until the end of 2025, the 23-year-old will be free to leave after next season if the two-time reigning wooden spooners fail to make the finals.
Despite Utoikamanu expressing a desire to see out his contract, it’s almost unfathomable that the Tigers would create this added pressure on themselves to get results.
Elite props are rare on the open market, as seen by Cronulla winning the scramble to sign Warriors big man Addin Fonua-Blake for 2025, so rivals could be lined up to throw serious money at Utoikamanu if the Tigers endure another disappointing season.
The halves equation
With Jarome Luai announcing he will link up with the Wests Tigers on a five-year, $6 million deal from 2025, it raises questions about the club’s current halves group.
At 32, veteran Aidan Sezer won’t be there long term, but he has a mutual contract option for 2025.
Recruits Jayden Sullivan, 22, and Latu Fainu, 18, are both locked in until 2027, while star local junior Lachlan Galvin, 18, has a deal until the end of 2026.
There’s talk about transitioning Galvin — and his 190cm frame — into the back row, which would still leave Sullivan and Fainu fighting it out to be Luai’s long-term halves partner. One of them will start next season alongside Sezer, giving rookie coach Benji Marshall the task of resolving who’s the preferred starter, while keeping all parties happy with their roles.
Crystal ball
Three consecutive wooden spoons is unacceptable and the Wests Tigers are bookies’ favourites in the most losses market again.
With players like Tupou and Bula on the rise, a refreshed halves pairing and a proven winner in Api Koroisau, the Tigers have enough talent to lift themselves from the bottom of the ladder.
A top-eight berth might be too much of a stretch but if they can lift themselves out of the bottom four then that would reflect improvement upon which they can build.
Finish the last five years
2023: 17th (wooden spoon)
2022: 16th (wooden spoon)
2021: 13th
2020: 11th
2019: 9th
2024 TAB odds
Premiership: $67
Minor premiership: $126
Top four: $13
Top eight: $6
To miss top eight: $1.09
To miss top four: $1.01
Most losses: $3
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