Five Wests Tigers players issued breach notices over fitness detail

Wests Tigers players will have to fight to avoid having their contracts torn up with the struggling club announcing shock news.

Coach of the Tigers Benji Marshall. Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images.

Up to five Wests Tigers players have been issued official breach notices over reported fitness issues.

The bombshell news dropped on Wednesday morning with Code Sports first reporting at least two players will need to front the club’s board of directors to fight to avoid having their contracts torn up.

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It comes after News Corp reported players recently agreed to strict fitness guidelines that would hold players accountable ahead of their return to pre-season training.

The club has made good on its threat with up to five players facing disciplinary action as a result of failing to meet the standards agreed to.

The Tigers dressing room enjoyed an extended break after their wooden-spoon season ended with a brutal 60-26 thumping at the hands of the Eels on September 6.

After the club collected a third consecutive spoon, the playing group reportedly agreed to strict fitness guidelines in the exit-interviews held with club officials before their holidays began.

News Corp’s Brent Read posted on Twitter the breach notices are a sign the Tigers “aren’t mucking around as they demand a high standard”.

Coach of the Tigers Benji Marshall. Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)

Leading NRL reporter Dave Riccio confirmed in a post on Twitter that “multiple breaches for a player can lead to termination of contract”.

Tigers coach Benji Marshall has had to perform a delicate balancing act since taking over last year by demanding high standards while also protecting his young players from being overwhelmed by the ongoing slump.

Marshall in September was left holding the wooden spoon in his first season in charge — the first rookie coach to since Paul Langmack at South Sydney in 2003 to have suffered the same fate.

Marshall said after the Parramatta defeat the season had been obviously “disappointing”.

“I just said to them how proud of them I was that every week they turned up and never gave up and showed a lot of spirit,” Marshall said.

“Also that we debuted 12 guys and used the most players of any team, so it was a bit of a turbulent season. But you’ve got to take learnings from everything and move forward.”

Benji Marshall and Adam Doueihi after the Wests Tigers' Round 20 loss.

While the third straight wooden spoon hurts, Marshall said the Tigers were working towards a plan for success for the long-term.

Chief executive Shane Richardson said earlier this year he supported Marshall’s tough approach to demanding high standards from senior players.

The former Rabbitohs boss told the ‘Behind The Roar’ podcast in July: “We’re in a crocodile roll for our life and we want people here that want to be part of that crocodile roll and we’ll make sure every person here is part of that crocodile roll”.

His comments came after star prop Stefano Utoikamanu made his decision to leave the club.

“I was resigned that he was going to leave because you always do when it takes this long,” he said.

“I’m sorry to see Stefano go but every person at this club has got to be in for the crocodile roll.”

Lachlan Galvin and Benji Marshall. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Richardson at the time denied reports English forward John Bateman had fallen out with Marshall over comments the legendary playmaker directed at the club’s senior players.

His comments ring true with the hard line stance the club is showing in its pre-season training approach.

“Anyone here has got to want to be in the crocodile roll. We want people to fight to the fricken death,” Richardson said at the time.

“He (Bateman) has got to make calls with what he wants to do with his future. He’s certainly got a future if he wants to get in the crocodile roll.”

Bateman has since returned to the club after he was released to join Warrington Wolves. However, reports indicate the club wants to offload the second-rower to remove his salary from their books.

Marshall’s plan for 2025 will centre on star playmaker Jarome Luai who will join his new teammates in pre-season training next month.

Luai proved doubters wrong and showed that he was much more than Nathan Cleary’s sidekick in 2024.

The former Panthers five-fighth has signed a monster five-year deal reported to be worth $6 million.

He joins a Tigers side with renewed optimism heading into 2025, with a wave of new signings joining the club alongside Luai, notably Sunia Turuva Royce Hunt and Jack Bird.

Powerful Bulldogs winger Jeral Skelton also joins Benji Marshall’s side, which already boasts one of the finest hookers in the competition, Api Koroisau, teenage talent Lachlan Galvin, and a forward pack that showed signs of promise this season.

The Tigers fielded 12 debutants in 2024, more than any other club.