When young stars Lachlan Galvin and Tallyn Da Silva abandoned ship mid-season it seemed the Wests Tigers were about to go into free fall.
Despite a promising start that saw the club with five wins after nine NRL rounds—more than their entire win totals in 2023 and 2022—the sky was falling in yet again.
Except that it wasn’t.
Since June, something remarkable has been happening at Concord and suddenly the future looks so much brighter as the club turns calamity into opportunity.
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‘An environment where players want to come’
For the first time since 2021, the Tigers are safe from the on-field ignominy of the NRL wooden spoon and Benji Marshall’s squad even clings to a mathematical chance of making the finals ahead of their Round 24 clash with Manly.
While a September appearance seems unlikely, the club’s foundations appear stronger than they’ve been in many seasons and Tigers fans have increasing reason to enter the off-season with genuine optimism—something that seemed almost inconceivable just two months ago.
“We’re building an environment where players want to come and develop themselves and be part of the direction we’re heading,” Benji Marshall said earlier this week, and he has the player contracts to prove it.
In stark contrast to the very public roster moves that continue to play out at several NRL clubs, some quiet and careful list management has been happening under the watchful eye of Marshall and veteran chief executive Shane Richardson.
Giving a second chance to a young backline star in Taylan May alongside the calming influence of his older brother Terrell. Tick.
Re-signing two highly respected leaders in Api Koroisau and Adam Doueihi. Tick.
Adding forward experience with English international Kai Pearce-Paul and playmaking depth with the returning Jock Madden. Tick.
Picking up a series of young players with talent ceilings considerably higher than their salaries, headlined by gun Queensland Under 19 playmaker Javon Andrews. Tick.
Throw in the continued development of the Fainu brothers, forward Alex Seyfarth, 26, and the explosive energy of ex-Panthers winger Sunia Turuva, 22, and things are on the rise.
Perhaps even more encouragingly, the other star Tigers recruit this season, Jarome Luai, has been solid if not spectacular in 2025, and surely another off-season at Concord will only see the four-time premiership winner take his game to new levels in 2026.
Yes, several familiar faces are set depart at the end of 2025—and locking in 23-year-old fullback Jahream Bula remains the club’s number one priority—but a scrum of impressive reinforcements are on the way.
Things may finally be looking up for one of the NRL’s most maligned clubs of the past decade—and surely few would begrudge long-suffering Tigers fans of that.
Lachlan who?