The Tigers have extended and upgraded one of their brightest young talents, re-signing Heath Mason through 2026 and promoting him to the top-30.
The 20-year-old has played ten NRL games in his young career, none of which have been under as much scrutiny as the latest two which have seen him step up in place of the recently departed Lachlan Galvin.
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In a strong endorsement of the quality he's put on the field in those last two games against the Cowboys and Panthers, powerbrokers in Concord have rewarded the local junior with a brand new contract.
He will now continue his development under the tutelage of experienced five-eights, Jarome Luai, and their coach Benji Marshall.
Mason spoke to the importance of this opportunity in a statement released by the club on Wednesday.
"I have played all my juniors in the Pathways system at Wests Tigers and can't wait to keep growing and developing as a player here," he said.
His commitment to the club comes at a time where many are questioning their ability to retain home-grown talent.
Marshall's assessment of the upgraded deal is that the former New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges captain is a credit to the pathways system that the Tigers have spent a lot of time dedicating resources toward.
"Heath has earnt this upgrade and extension. It is wonderful to see the Pathways system producing athletes such as Heath," he said.
"He is a great kid from a great family, and we look forward to seeing him develop further as a footballer into 2026."