The Wests Tigers rebuild under Benji Marshall has well and truly begun as they look to move off the bottom of the ladder for the first time in four years and have made significant changes to their roster, bringing in the likes of Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva and Terrell May.
Preparing for the future, the Wests Tigers have handed young forward Christian Taupau-Moors his maiden NRL contract as he prepares to make his first-grade debut in the coming seasons.
Multiple sources have told Zero Tackle that the new contract will see him added to the Wests Tigers development list in 2026 before he is promoted to the Top 30 roster for the 2027 NRL season.
One of many promising juniors coming through the club's pathways system for the Western Suburbs Magpies, Taupau-Moors is coming off an incredible 2024 season and is currently playing for the team's SG Ball Cup side alongside Heamasi Makasini, Phoenix Godinet and Archie Duncombe.
Primarily playing in the front-row, last year he was selected in the U17s New Zealand squad and won the Magpies' Harold Matthews Cup Player of the Year award after helping lead them to the 2024 Grand Final against the New Zealand Warriors.
He also spent time training with the Wests Tigers first-grade squad at the backend of last season.
Born with rugby league in his blood, the teenager is the nephew of former NRL and Super League forward Junior Moors, who played 246 matches for the Penrith Panthers, Wests Tigers, Melbourne Storm, Castleford Tigers and Featherstone Rovers as well as three international Tests for Samoa.
Wests Tigers Squad for 2027
Alex Twal, Christian Taupau-Moors, Fonua Pole, Jarome Luai (PO), Jahream Bula (MO), Latu Fainu, Royce Hunt, Samuela Fainu, Sunia Turuva, Terrell May
