The Wests Tigers are a club seemingly in the middle of a never-ending rebuild, and will look to continue that on the run into 2025.
While the joint-venture signed a number of forwards ahead of 2023, the club failed to improve all that much and finished with a second wooden spoon in a row. Tim Sheens, who was appointed coach ahead of the season, is already gone, with Benji Marshall to take over.
That, combined with the fact Luke Brooks has finally departed after more than a decade as the most maligned half in the game, will mean the Tigers can maybe finally start their rebuild.
The club have some exceptional young talent, led by Jahream Bula, and off-season signings Jayden Sullivan and the Fainu brothers. That will help moving forward, and all are on contract for 2025, which means they have time to work with those players.
But there is also little doubt the Tigers need improvements now, not further down the track, which means the signing period from November 1 will still be incredibly important for the club.
In this series, Zero Tackle are running the rule over every club's state of play for 2025 and the players they should be targeting in free agency as the NRL's silly season heats up.
Current squad for 2025
John Bateman, Jahream Bula, Tallyn Da Silva, Latu Fainu, Samuela Fainu, Josh Feledy, David Klemmer, Apisai Koroisau, Kit Laulilii, Justin Matamua, Brend Naden, David Nofoaluma, Isaiah Papali'i, Fonua Pole, Alex Seyfarth, Jayden Sullivan, Starford To'a, Alex Twal, Stefano Utoikamanu
Current best 17 for 2025
1. Jahream Bula
2. David Nofoaluma
3. Josh Feledy
4. Starford To'a
5. Brent Naden
6. Latu Fainu
7. Jayden Sullivan
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. Samuela Fainu
17. Alex Twal
Players not in squad: Kit Laulilii (prop), Brent Naden (centre/wing)
Players off-contract at end of 2024
Shawn Blore, Adam Doueihi, Sione Fainu, Lachlan Galvin, Asu Kepaoa, Brandon Mansfield, Jordan Miller, Triston Reilly, Solomone Saukuru, Aidan Sezer, Jake Simpkin, Tony Sukkar, Brandon Tumeth (player option), Junior Tupou
Here are five players available to negotiate on November 1 from outside of the club the Tigers could target for 2025 and beyond.
EVERY PLAYER OFF-CONTRACT AT THE END OF 2024
The Tigers have major issues in their outside backs, and it will be a theme of this as we run through the potential options they could go about signing for 2025.
Sunia Turuva is coming off a year where he was the rookie of the year at the Penrith Panthers, and while that is playing in a system completely different to the Tigers, the talents on display mean he could easily make a switch to a lesser side and still perform.
One of the key performance indicators for any winger is their ability to constantly get involved in the game, and at Penrith, Turuva has passed that with flying colours, finishing his rookie season in the top ten for run metres across the entirety of the NRL.
That, in anyone's book, is a good effort.
On top of that, he defends well, knows how to find the tryline and has been part of a winning side early in his career. The Tigers should be one of a number of teams making a play for Turuva who the Panthers may do well to hang onto as he chases what will undoubtedly be an upgraded contract.
Joseph Manu is, without dobut, one of the best players coming off-contract at the end of 2024, and the Tigers, who should have plenty of cash available, would be crazy to not make a play at him.
Like a number of other clubs will, the Tigers will probably have to spend more than $1 million per season to be in the mix, but he is well worth the investment, particularly given the state of the market. That's not to say there isn't a lot of talent coming off-contract, but Manu is a star.
And a star in the centres, where he doesn't get his hands on the football quite as much as others, at that.
A line-breaking, tackle-busting, try-scoring, defensively-sound player at centre, arguably, Manu has been even better at fullback. The Tigers may have a hard sell to add him to their squad for 2025 on the proviso he plays there, but a talent like Manu they should be promising the world to.
While backs need to be something of a priority for the joint-venture, there is also the issue of needing more additions in the forward pack.
John Bateman, Isaiah Papali'i, David Klemmer and star New South Wales State of Origin dummy half Apisai Koroisau were all strong additions to the forward pack at the Tigers, but you can't help but feel they need more.
And of all the forwards on the market, Nat Butcher may be the best option.
His ability to play in the middle or on the edge gives any club he joins excellent versatility from a player who can play at the top of his game in all of those roles, and he hardly puts a foot wrong at either end of the park.
All the talk is that he will re-sign with the Roosters, but no announcement by November 1 means plenty of clubs should be taking a look here.
As mentioned, the Tigers brought in a number of forwards ahead of the 2024 season. Most of them were good moves, even if they didn't work quite to the extent that maybe Tim Sheens and his recruitment staff would have been hoping in the pre-season.
But what those moves did, while bringing in talent and experience, was fail on the aggression front.
The Tigers have some good young forwards, but none of them are quite as ready to take a role of pack aggressor like Terrell May is at the Roosters.
He was superb at the back-end of 2023, and I expect that form to lead to a frenzy on the open market for his servies after the Roosters failed to lock him up by November 1.
Finishing on the outside backs, and the Tigers need consistency and solidness, taking players from winning environments and systems more than they need just about anything else heading into 2025.
That might change or skew a little bit if 2024 suddenly becomes an excellent season, but, even if they do improve a little bit, it's hard to see this club going to great heights.
2025 might be different if they sign effectively, and a player like Meaney, who won't chew up great cap space but has proven himself as an equally capable fullback and winger, would be an excelent proposition for the Tigers.
Meaney is a player who is better than playing back-up in Melbourne, and that's what he could find himself doing in 2024, so don't be surprised if he chases a fresh start, and multiple clubs looking for some versatility and consistency jump on the wagon.