Jack Hetherington has had a fantastic debut season on loan with the Warriors and it seems as if Michael Maguire has loved what he’s seen from the young bloke.
James Hooper reported on NRL 360 that the Tigers will be interested in chasing him for next year, as he still is under contract until 2021.
Hetherington’s enthusiasm has been infectious this year and seems like he would fit perfectly into a Wests Tigers forward pack that’s lacking a bit of jazz moving forward.
With the reported $700,000 contract over two years on the table for James Tamou to come and be a veteran presence on this roster, why not add another talented youngster that can benefit from the experience of others and hopefully blossom into an elite talent.
Currently, the Tigers pack lacks the ability to bend the line, but with the power and aggression in his game, Hetherington has no trouble doing so.
He is currently sitting atop the Warriors forward pack with nine metres per carry, tied with Tohu Harris - who is widely regarded as an elite edge back-rower.
Hetherington’s athleticism and motor give him the ability to inflict damaging runs, tied with the likes of Boyd Cordner, David Klemmer and above James Fisher-Harris and Jesse Brommich - certainly impressive.
In a small sample size, Hetherington has proved himself a problem to tackle with 6 tackle-breaks in 7 games to go along with one line-break. He has brought a much-needed X factor to this Warriors side and I am confident that with more games under his belt, his stats will provide more proof to the eye test.
You can just see he is going to be a consistent pain for the opposition players to handle.
A replacement for Russell Packer with the same sort of physical intent on the pitch but with more upside in terms of career trajectory. This signing would be a phenomenal pick up for the Tigers.
It reeks of another case of stealing the likes of Doueihi and Luciano away from their respective former clubs and would be another wise move as Maguire looks to retool his roster.
Along with all the talk of Josh Addo-Carr and James Tamou recently, if Michael Maguire can steal Jack Hetherington out of the clutches of Ivan Cleary then I’m sure he’ll add some extra intensity to what now seems to be a toxic club rivalry next time these teams face off.
This will be a big decision for Jack as he’s more likely to get regular minutes moving to the Tigers and that may see his career flourish as a result individually.
Potentially a bittersweet signing as Tigers fans may disapprove of anything to do with Ivan, but his talent is unquestionable.
I’m sure he’d be welcomed in with open arms, and if not, his play will speak for itself. It will not take Tigers fans long to realise that Hetherington is the real deal.