Jayden Sullivan

Tigers close on double halves signing for 2024

The Tigers will likely have completely new-look halves next year.

Published by
Scott Pryde

The Wests Tigers will reportedly go into the 2024 NRL season with a completely new-look halves combination, with Aidan Sezer set to sign on with the club.

The news of the former Raider being set to join the joint-venture at Concord comes after reports over the weekend that St George Illawarra Dragons half Jayden Sullivan has also signed with the club on a long-term deal after requesting a release from the Red V for the second time in 12 months.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Sezer is expected to partner Sullivan in the halves next season, although a deal has not yet been signed or confirmed as to the length for the former Raider, who is currently plying his trade for the Leeds Rhinos in the English Super League.

Sezer has been with the Rhinos since the start of the 2022 season, having played in a two-year stint for the Huddersfield Giants prior to that.

The former Raider, who also played for the Titans in his eight years in the NRL, has more than 150 NRL games under his belt to go with 50 in the Super League.

The experience he brings to a combination at the Tigers with Sullivan would be invaluable as head coach Tim Sheens and the club's next coach Benji Marshall look for a way to elevate the joint-venture off the bottom of the ladder.

The Tigers are destined to pick up their second wooden spoon in a row in the coming weeks.

Sullivan and Sezer's reported signings follow that of Latu Fainu from the Sea Eagles. While still exceptionally raw, the talented youngster played for the under-19 State of Origin side this season and could potentially be ready for first-grade next year.

The trio are all on the books alongside five-eighth Adam Doueihi, who is unlikely to be fit for at least the first half of the season next year as he recovers from an ACL injury.

The Tigers are also yet to reach a decision on Brandon Wakeham, who has played in the halves for much of the 2023 campaign, doing a strong job for the joint-venture. He is off-contract at the end of the season and yet to sign a new deal.

Published by
Scott Pryde