The Tigers’ recruitment strategy, as revealed by Marshall, emphasizes the importance of confidentiality, warning that any leaks could jeopardize deals, especially amid links to Luai.

While acknowledging the natural interest in players like Jarome Luai, Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall emphasized his satisfaction with the current halves lineup, consisting of new recruits Aidan Sezer, Jayden Sullivan, and emerging talent Latu Fainu. Marshall expressed excitement about these additions to the team, and he also mentioned the potential return of Adam Doueihi from an ACL injury next year.

With rival clubs like the Bulldogs and Tigers reportedly pursuing Luai for the 2025 season, Marshall acknowledged the allure of marquee players but stressed the team’s current focus on its existing halves. The Tigers are in the process of replacing veteran halfback Luke Brooks, who has moved to Manly.

Marshall highlighted the team’s strategy of keeping recruitment details private, stating, “One thing I’m not going to do is talk about recruitment publicly. The guys we have recruited I will talk about, but what happens with the players we’re trying to sign, we’ll keep that as in-house as possible.”

The prospect of 18-year-old Fainu potentially joining the squad is uncertain, but Marshall noted that the young player would have the opportunity to develop his skills under the guidance of experienced playmaker Aidan Sezer, who returned to the NRL after a stint in the UK.