The Wests Tigers have signed New Zealand Warriors cult player, Bunty Afoa. Always a strong performer when playing against our club, Afoa is coming across the ditch on a one-year deal with Wests Tigers for season 2026.

But what does the signing of the 29-year-old front-rower mean for the 2026 prop rotation, and in particular, for existing impact prop, Royce Hunt? Joel Helmes is joined by Nick Hayes and Declan McCutcheon on this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast to discuss the signing of Afoa and make some predictions around the impacts in 2026 on Hunt, Pole, Sione Fainu, and Twal.

Another "off the back fence" type prop has also been linked to the Wests Tigers in recent times, Nathan Brown. Brown, who debuted with the Wests Tigers way back in 2013, could be heading back to the club as a swap for Jack Bird. Is this a good move? Does the Afoa signing put an end to this deal? And what do we expect from Jack Bird next year if he remains with the club?

Also on the agenda of this off-season edition of the podcast is the announcement that Terrell May has won the 2025 Kelly-Barnes Award. The boys discuss the reasons why May was the standout for the award, but a few other potential winners also get a mention. There's also a look at what we might get from the 2025 Rookie of the Year, Tony Sukkar, in 2026.

Lastly, the Wests Tigers bus has made a stop and let a few guys off. Staines, Feledy, Matamua, etc, didn't come as a great surprise. However, there was one name on the departing players list that we might not have seen coming: Brent Naden. We take a look at the reasons why Brent was put through the shredder and what that might mean for our backline next year.

As the weather starts to heat up and the countdown to the start of pre-season training commences, we hope you enjoy this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast. And don't forget that you are always welcome to join the conversation and engage with other Wests Tigers fans on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum!

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When Wests Tigers achieved success, we had a mix of youngsters and a sprinkling of older heads to guide them. Are we on the cusp of repeating that in 2026? Do we have a new generation of young talent to come through and make a mark on the NRL?

We thought we would reach out to a podcast team that has done an excellent job of covering all that's going on through the lower grades at the Wests Tigers, the Wests Tigers Faithful podcast.

On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel is joined by Joe McCord (aka 'Mac') from Wests Tigers Faithful for a chat. Mac has identified five young players in the Wests Tigers system that he believes are standouts and gives us a rundown on what we might get from names like Phoenix Godinet, Logan Brookes, and Jarod Haywood in the coming years.

He even believes at least one of the five players he has named will debut for the club in season 2026. One of the five in particular has Mac really excited, reminding him of a former young Wests Tigers star many of us have fond memories of.

It's not just homegrown talent that looks promising. Mac also gives us a rundown on what we might get from Brisbane recruit, Javon Andrews, and the young Rooster coming across to our club, Ethan Roberts.

Joel and Mac also discuss the recent announcement that Taylan May has re-signed with the club for two more seasons, and Mac gives his thoughts on how the season ended for the team. While he also makes a really interesting observation around why the Wests Tigers struggled at times this year, and it's a point, and a statistic that hasn't widely been discussed.

We hope you enjoy this latest cross-podcast collaboration, and we hope to hear more insights about the young Wests Tigers players from Wests Tigers Faithful in 2026.

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What went wrong? That's a question that dominates this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast! The Wests Tigers put in another strong performance on Saturday evening...for about sixty minutes, eventually succumbing to the Titans 36-28.

On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel is joined by Nick, Declan, and Zac for a deep dive into the highs and lows of the Gold Coast game. There were some positives, including some flashy attacking play and some good individual performances as well. But, just like the Canberra and Cowboys games, the boys just couldn't match it with the opposition when the whips started cracking towards the end of the game.

How can we change this next year? How can we make our right edge more reliable in defence? And have we signed enough quality players to turn this around in 2026?

How about the young winger? One highlight from the game was the debut of Heamasi Makasini, the young Tiger proved he didn't look out of place in the NRL. We talk about how we fit the youngster into the team next year.

There's also a strong list of 'One Word' submissions from the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum. And a big thank you to all the forum members who contributed right through 2025!

Joel finishes this podcast with some rapid-fire questions, including: Was the season a success or a failure? And are we better placed than we were a year ago?

It's really disappointing that the team didn't manage to put a more enjoyable full stop on the season, but we hope you still enjoy this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast. And stay tuned for more Wests Tigers content in the coming weeks, and right across the NRL off-season as well.

As always, thank you for your support, and fingers crossed for a bigger and better 2026 for the Wests Tigers!

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The final mid-week edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast for season 2025 is warmed up and ready to go! 

Wests Tigers travel to the Gold Coast tomorrow to face the Titans in a game that could have significant ramifications on both teams' ladder positions. On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Eddie and Steve discuss the importance of putting in a respectable effort in the Tigers' last run of the year.

A team that we've traditionally had trouble getting on top of, the boys look at what it will take to come away from the holiday strip with the two points.

Also on this edition of the podcast, Eddie brings out a strong list of questions for a round of Buy, Sell, Hold, including topics such as the 2026 Wests Tigers coaching team. One recently dumped NRL coach also gets a mention, with Eddie tossing up Adam O'Brien as someone who might be a good addition to the club's coaching ranks.

Heamasi Makasini will become Wests Tigers player number 303 when he debuts this weekend against the Titans. The boys look at what he might bring in game number one.

Some chat about Wests Tigers' 2025 Player of the Year also features on the pod. And Yioti's Quiz is also ready to go, with our quiz master coming up with a question regarding a very memorable moment in a Wests Tigers v Gold Coast Titans game way back in 2010! He's also found a player who was with our club for an extended period, but only managed a handful of games.

We hope you enjoy this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast. The post-Titans game edition will drop on Monday, and we'll keep you updated with everything Wests Tigers over the off-season. And don't forget that you can join the discussion today and right through the next six months on our Wests Tigers Podcast Forum.

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It wasn't a win, but the Wests Tigers lost no friends on Saturday afternoon in Canberra. The GIO Stadium clash ended up being a 24-10 win for the Raiders, who also wrapped up the Minor Premiership on the day.

For Wests Tigers, though, our performance had most fans convinced this team is heading for bigger and better things in 2026 and beyond. On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel, Zac, and Declan take a look at many positive aspects of the Tigers' performance.

Some of those positives include the way the forward pack muscled up against what is arguably the best pack in the game at present. The at times quite sharp attack, our lethal left edge, and determined defence that mostly kept our top-placed opposition at bay.

A couple of things that weren't so positive are also up for debate on this edition, including the second-half refereeing performance, aspects of our kicking game, and the Wests Tigers bench.

A varied array of One Word submissions on this Wests Tigers podcast. Some of the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum 'One Word' submissions this week included: Seven, Effort, Proud, and Fate. As always, thanks for all the contributions!

The boys also look at what the spirited effort on Saturday shows us regarding team harmony and attitude. It is easy to see that our side has gelled more as the season has gone on, and this is a stark contrast to what we have seen in recent years.

Some of the other talking points include the performance of Fonua Pole, Alex Twal, and Latu Fainu.

Unfortunately, Jeral Skelton may have played his last game of 2025, and we discuss whether that opens the door for a debut by Haemasi Makasini against the Gold Coast Titans. 

It is a post-loss edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, yet things do seem different after a spirited and mostly quite slick performance from the boys. We hope you enjoy this edition of the podcast, and don't miss the big mid-week show with a preview of our last game of the season.

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There are just two games to go before the Wests Tigers enter another off-season, but it's hoped our team finishes on a high.

After a narrow loss to the Cowboys last weekend, Wests Tigers have a horror road trip to Canberra to face the high-flying Raiders.On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Eddie is joined by Nick for a look at our chances against a side looking towards the finals and their top-four finish.

Is this a good time to play the 'Green Machine'? Or will Canberra use this game to make a statement to their premiership rivals? Eddie and Nick discuss the potential outcomes, including what attitude the Wests Tigers are likely to bring to the Saturday afternoon clash in the nation's capital. There's also a more analytical look back at the game against the Cowboys on this edition of the podcast.

Have the Wests Tigers improved? We discuss that on this Wests Tigers Podcast. Nick brings up the 'Richo Meter' with the guys working to ascertain where the team currently sits on that five-level meter of progress and performance.

The big announcement made at that game also features on the run sheet, with the boys having their say on the funding packages confirmed for our two suburban home grounds - Leichhardt Oval and Campbelltown Stadium.

While Yioti has brought some brain-teasing Wests Tigers trivia, which includes questions on the Tigers and the Raiders, Scott Prince, and there is a top-level 'Who Am I' which identifies a player many had high hopes for!

Don't forget to join the Wests Tigers discussion on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum, including signings and suggestions, and game day threads.

Enjoy this big Wests Tigers Podcast with Nick and Eddie, and we look forward to bringing you the post-match edition of the podcast on Monday morning.

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It was a memorable afternoon with the Wests Tigers showing how far the team has come in the past 12 months. But, sadly, in 15 minutes, the Cowboys managed to wrestle the game away from us at a sold-out Leichhardt Oval.

On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel is joined by Nick, Zac, and Jordan to look back at the many highs and lows of Sunday afternoon's game. Yes, of course, Jordan contemplates whether he has put a curse on the club after so confidently tipping the boys to win three straight games last year.

Well, it's now the end of 2025, and that mini streak still hasn't happened. With only two games left in the 2025 season for the Wests Tigers, we will have to wait until next year! See what Jordan has to say for himself on this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast.

Some other talking points from the 6-point loss to the Cowboys include:

• Why do we tend to struggle in big event games?
• How much of an impact was it losing Adam Doueihi to injury?
• How the Cowboys showed up to play
• Our continued struggle in the red zone with our attack

Some of the key moments from the game are also up for discussion, including the remarkable Wests Tigers try that was so akin to Pat Richards' Grand Final try twenty years earlier. There's a discussion about the continued impressive performance of Taylan May, the 'Rocks and Diamonds' that is Brent Naden, and concerns about our lack of bench strength as well.

As always, heaps of Wests Tigers Podcast Forum 'One Word' submissions feature as well, and we take a look at the big news that the club has secured tens of millions of dollars in funding for an upgrade of Campbelltown Stadium.

It's not a post-victory edition of the pod, but we hope you enjoy our take on an afternoon at Leichhardt that was oh so close to being a classic! 

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On this episode of the Wests Tigers podcast, Jordan makes his return to discuss if his 3 in a row curse can be lifted. He joins Host, Eddie and regulars Nick and Garry to preview this weekend's 2005 Grand Final replay.

The Boys discuss the team's recent performances, and do a deep dive into the potential to achieve three consecutive wins for the first time since 2018. 

They reflect on the importance of consistency in performance, the improvements in defense, and the significance of the upcoming matches.

The conversation also touches on the coaching strategies of Benji Marshall and the development of players, alongside nostalgic reflections on the 2005 premiership team.

There is the preview of the upcoming game agaisnt the Cowboys and what the Tigers need to do to come away with their third victory in a row.

The episode concludes with a Yioti's quiz about the team's history and player contributions.

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The Wests Tigers Podcast and Wests Tigers Life Collaboration has a name, Welcome to the Claws Out Podcast!

Eddie Otto is joined by Rob Berchara, Steve Stretton and Garry Watson to take a deep dive into Sunday's victory of Manly, the boys discuss all the key moments and players from the clash.

Thank you for joining us for the Claws Out Poddy

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We've been here before, fourteen times, but the Wests Tigers are again on the verge of winning three games straight.

Sure, we've picked up two points three weekends straight and won three out of our last four games, but that elusive trifecta remains to be achieved.

On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel is joined by Zac, Nick, and Declan for a review of the 26-12 victory over the Sea Eagles.

Some of the main talking points on the podcast include how the side managed to win back momentum after a shaky start.

The form of Luai and Doueihi in the halves, and what these performances mean for halves make-up in 2026. Some of the other individual performances in the Wests Tigers' latest victory that are looked at include Taylan May, Sione Fainu, and Alex Twal.

Starford To'a looks to have finally succumbed to that shoulder injury. Does that mean Heamasi Makasini makes his debut this weekend? IF not, who might get that right centre spot?

The boys also chat about what could be a grand final-like atmosphere at Leichhardt Oval this Sunday afternoon!

There is also an analysis of where the team is on the"Richo Meter". Are we finally at a good, solid average level? Speaking of Richo, all senior grades achieved victories this weekend, a great achievement, and we give a round of applause to the people who are turning our club around.

There's also a look at an upcoming edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast with a key focus on the next generation of Wests Tigers talent coming through. While Jack Bird also pops up on the agenda with a look at his time with the Wests Tigers, and the reports that he is unwanted by the club for season 2026 (the second year of his two-year deal).

And, of course, there is a mountain of 'One Word' submissions from the ever-growing Wests Tigers Podcast Forum.

We hope you enjoy ANOTHER post-victory edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast!

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