Wests Tigers new Chief Operating Officer Grant Mayer recently took questions from Wests Tigers fans across the Wests Tigers Social Network and Wests Tigers Fan Forum.
Wests Tigers Digital has compiled a series of articles, which will provide in-depth answers from Mayer and give Wests Tigers Members and fans an industry leading insight into their Club.
The series will cover multiple facets of the Wests Tigers business including recruitment, retention, salary cap, finances, governance, strategy, coaching staff, membership, communications, game day experience and more.
Wests Tigers Digital is pleased to provide:
Part 1 Recruitment, retention and salary cap
What is the situation with Benji Marshall. Would Wests Tigers re-sign him based on on-field form alone?
I think its fair to say that Benji Marshall has been a lot of things to this club over a long period of time. The offer that he has been tabled takes a lot of things into account.
The number one thing is about affordability and his worth to this business. Therefore he has been given an offer that we believe is fair and reasonable.
Will Wests Tigers look to recruit more players for 2014?
Our priority is to make sure young kids like Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses are secured long-term. Thats our number one priority.
I expect that, come 2015, our focus will be outside of the club.
Weve been fortunate this year to pick up Martin Taupau in the front row. Weve got a number of young kids coming through in that position, theres also players like Brendan Santi and Kyle Lovett.
An outside back wouldnt go astray.
Will Wests Tigers look to Super League for players?
Stay tuned on that. Theres a couple of players that were looking at in Super League that may fill some of those positions that I talked about.
Are Wests Tigers looking to buy a halfback?
Were firmly looking at our future. Curtis Sironen has done a great job at number seven since hes come through. Whether he stays there or not is a coaching decision.
Luke Brooks is a long-term solution for us going forward.
Will Wests Tigers be looking to sign players with mongrel?
My suggestion to that is to watch Martin Taupau in Canterburys NSW Cup and First Grade sides and youll see a little bit of talent and mongrel there.
Add to that Aaron Woods who is probably one of the best props in the country.
As well as Galloway and some young kids such as Ava Seumanufagai, Shaun Spence, Sauaso Sue and a few others and I think were looking good in that area.
Recruitment by Wests Tigers has been criticised, what are your thoughts?
We can waste time and look backwards, my preference is to look forward. I think with the number of kids we have coming through were very, very happy and well placed.
Why did Wests Tigers release Jacob Miller?
With any player you have to look at their long-term future. Jacob had an opportunity to go overseas and we werent in a position to hold him back from a longer-term deal.
The coaching staff didnt believe he was an option for us going forward in that position.
He requested a release.
Are there long term plans to retain halves Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses?
Absolutely, as it stands right now both players have contracts for next year. Obviously that is a priority.
Would playing Brooks or Moses in NRL put us over the second tier cap in 2013?
Yes it would. We need to ensure that we get approval from the NRL to play any more NSW Cup or NYC players in first grade.
The second tier cap is under review from the NRL.
I think its fair to say that the NRL have done a lot around the NRL salary cap. I think as recently as last week the NRL came out and said the second cap needs a review we agree.
Are Wests Tigers carrying players no longer playing for the Club in the salary cap?
In regards to players who have moved on and may or may not be in our salary cap, were not going to talk about any media comments.
All I will say is that its common practice amongst most clubs once theyve moved players on to look to contribute a portion of their salary. Wests Tigers are no different.
Is the reverse true? Are other clubs contributing to Wests Tigers players salaries?
Yes they are, absolutely.
Will Wests Tigers spend the full cap next year?
We will spend our full cap in 2014.
Follow Grant Mayer on Twitter
Wests Tigers Digital has compiled a series of articles, which will provide in-depth answers from Mayer and give Wests Tigers Members and fans an industry leading insight into their Club.
The series will cover multiple facets of the Wests Tigers business including recruitment, retention, salary cap, finances, governance, strategy, coaching staff, membership, communications, game day experience and more.
Wests Tigers Digital is pleased to provide:
Part 1 Recruitment, retention and salary cap
What is the situation with Benji Marshall. Would Wests Tigers re-sign him based on on-field form alone?
I think its fair to say that Benji Marshall has been a lot of things to this club over a long period of time. The offer that he has been tabled takes a lot of things into account.
The number one thing is about affordability and his worth to this business. Therefore he has been given an offer that we believe is fair and reasonable.
Will Wests Tigers look to recruit more players for 2014?
Our priority is to make sure young kids like Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses are secured long-term. Thats our number one priority.
I expect that, come 2015, our focus will be outside of the club.
Weve been fortunate this year to pick up Martin Taupau in the front row. Weve got a number of young kids coming through in that position, theres also players like Brendan Santi and Kyle Lovett.
An outside back wouldnt go astray.
Will Wests Tigers look to Super League for players?
Stay tuned on that. Theres a couple of players that were looking at in Super League that may fill some of those positions that I talked about.
Are Wests Tigers looking to buy a halfback?
Were firmly looking at our future. Curtis Sironen has done a great job at number seven since hes come through. Whether he stays there or not is a coaching decision.
Luke Brooks is a long-term solution for us going forward.
Will Wests Tigers be looking to sign players with mongrel?
My suggestion to that is to watch Martin Taupau in Canterburys NSW Cup and First Grade sides and youll see a little bit of talent and mongrel there.
Add to that Aaron Woods who is probably one of the best props in the country.
As well as Galloway and some young kids such as Ava Seumanufagai, Shaun Spence, Sauaso Sue and a few others and I think were looking good in that area.
Recruitment by Wests Tigers has been criticised, what are your thoughts?
We can waste time and look backwards, my preference is to look forward. I think with the number of kids we have coming through were very, very happy and well placed.
Why did Wests Tigers release Jacob Miller?
With any player you have to look at their long-term future. Jacob had an opportunity to go overseas and we werent in a position to hold him back from a longer-term deal.
The coaching staff didnt believe he was an option for us going forward in that position.
He requested a release.
Are there long term plans to retain halves Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses?
Absolutely, as it stands right now both players have contracts for next year. Obviously that is a priority.
Would playing Brooks or Moses in NRL put us over the second tier cap in 2013?
Yes it would. We need to ensure that we get approval from the NRL to play any more NSW Cup or NYC players in first grade.
The second tier cap is under review from the NRL.
I think its fair to say that the NRL have done a lot around the NRL salary cap. I think as recently as last week the NRL came out and said the second cap needs a review we agree.
Are Wests Tigers carrying players no longer playing for the Club in the salary cap?
In regards to players who have moved on and may or may not be in our salary cap, were not going to talk about any media comments.
All I will say is that its common practice amongst most clubs once theyve moved players on to look to contribute a portion of their salary. Wests Tigers are no different.
Is the reverse true? Are other clubs contributing to Wests Tigers players salaries?
Yes they are, absolutely.
Will Wests Tigers spend the full cap next year?
We will spend our full cap in 2014.
Follow Grant Mayer on Twitter
