Latest news with #ShaneRichardson
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Luai could become free agent as Tigers captain makes call on release clause
Wests Tigers co-captain Jarome Luai has revealed when he'll make a call on the release clause in his contract, which gives the five-eighth the ability to leave the club at the end of next year. Luai signed a five-year deal worth $6 million, to move from the Penrith Panthers to the Tigers in 2025. Although it later emerged the four-time premiership winner had a clause in his contract that could see him leave at the end if 2026. On Monday, reported that Luai has until April 30 next year to make a call on his playing career at the Tigers, and he told the publication he will make the decision at the end of the season. But if he doesn't decide before November 1, he'll actually become a free agent and can negotiate with rival clubs. Despite Luai's insistence he wants to help rebuild the Tigers under Benji Marshall, question marks remain over whether he will stay if they can't get results. Coach Marshall is facing plenty of pressure to improve their position having stopped their poor run of form on the weekend with a win over the Roosters in round 18. However, uncertainty remains around Luai's future with the possibility the playmaker could become a free agent at the end of next year. This would see him attract lucrative offers from other clubs if he deems his future is elsewhere. And even though Luai has held off any formal decision on his contract, Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson isn't worried about the playmaker. Speaking on NRL 360 on Monday night, Richardson said Luai has shown he wants to be a part of the rebuild at the club. 'He's got a clause next year that if he chooses he can pull out the following year, but he's shown no signs to me (that will be the case). He was there yesterday," Richardson said of Luai supporting his teammates against the Roosters. "He's shown no signs to me about not being the leader we always thought he would be He's been outstanding for us ... and I think he'll be here for the long-term.' While Richardson said the club could try and fast-track the decision with Luai before next year, the CEO said Luai is there for the rebuild. 'I probably could (discuss removing the clauses). I get on well with his manager ... but one thing you've got to remember is you're building a club,' Richardson said. 'Our club was reviewed as 'no-one would want to go there'. We were rubbish and everything else. What you've got to do is build a club where people want to be. Lachie (Galvin) didn't want to be there, that's fine. "If Jarome didn't want to be there because we weren't creating the club we wanted then that's what it is. But I think we're creating a club internally and a club generally that players will want to be at." RELATED: Queensland Origin star spills secret about Johnathan Thurston Reece Walsh preparing for position switch after Cameron Munster news Luai has endured a rollercoaster of a year at the club since his arrival. Having joined as co-captain, Luai has been forced to deal with the Lachlan Galvin saga in his first few months having been dragged into the situation after a controversial social media post about the situation. After starting the season with a 5-4 record and hovering in the top eight, the Tigers lost six games in a row. They bounced back on the weekend with a shock win over a depleted Roosters side, but Luai was not involved having missed the game due to State of Origin selection. Luai will be expected to return at halfback in their game against the Warriors this weekend with the Tigers sitting in 14th. While the Tigers lost Galvin to the Bulldogs and Talyn Da Silva to the Eels already this season, Latu Fainu has shown signs of improvement in his last three games in the halves.
News.com.au
07-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Difficult to take': Tigers CEO slams ‘crap' reports, praises Benji for taking on ‘unenviable task'
Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson believes the team's upset win over the Roosters was a 'statement' by the players in response to 'crap' reports about their coach Benji Marshall. Richardson also admitted that the exit of Lachlan Galvin 'hurt' both him and Marshall, and he explained the reasons behind letting young gun Tallyn Da Silva leave early. The Tigers ended a six-game losing streak on Sunday without three of their most important players in Jarome Luai, Api Koroisau and Jahream Bula. The 30-28 win came after another week of headlines surrounding the Tigers, including a story that alleged Adam Doueihi got into a fiery exchange with Marshall at training. There were also claims that Richardson wanted to bring in former Dragons coach Paul McGregor as an assistant, but Marshall didn't allow it. Marshall hit back at the reports in his post-game press conference and on Monday night Richardson backed his coach up while appearing on NRL 360. 'I just think the players stood up and said to the world that this crap about Benji is crap. You don't play like that with all the players we had out yesterday without having a real commitment to the coach,' he said. 'The articles written earlier in the week, I understand journalism, clickbait and all the rest of it but agenda-driven journalism is not true. 'The lies that were written in that article were very difficult for Benji to take. 'The players particularly knew it wasn't true, Adam Doueihi knew it wasn't true. I've never even met Paul McGregor so how I was even going to get him as a coach I don't know. 'At the end of the day, it was a statement by the players and how they feel about Benji.' The Tigers have claimed three-straight wooden spoons — two of which have been under Marshall — but Richardson believes the 2005 premiership-winner is trading in the right direction. He also praised Marshall for showing the courage to take on the 'unenviable task' of turning the Tigers around. 'Everybody in the press was bagging the Tigers for the last three or four years (saying) 'how terrible they were' and 'they weren't getting any better',' Richardson said. 'He's taken on the job that not many people would've ever taken on. He's taken it on without coaching before and he took it on because in a lot of ways they gave him the blaze of it because he tried to give them some face in the marketplace. 'Then all of a sudden the Tim Sheens stuff happened and he inherited the side. He inherited a tough roster, which I believe there was only 22 of the 36 players could play NRL. So he had no depth work with, we ran last in reserve grade. 'He's taken on that challenge and worked forward. This year we've gone in with the changes we can make and he's got better and better. 'He will be the first to say he was stunned when he went in there but he learns every day. You can't learn if you don't want to learn, you can't learn if you're not intelligent. 'He's intelligent and he's there for one reason and one reason only. I can assure it's not about the money, it's about the want to make Wests Tigers successful again. 'He's taken on an unenviable task and I think he's done a great job.' The Tigers' roster management has been criticised of late following the exits of Galvin and most recently Tallyn Da Silva. Galvin was a week-in, week-out starter but wanted out of the Tigers and made the move to the Bulldogs around a month ago. Da Silva hasn't been able to nail down his role in the 17 and agitated once the club indicated they were going to re-sign co-captain and star hooker Api Koroisau. That's why Richardson said their situations were 'very different.' 'Lachie just didn't want to be there,' he explained. 'He told us up front that he didn't want to be there and didn't want to be involved with Benji as a coach and he wanted to move on. 'He had to make a decision and then we had to make a decision after that. 'It hurt Benji and it hurt me too because I never want to lose a junior and I watched the tapes before I went there and I could see what a player he was and that we could build the club around him. 'And we did, we named him straight away at five-eighth in the first grade side — no one had ever heard of him. 'He's got a way of looking at things... I hope he's successful and I think he will be successful, he's a good player. We had to make a call on what was best for the club and the squad... we had to move on. 'The other one was different. It was a young kid who had made it clear to us that he wanted to be there. I went and saw his parents two weeks before this happened and they said 'if Api signs we want him to be able to move on'.' Richardson then explained that when he approached the Knights about getting Kai Pearce-Paul to the club early they suggested a player swap involving Tallyn Da Silva for the rest of this year. However the Knights then decided they wanted to sign Da Silva longer-term, so the Tigers decided to let him go to market immediately. The Eels ended up winning the race for Da Silva though and the 20-year-old made a mid-season move. Koroisau is yet to put pen to paper on the new deal that will lock him in beyond 2026, however Richardson revealed the club 'accelerated the process' a fortnight ago and it's close to being signed. 'We've chosen his loyalty and leadership,' he said when explaining why the Tigers are investing in the 32-year-old. 'We don't have a lot of senior leadership and we felt that going forward that Api has done the right thing for the club. And more importantly he's still an outstanding player.'
ABC News
06-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Shane Richardson: People don't realise how hard it is to turn around an unsuccessful club
After 3 straight wooden spoons there were some high hopes for an improved year for the Wests Tigers. But 6 straight defeats going into round 18 and some interesting decisions around player retention means there were a few questions for the club CEO Shane Richardson when he dropped by the ABC box on NRL Sunday. Richo explained the size of the challenge, dismissed some of the rumours around the club, and why contract negotiation is tougher when you are at the wrong end of the ladder.
News.com.au
27-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Every NRL club's commercial, membership and game-day revenue revealed in secret document
Wests Tigers boss Shane Richardson says his club will continue to 'strive towards being a top-four club', despite revelations they rank last among all 17 NRL teams in terms of financial performance. The Tigers have taken a battering on and off the field in recent seasons, resulting in a league-worst financial return in 2024. A leaked NRL document, obtained by Code Sports, showed the Tigers had a total commercial revenue of just $13.4 million last season, a stark contrast to the league-leading Brisbane Broncos' $48.9 million. • 'It makes me feel sick': Footy star's warning after cancer scare • The falling out that cost Manly their $1m halfback prodigy • Inside the attacking tricks of the NRL's next great playmaker Chief executive Shane Richardson has responded to revelations the Wests Tigers finished last among all 17 NRL clubs in terms of financial performance for the 2024 season, declaring they have taken significant steps to address their issues and that they're on a path to recovery. The Tigers ranked last in overall commercial revenue, commercial corporate revenue ($6.9m), corporate hospitality revenue ($600,000) and membership ($1.5m). Richardson acknowledged the Tigers' plight, but argued the club had enjoyed a strong uplift this season, as they attempt to avoid a fourth straight wooden spoon. 'The club has made significant strides this season across all key metrics, however, we will not rest on our laurels as we strive towards being a top-four club,' Richardson said. According to the Tigers, they have experienced a 51 per cent year-on-year growth in hospitality revenue and 27 per cent increase in both game-day and membership revenue, with 16 per cent jumps in sponsorship and merchandise sales respectively. 'We have come a long way, but the job isn't done yet,' Richardson said. The Tigers attribute their 2025 commercial growth 'in large part to the introduction of CommBank Stadium as a home venue'. Last year, the Tigers split their home games with five at Campbelltown Stadium and another five at Leichhardt Oval, both of which lack the modern facilities needed to generate meaningful financial returns. The Tigers are reporting a 24 per cent increase in game-day crowds from last season, and an eight per cent growth in TV viewership. 'The club has stressed the importance of playing at state-of-the-art venues and has made a strategic move to CommBank Stadium as a home venue, which has already shown positive results,' Richardson said. Despite five straight losses, the last three have come by only four-point margins, and the Tigers' five wins this year are already more than they managed during the entire 2024 season (four).
News.com.au
26-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
NRL 2025; Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall will keep picking Api Koroisau ahead of wantaway Tallyn Da Silva
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall says he's happy to put 'our eggs into Api's basket' backing captain Api Koroisau to take the club forward with 20-year-old hooker Tallyn Da Silva on the verge of leaving. With interest from as many as four clubs, Da Silva, who will come off the bench against Manly on Friday night, could even exit the Tigers before Monday's June 30 transfer deadline as he seeks more first grade playing time. Both Koroisau and Da Silva, a local junior, are signed until the end of 2026 but Marshall said it was 'hard to stop' players seeking more game time even though the rising star 'does want to be here'. But Marshall said he would continue to prioritise Koroisau and denied he was at odds with club CEO Shane Richardson over the matter. 'The plan from the beginning is what we've executed, and nothing has changed,' Marshall said on Thursday. 'He's a really good kid who has a bright future, and I understand the sentiment of, 'You need to try and keep them all', but at the same time we're putting our eggs into Api's basket for the next few years. 'He's the guy to help us win more games. To be fair, he's probably been our best player the past few years, and he's got more left in the tank. 'I can understand Tallyn wanting to play more minutes and be in first grade, and not wait behind him (Koroisau). It's hard to stop a guy in that instance. The difference is, he actually does want to be here. It's not like he's saying he wants out. He just wants to play first grade. 'Api is our captain as well. He plays 80 minutes each week, he puts in for the team, and has a lot left to give. We're prioritising that at the moment.' The Tigers are out to end a five-game losing streak with Jarome Luai moved to No.6 and Latu Fainu, who has played just four games this season because of persistent hamstring injuries, will be the new starting halfback. 'They're both threats with the footy, they can both run, both have ball-playing ability, and both can kick,' Marshall said. Marshall also confirmed Taylan May, who was thrown a lifeline after being sacked by Penrith last year amid some serious off-field issues, would play half a game in reserve grade on Saturday and had shown himself to be someone who 'really wants to turn his life around'. 'I didn't really know him before he came here, so all I can talk about is what he's done since he's been here, and he's been no problem whatsoever – he's put his head down, and is working really hard,' Marshall said. 'There's some private stuff he's been working on himself, which is always a good sign without us enforcing that. 'He's a guy who really wants to turn his life around. He understands where he's at, this is probably one of his last shots if he doesn't get it right, but all the signs are positive so far.'
