LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
After a difficult previous season, the club has seen substantial improvements thanks to the efforts of CEO Shane Richardson and head coach Benji Marshall. However, their journey back to NRL Finals will depend heavily on nurturing the next generation of players.
Among those stepping up are Heath Mason, Heamasi Makasini, Jahream Bula, and Tony Sukkar, who have successfully moved up from lower-grade competitions to the NRL.
As these players vie for consistent spots in the first-grade squad, a fresh wave of talent is emerging from the junior representative competitions associated with the club's pathways teams.
Two promising athletes in this talent pool are brothers Cruz and Xavier Tauaifaiga.
Xavier has progressed from the Under-19s SG Ball Cup to the Under-21s Jersey Flegg Cup last season, while Cruz is set to compete in the SG Ball Cup in 2025 after demonstrating impressive skills at Keebra Park, where his team secured the NRL Schoolboy Cup.
"They mean so much to us and if we ever got the opportunity to represent the jersey it would be amazing."
"Wearing the Tigers jumper would be awesome."