Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson has flown to England to begin cleaning out the club’s underperforming roster and is set to seek expressions of interest from Super League clubs for a number of his players.
Richardson flew out of Sydney on Tuesday night bound for the United Kingdom as part of a selling spree that could have major ramifications on the joint venture club.
Sources with knowledge of the situation talking under the condition of anonymity in order to speak freely said that Richardson will meet with several clubs to gauge their appetite in striking a deal with the club to release some of their players from deals.
The managers of those players are unaware of Richardson’s secret mission. Richardson could not be reached. Wests Tigers chairman Barry O’Farrell did not respond to calls.
Multiple sources told the Herald that halfback Jayden Sullivan is on top of Richardson’s list of players to offload. Sullivan is on a deal worth around $500,000 a season. That will increase to about $600,000 in the final years of his four-year deal.
Sullivan joined the club in the off-season but Richardson, who wasn’t at the club when the deal was struck, is now trying to find the halfback a new home.
Benji Marshall and Shane Richardson.Credit: Michaela Pollock
Sullivan was a priority target for coach Benji Marshall, who endorsed the deal that was struck by former recruitment manager Scott Fulton. He was also given Aidan Sezer over Jack Cogger.
Richardson has since invested $1.2 million a season in Panthers star playmaker Jarome Luai for the next five years (from 2025) and has to find money to keep boom rookie Lachlan Galvin.
The club is also paying $450,000-a-season for the services of young gun Latu Fainu after he signed one of the most lucrative deals for a player who hadn’t played in the NRL.
Other players the Tigers are willing to speak to Super League clubs about are expected to include Brent Naden (contracted until 2025 on around $300,000) and John Bateman (2026 on $600,000).
Jayden “Bud” Sullivan hasn’t had a happy start to his time at the Tigers.Credit: Edwina Pickles / Sydney Morning Herald
Richardson will also meet with prospective players, which is likely to be used as the reason for his trip, but multiple sources confirmed that his primary objective was to try and shed money in the salary cap and make roster spots available for next year.
The Tigers have one spot remaining on their 30-man roster for 2025 and recently offered injured utility Adam Doueihi a minimum-wage contract, which he declined.
It comes as back-rower Isaiah Papali’i has been granted permission to explore options at other clubs. Richardson met Papali’i’s manager a month ago, with rival clubs informed of his availability over the past few days.
The deal he signed to join the Tigers from Parramatta was for $650,000-a-season as the Dally M back-rower of the year. However, the deal included a 15 per cent ratchet clause that has since taken his salary to around $750,000. Papali’i isn’t interested in playing in the Super League.
The Tigers have lost seven games on the trot and take on the Cowboys this weekend.
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