‘Concord chaos’: Madge irony Tigers can’t escape as ruthless overhaul sparks NRL reckoning

The story of the Wests Tigers is a tale of a club that seems to treat stability like an allergy.

At Wests Tigers the boardroom provides more entertainment than the football team—it’s a permanent state of high theatre where “tough decisions” are usually followed by an immediate backtracks.

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But as the 2026 season dawns, the ‘Concord Chaos’ has reached a clinical tipping point.

In the same timeframe that the Canterbury Bulldogs were biting down and making the brutal calls required to turn their club around, the Tigers were still arguing over who gets to throw the next knife.

As 2026 begins, the Tigers find themselves mirroring the Bulldogs’ three-year timeline, but they are doing it with twice the noise and a lot less wins.

In the Inner West, the ‘Architect’ role has been a dangerous one to hold down.

Shane Richardson was brought in to be the adult in the room — the man with the ‘Footy IQ’ to dismantle a failing structure and rebuild it with clinical precision.

He cleared the roster, secured the Fainu brothers, and signed Jarome Luai.

But Richardson’s departure in late 2025 is the classic Tigers tragedy: being smart doesn’t always make you popular.

While the Bulldogs gave Phil Gould the keys to the castle and disappeared, the Tigers’ board remained the lead actor with the big trailer.

Richardson’s exit has left Benji Marshall as the face of the club, but without the administrative steel that Gould provides for Cameron Ciraldo.

The Bulldogs proved that a rebuild requires a unified front; the Tigers are still proving that a house divided against itself cannot keep its superstars.

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THE CONTRAST: SILENCE VS. DRAMA

The comparison between the Tigers’ last three years and the Bulldogs’ resurgence is a study in ‘Resolve.’

The Bulldogs’ Path: Ciraldo and Gould identified a defence-first identity.

They made the ‘tough calls’ to move on big-money players who didn’t fit the work ethic.

They signed ‘effort players’ and became the hardest team to score against in 2025. They turned ‘boring’ into Top 4 contention.

The Tigers’ Path: Benji’s tenure has been a rollercoaster of flair and fragility. While the Dogs were building a wall, the Tigers were suffering through 14 scoreless halves in 2025.

They tried to ‘out-talent’ their problems while the Bulldogs were just plain - out-working theirs.

The irony? The Tigers are now implementing the ‘toughest pre-season ever’— the very thing they sacked Michael Maguire for trying to install four years ago.

GROWING FROM WITHIN THE DEN

The one thing the Tigers have that even the Bulldogs might envy is their junior system. Richardson’s parting gift was a shift back to the nursery.

Jahream Bula is the heartbeat of this new era. He represents the ‘growth from within’ that stops the ‘slippery slide’ of paying overs for external stars.

With 8 of the projected Top 17 being local juniors—kids who have that bit of ‘Westie’ chip—the Tigers finally have a roster that knows what the jersey means.

They aren’t just names on a spreadsheet; they are the future of Balmain and Western Suburbs as a ‘Joint Venture’.

ACTIONS, NOT WORDS: THE 2026 RECKONING

For a fan base that has seen more ‘five-year plans’ than finals appearances, talk is a cheap commodity. They don’t want to hear about the boardroom ‘bloodletting’ or the latest coaching extension. They want to see resolve from their team.

The Tigers have mirrored the Bulldogs’ roster overhaul, but they haven’t yet mirrored their cultural silence.

As they kick off the 2026 season, the roster is ready.

If Benji can keep the drama locked in the boardroom and footy on the field, the Tigers won’t just be another tragic story—they’ll be a redemption.

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THE BIG BREAKDOWN — Ethan Lee Chalk

STRENGTH

The middle forwards. After struggling to find the right forwards, the Tigers may have finally found the answer. Fonua Pole has cemented himself as a regular starter. Terrell May was in contention to be named in the 2025 Dally M Team of the Year. Alex Twal has emerged as a leader on and off the field. Bunty Afoa provides valuable experience. Royce Hunt provides the X-factor the club has struggled to find. While all five players are nearly impossible to defend in one-on-one tackles and provide strong defence, their offloading is off the charts, creating second-chance plays where Api Koroisau, Adam Doueihi and Jarome Luai flourish.

WEAKNESS

Depth and Experience. On paper, the Wests Tigers have an extremely strong side which includes ex-premiership winners, international stars and State of Origin representatives. However, if you delve deeper into their roster, you can see that their depth is not as strong as that of other teams in the NRL. One of the youngest teams in the NRL, if stars Api Koroisau, Jahream Bula and Jarome Luai pick up any injuries (like they did in 2025), their replacements won’t be as strong. Ten members of their Top 30 squad and development list have played a combined 18 NRL matches, while a further seven have notched up fewer than 50 first-grade appearances.

IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR

Jarome Luai. After winning four premierships with the Panthers, Jarome Luai arrived at the Tigers last season and unfortunately failed to reach expectations. Aiming to make the No.7 his own, he found himself transitioning back into the five-eighth role mid-way through the year and was unable to consistently lead them on the field week in, week out. Under heavy expectations for this year’s campaign, 2026 will show whether Luai can be the number one option in a side or is better as a back-up and second option. This season could very well define his legacy. If he is able to guide the club back into the finals, he would have lived up to his $6 million pay packet and cemented his spot as one of the best playmakers in the competition.

WHO’S UNDER PRESSURE?

Jahream Bula. Despite being one of the most exciting prospects to come out of the club’s pathways system, 2026 could be make or break for the Fijian international. In the midst of extension talks with the club, reports have emerged that he could be earning up to nearl $1 million a season. However, he has yet to prove that he is worth the hefty price tag. Yet to dominate the competition like Kalyn Ponga, Reece Walsh or James Tedesco, all eyes will be on him this season. If he is unable to string consistent performances together, the Tigers may decide to go to 2024 Australian Schoolboys representative Jack Attard as their long-term fullback option instead, who arrives at the club as a highly-touted rookie.

THE RISING STAR

Heamasi Makasini. Described by officials and teammates as a “special talent” and compared to a modern-day version of Jonah Lomu, the rise of Makasini was one of the positives to come out of Tigers Town last season. One of the favourites to claim the 2026 Dally M Rookie of the Year, the athletic centre joined an illustrious group when he made his debut while still attending Newington College in the final round of 2025 and is set to add more appearances to his name. Likely to spend the first few weeks in NSW Cup, don’t be surprised to see the Under-19s NSW Blues representative and former Under-18s Wallabies star taking apart his opposing centres.

PREDICTED FINISH: 14th

BEST 19

1. Jahream Bula

2. Sunia Turuva

3. Taylan May

4. Starford To’a

5. Jeral Skelton

6. Jarome Luai

7. Adam Doueihi

8. Terrell May

9. Api Koroisau

10. Fonua Pole

11. Samuela Fainu

12. Kai Pearce-Paul

13. Alex Twal

14. Latu Fainu

15. Sione Fainu

16. Alex Seyfarth

17. Royce Hunt

18. Bunty Afoa

19. Luke Laulilii

TIGERS SQUAD

Top 30: Adam Doueihi (2027), Alex Twal (2027), Alex Seyfarth (2028), Apisai Koroisau (2028), Fonua Pole (2027), Jack Bird (2026), Jahream Bula (2026, MO 2027), Jarome Luai (2029), Jeral Skelton (2026), Heath Mason (2026), Heamasi Makasini (2027), Jordan Miller (2026), Jock Madden (2027), Justin Matamua (2025), Kai Pearce-Paul (2028), Kit Laulilii (2026), Latu Fainu (2027), Mavrik Geyer (2026), Samuela Fainu (2027), Sione Fainu (2026), Luke Laulilii (2026), Royce Hunt (2027), Solomone Saukuru (2026), Starford To’a (2028), Sunia Turuva (2027), Taylan May (2027), Terrell May (2027), Tony Sukkar (2026)

Development players: Bunty Afoa (2026), Javon Andrews (2026), Jared Haywood (2026), Charlie Murray (2026), Ethan Roberts (2026)

2026 gains: Mavrik Geyer (Penrith Panthers), Jock Madden (Brisbane Broncos), Kai Pearce-Paul (Newcastle Knights)

2026 losses: Charlie Staines (Catalans Dragons), Tallyn Da Silva (Parramatta Eels), Solomona Faataape (Catalans Dragons), Josh Feledy (Manly Sea Eagles)

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