Wests Tigers head coach Benji Marshall has moved to emphatically shut down links to Scott Drinkwater and Bronson Xerri.

The North Queensland Cowboys fullback Drinkwater is back in the headlines after originally being linked to the shopping list at the back-end of 2025.

The Cowboys squashed those rumours at the time, but his reported axing from first-grade this weekend - something the club are claiming has more to do with his ribs than form - could see the question marks return.

Bronson Xerri, meanwhile, has been dropped from Canterbury's side for their clash this weekend with the Canberra Raiders, and has reportedly requested a release.

It's understood multiple clubs are already circling, and various reports suggested the Tigers were in the mix for both players, with Jahream Bula still yet to determine his future, and the club having questions over the state of their centres.

Marshall though said the club aren't interested in either player.

“I didn't really want to get into it and I don't talk about recruitment publicly,” Marshall said at a press conference on Thursday.

“I like Bronson and he's a really good kid, really good footy player but we're not looking at him.

“I like Drinkwater, really good player but we've got a fullback and we're not looking at Drinkwater either.

“What baffles me is we get thrown into these things and become a part of the story that's not our story, so let's just stop it there.”

Bula, who has been heavily linked to the St George Illawarra Dragons, has a player option in his deal for next year with the Tigers, and the longer he remains unsigned, the more speculation will mount.

The Tigers will likely look to have Heamasi Makasini as one of their long-term centres, while Taylan May has also been exceptional since joining the club.

It's understood that, with May injured this weekend, Sunia Turuva could shift into the centres after training there this weekend.

The Tigers, who made a strong start to their season last weekend after having the Round 1 bye, face a tricky test on the Central Coast against the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Saturday evening.