The Wests Tigers enter 2026 after their best finish in many years, having finally avoided the wooden spoon after several seasons at the bottom of the ladder. After finishing last multiple years in a row, the Tigers showed genuine improvement in 2025, finishing 11th and recording nine victories, including wins over strong opposition that suggested the club is beginning to turn a corner.
The acquisition of Jarome Luai on one of the richest contracts in the NRL signalled a major shift in intent for the club. Alongside recruits such as Terrell May and Sunia Turuva, and established leaders including Api Koroisau and Adam Doueihi, the Tigers now possess the framework of a competitive roster.
Young talents like Jahream Bula continue to emerge as genuine long-term building blocks, while edge additions such as Kai Pearce-Paul and returning depth signings like Jock Madden and Patrick Herbert add further balance to the squad.
Despite the improvement, 2025 was not without controversy. The club remained in the headlines for off-field instability, including administrative changes and player departures.
The exits of promising juniors Talyn De Silva and Lachlan Galvin created noise externally, yet internally appeared to galvanise the playing group around a stronger collective identity. The message became clear: commitment to the club comes first.
Defensively, the Tigers still ranked among the poorer sides in the competition, sitting near the bottom despite measurable improvement from previous seasons. A handful of heavy defeats inflated their defensive record, but overall effort and competitiveness lifted under coach Benji Marshall.
Entering 2026, expectations are rising that the Tigers can continue climbing the ladder and push toward finals contention.
For that to happen, improvement must come from within. The roster now has talent, experience and direction, but progression will depend on key individuals elevating their consistency and impact across the season.
2. Kai Pearce-Paul
Why his role is so important
Kai Pearce-Paul arrived in the NRL through the Newcastle Knights as a player many believed was destined to make it at this level. He was signed on strong money, given opportunities on the edge, and showed enough glimpses to justify the hype. He brings size, mobility and genuine presence on an edge, and when he is playing with confidence he can be a real problem for opposition halves.
Still young, Pearce-Paul plays with visible energy and aggression. He runs strong lines, has the ability to generate second phase play and does not shy away from physical contests. There were matches at Newcastle where he was clearly one of their shining lights, particularly when the Knights needed someone to bend the line or inject intensity.
His move to the West Tigers could be significant. The Tigers are trying to build a hardened identity under Benji Marshall, one built on commitment, resilience and collective standards. Pearce-Paul fits that direction if he buys fully into it. Alongside emerging forwards such as Samuela Fainu, he has the potential to give the Tigers genuine power and mobility on the edges.
For a club attempting to push back toward finals football, edge presence matters. Pearce-Paul has the physical tools to provide it.
What needs to improve
The biggest concern in Pearce-Paul's game has been consistency and discipline. At times he can overplay his hand. He looks for the big moment too often, forces offloads that are not on, or flies into contact situations with unnecessary aggression. That competitive edge is valuable, but it must be controlled.
There have also been periods where penalties and errors have hurt his side. In a Tigers team still developing defensive cohesion, edge discipline is crucial. They cannot afford to hand over field position through impatience or emotional decisions.
Another key area is sustaining impact across full matches. There have been games where Pearce-Paul has looked dominant in patches but drifted out of contests for stretches. To become a genuine top-tier edge forward, he needs to maintain his involvement and influence on both sides of the ball across eighty minutes.
Why his improvement matters
The Tigers are building a forward pack designed to compete physically with stronger sides. Pearce-Paul is part of that blueprint. If he reaches the level many predicted when he entered the competition, he becomes a genuine difference-maker.
With Jarome Luai steering the spine and young halves developing, the Tigers need edge forwards who can win one-on-one battles, generate momentum and defend their channel with authority. Pearce-Paul has the athletic profile to do exactly that.
If he tightens his discipline, improves his consistency and sustains his effort across games, he becomes a foundational piece in the Tigers' rise. If not, he risks being remembered as another player defined by potential rather than output.
