Wests Tigers open contract talks with young gun

The Wests Tigers have initiated contract discussions with a promising young talent as they aim to climb from the bottom of the ladder in the coming seasons.

 

Heath Mason, easily recognizable on the field by his white headgear, has made four NRL appearances for the Tigers since his debut in Round 15 against the Gold Coast Titans and is expected to extend his stay with the club.

 

Sources familiar with the situation, speaking anonymously to Zero Tackle, confirmed that the Wests Tigers have begun negotiations with Mason for a new contract. As part of the Tigers’ next generation, Mason will move to a development contract next season after spending this season on a train-and-trial contract.

 

However, he will be free to negotiate with other teams starting November 1, as his current contract runs through the end of the 2025 NRL season. Mason expressed his desire to stay with the Tigers, saying, “Growing up, playing all my juniors for Western Suburbs and seeing all the boys come through made me want to stay. I know my mates, I know the boys here, so that was the main reason. I was really enjoying it here, so you stay where you’re loving it.”

 

Named in the U18s Australian Schoolboys team in 2023 alongside teammates Lachlan Galvin and Luke Laulilii, Mason is the seventh player from the 2022 Western Suburbs Harold Matthews Cup premiership-winning team to play in the NRL for the Tigers.

 

A product of St Gregory’s College and a lifelong Wests Tigers fan, Mason has been compared to Connor Watson for his versatility in playing multiple positions at a high level, although he prefers the fullback position.

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