Mayer: Tigers are rebuilding

Wests Tigers CEO Grant Mayer says the club will focus on youth development in their attempts to return to the top of the NRL.

Mayer claimed the decision to release Blake Ayshford to Cronulla – following on from Eddy Pettybourne‘s departure to Wigan last week – was to help ease the club’s salary cap pressure, and also help build for the future.

He said, “We are going through an important rebuilding phase that will re-establish the Wests Tigers as a top contender year on year.

“We have some exceptionally big decisions to make over the coming months and with the direction of our board, I am confident that our future will be bright.

“From a football perspective, we need a cultural shift that will help develop our young talent.

“Players like Tim Simona, David Nofoaluma, Marika Koroibete, Luke Brooks, Mitchell Moses, Kyle Lovett, Nathan Brown and Matt Woods are all coming through our system and need to be developed and invested in.”

After finishing third in 2010 and fourth in 2011, the 2005 Premiership winners slipped to tenth last year and currently find themselves struggling in a lowly 14th position.