NRL Legend Challenges ‘Rushed’ Wests Tigers Decision as Young Star Considers Early Departure

James Graham has expressed doubts regarding the swift decision made by Wests Tigers officials to allow Tallyn Da Silva to explore options with rival clubs.

The young hooker has reportedly been given the green light to discuss potential deals with other teams despite being contracted to the joint venture until the end of 2026.

The situation surrounding Da Silva’s contract seems to stem from the club’s intention to retain Api Koroisau beyond his current agreement, effectively blocking the pathway for the local junior to claim the starting No.9 jersey.

This issue intensified over the weekend when Da Silva remained on the bench for the entire match as the Tigers’ late comeback faltered against Canberra.

While Benji Marshall downplayed concerns over Da Silva’s lack of playing time, he refrained from confirming whether the 20-year-old would still be with the club come the end of June.

During a segment on Triple M’s NRL Daily, rugby league legend Graham critiqued the club’s decision, suggesting it may have been a misstep that could “shoot themselves in the foot.” He also noted the significant impact of Lachlan Galvin’s earlier exit, which left the Tigers in a difficult position.

“They’ve rushed this decision,” he remarked.

“A week can bring about a lot of changes in football, particularly with injuries, especially to older players. Both of these players were under contract until 2026, and it seems they’re poised to let Tallyn Da Silva leave now.

“If something occurs in the next six months with Api Koroisau, they’ve made a costly miscalculation… I believe the club should delay that decision for as long as possible.

“They handled the Galvin case the same way, allowing him to depart early. Two of their top junior players are being permitted to join rival clubs a year ahead of time – it simply doesn’t make sense.”

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The ongoing contract saga at Concord has been further complicated by a troubling losing streak, with last week’s round 16 loss marking their fifth consecutive defeat.

Within that run, three of the losses were by less than a converted try.

Although there has been some improvement on the field from a broader perspective, Sharks premiership winner Wade Graham acknowledged that things were veering off course after what began as a promising 2025 campaign.

“Fans will undoubtedly feel some frustration, particularly given the promising signs we saw at the beginning of the season,” he said.

“While it’s clear there has been progress, despite all that optimism from the start of the season, they’re still in the same position.”

“The ongoing issues around the Wests Tigers are concerning – we witnessed the Lachie Galvin situation and now the Tallyn Da Silva situation. It always seems like there’s some unrest and issues lurking behind the scenes.

“When results aren’t forthcoming on the field, it certainly adds to the frustration for Tigers supporters.”

Graham highlighted “soft” defensive issues as a contributing factor to their struggles.

“They have improved – but they just haven’t improved enough,” the English rugby legend remarked.

“It’s a significantly better squad, yet as a team, their progress hasn’t been substantial enough.

“Defensive lapses, as seen in the instance of Joe Tapine’s try, were far too easy to exploit.”

“There is a detailed analysis needed on where the Tigers can improve, but ultimately it all starts with solid defence and preventing soft tries.”

Marshall’s charges will face a struggling Sea Eagles at Brookvale this Friday night.