The Wests Tigers are once again facing criticism over their handling of young talent, with emerging hooker Tallyn Da Silva now the subject of interest from multiple NRL rivals. On the latest episode of Triple M Rocks Footy NRL: The Journos, reporters Michael Chammas and Danny Weidler revealed that Da Silva is being heavily pursued by several clubs, including Manly, Parramatta, Newcastle, and the North Queensland Cowboys.
“I believe he’s meeting with Manly today,” Weidler said. “I think that he has talked to Parramatta. I think Newcastle are an option.”
Chammas confirmed the Cowboys’ strong interest as well. “Cowboys. Cowboys. Cowboys are keen,” he said. “The word is that Parramatta are favourites at the moment.”
Da Silva, 19, has long been considered one of the Tigers’ most promising juniors, with comparisons already being drawn between him and some of the club’s past stars. But with the Tigers struggling to keep their roster intact, many are questioning whether the club is on the verge of letting another star slip through their fingers — just as they did with Mitchell Moses and James Tedesco.
“You know what this is? This is history repeating itself,” Chammas said, alluding to the painful exits of Moses and Tedesco in the mid-2010s.
The rumoured price tag for Da Silva is around $600,000 per season — a significant investment for a young hooker, but one that rival clubs clearly see as worthwhile.
“I think that the price tag is around $600,000, which is pretty big for a young kid,” said Chammas. “But he seems to be the sort of player who will be worth that pretty soon.”
With Parramatta reportedly in the lead — and already having young gun Raleigh Smith on their books — the Tigers now face a familiar dilemma: pay up to keep their junior talent, or risk watching them thrive elsewhere.
Chammas summed it up bluntly: “I’m still trying to get my head around the whole situation at the Tigers — how you can see Lachlan Galvin walk out the door, and then potentially your next-best young player.”
As the Tigers attempt to rebuild yet again, fans and pundits alike are left wondering if the club has truly learned from its past mistakes — or if history is doomed to repeat itself.
We will discuss this on our latest episode of Wests Tigers Life. You can watch it here.
westslife.com 