Tigers insist Fainu remains long-term five-eighth

Jasper Bruce | June 19, 2025

Benji Marshall has indicated Latu Fainu remains Wests Tigers’ long-term five-eighth after the emergence of Heath Mason appeared to create a selection headache at the joint venture.

The Tigers upgraded Mason to their top-30 squad and tied him to a new contract extension this week after an impressive two weeks replacing Canterbury recruit Lachie Galvin in the halves.

He is set to play five-eighth for a third-straight game in the Tigers’ clash against Canberra at Campbelltown Stadium, likely next to NSW State of Origin representative Jarome Luai.

Luai has told Marshall he wants to back up from Wednesday’s game-two loss to Queensland and play 48 hours later but a firm decision will be made on the morning of Friday’s game.

Fainu is on stand-by to come into the starting side after making his return from hamstring and thumb injuries via the bench in the loss to Penrith two weeks ago.

Marshall’s call to name Fainu on the bench in that game, and against the Raiders, had more to do with fitness than his status in the Tigers’ pecking order.

“We’ve got young Latu Fainu, who is not far off from getting a real good opportunity in the halves and is probably our long-term option there,” Marshall said.

“He just needs a little more match fitness coming back from his hamstring injury for him to play 80 minutes.”

Mason is still rated highly by his childhood hero Marshall but has mostly been used at fullback across 10 NRL games rather than in the halves, where he played as a junior.

“He’s a really good kid who comes from a good family and there are no dramas at all with the way that he does his work,” Marshall said.

“He trains really hard and wants to learn.”

The Tigers entered their round-15 bye on a four-game losing streak and risk slipping to five consecutive defeats against the high-flying Raiders.

The next month shapes as season-defining for the 13th-placed Tigers, with tough away clashes against the Sydney Roosters and Warriors awaiting in a very tight competition.

Marshall has been impressed with his side’s progress following three consecutive wooden spoons but admitted results were starting to become more urgent.

“It feels like it,” he said.

“Obviously we want to play semi-finals, so the more you start losing, the further away that seems.

“But if you look at the competition, the ladder and where everyone is, it’s a real logjam of teams on 14 or 16 points so results are paramount at the moment.

“We’re well aware where we sit on the table and where we want to be. Have we improved from last year? Yeah, sure. But are we happy with it? No, we’re not.”