The Wests Tigers have started contract discussions with a promising young player, aiming to climb up the ladder in the coming seasons.
Known for his distinctive white headgear, Heath Mason has made four NRL appearances for the Tigers since debuting in Round 15 against the Gold Coast Titans and is expected to extend his stay with the club.
Sources familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, informed Zero Tackle that the Wests Tigers are negotiating a new contract with Mason.
As part of the Tigers’ emerging talent pool, Mason will transition to a development contract next season after spending this season on a train and trial contract. However, he will be free to discuss offers with other teams starting November 1, as his current contract runs through the end of the 2025 NRL season.
“I always wanted to play for the Tigers,” Mason told Zero Tackle earlier this season. “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 and the boys here, so that was the main reason. I really enjoy it here, so you stay where you’re happy.”
Mason, named in the U18s Australian Schoolboys team in 2023 alongside teammates Lachlan Galvin and Luke Laulilii, is the seventh player from the successful 2022 Western Suburbs Harold Matthews Cup 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, though he prefers the fullback role.