Bateman bales on Tigers … but he’ll be back next year – MASHAHER

“It’s tough to hear, but it’s pretty much fact,” said Papali’i, when asked about his form over the past 18 months at the Tigers. “It’s obvious we’re not getting results, but also not playing the footy I’ve become used to in Parra colours.

“[Losing] drains you a bit. We put in a lot of hard work on the field and in the gym … you’re judged on your performances every weekend, those haven’t been the best, and that’s why everyone sees the form slump.”

Meanwhile, Tigers players suggested drawn-out contract talks were partly to blame for Stefano Utoikamanu’s form slump. The club hope to receive a concrete answer on Utoikamanu’s next move by Wednesday.

The 24-year-old prop has met with Storm officials twice – and has a five-year $4m extension on the table from the Tigers – but struggled the past six weeks, especially in attack. Apart from one powerhouse performance against the Gold Coast at Leichhardt Oval, he has failed to run for 100m.

Tigers skipper Api Koroisau said the intense speculation about Utoikamanu’s next deal was bound to have an impact on him physically and mentally, and “contract stuff will affect anyone, regardless of who they are”.

“Stef is still trying to put his best foot forward,” Koroisau said. “I don’t think the games [are suiting] our middles. We’re giving away a lot of possession, making a lot of tackles, and putting our forwards on the back foot.”

Elsewhere, Cronulla have named former Panthers flyer Liam Ison at fullback for the suspended Will Kennedy ahead of their trip to North Queensland.

Former Raiders favourite Jack Wighton returns to Canberra for the first time on Sunday, with the clash against South Sydney to be Elliott Whitehead’s 200th game for the home side.

Why Luke Keary extended, retired and then took a French deal all in six months

Dan Walsh

Trent Robinson may have claims to the 6.5 per cent commission fee on Luke Keary’s Catalans contract after the three-time premiership-winner revealed the calls behind his retirement U-turn.

Keary will take up a two-year deal with the French Super League club after initially signing a 2025 extension with the Roosters in February, before announcing he would retire from rugby league in April.

The 32-year-old’s decision to since play on with Catalans held potentially awkward implications for the Roosters and their roster management, with confirmation of his new deal coming only after fellow veteran Chad Townsend was signed as his replacement at Bondi next year.

Robinson’s own connections as a former Catalans coach proved pivotal in Keary’s decision.

He and current Dragons mentor Steve McNamara (a former Roosters premiership-winning assistant himself) orchestrating the initial approach that Keary originally had little interest in.

“‘Robbo’ came to me a few months ago out of the blue and asked [if I’d be keen to go] but I didn’t give it too much thought at the start,” Keary said.

“He encouraged me to have a chat with Steve who’s over there at the Dragons, and once I had the chat, one thing led to another and it kind of just happened pretty quickly.

“I feel good about the decision, but I also haven’t put too much energy into it. It’s something my family is really excited about, and I’m excited to go on a journey with them.

“I haven’t put too much thought into it. Once we finish here, I’ll probably have the chance to sit back and reflect a bit and think about what’s in front of me.”

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Keary and Robinson have both stressed that the star five-eighth considered his NRL career well and truly over when he announced his retirement plans.

He joins the likes of James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce, as well as Robinson, in moving to southern France, bouncing the idea off each of them as negotiations progressed.

“I had that chat with Robbo about how there are a few Roosters boys who have paved the way for myself to go over, so there are a couple of boys I can lean on, plus there’s Robbo who has a really good relationship with everyone over there,” Keary said.

“But there’s a big difference playing here and going over there.

“The NRL is probably a different beast and I’ve got no desire to play in the NRL anymore. “That wasn’t too much of a thought for me.”

Keary’s departure comes as fellow veteran Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Hull KR), Joey Manu (Japanese rugby) and Joseph Suaalii (Australian rugby) and Sitili Tupouniua (Bulldogs) all exit, representing a genuine changing of the guard for the Roosters.

As first revealed by this masthead, the club is set to ramp up long-term extension talks with halfback Sam Walker having recently re-signed in-form NSW star Angus Crichton.

Lucrative Manly deal poised to make Paseka the NRL’s longest-contract prop

Dan Walsh

Taniela Paseka is eyeing a leadership role as the Sea Eagles put the finishing touches to an upgraded extension that will make him the longest contracted prop in the game.

Manly are poised to sign off on an added three years to Paseka’s contract which would keep him in maroon and white until the end of 2029.

At 197 centimetres and 120 kilos, Paseka is one of the largest players in the game and has spoken previously of “playing to his true size” and potential, particularly since Anthony Seibold arrived at Manly in late-2021.

Paseka is already on the Sea Eagles books until the end of 2026. A three-year extension would take him beyond Test and Origin middles Pat Carrigan, Joe Tapine and Nelson Asofa-Solomona (signed until the end of 2028) as the NRL’s longest contracted front-rower.

Injured Gold Coast skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has a million-dollar deal until the end of 2033 but he has contract options in his favour from 2026.

Paseka’s new deal would keep him at Manly until his 32nd birthday and ideally make him a Sea Eagle for life.

“I’d love to stay for the rest of my career,” Paseka said after returning from thumb surgery against the Titans on Sunday with an impressive 156 running metres in 30 minutes.

“I love this club. I’ve debuted at this club, played 100 games and this club means a lot to me.

“If I can keep playing the way I’m playing then the next thing is being the pack leader. I’d love to take that role on.

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“First you follow, and then you lead. So I’m just taking it slow at the moment, just doing my job and then hopefully I can slide into that leadership role.”

Manly’s three-game winning run has lifted Seibold’s side to fifth on the ladder with a chance of leapfrogging the Roosters into fourth if they claim the points over them at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.

While contract talks with Seibold have been put on hold, Manly has tied down Haumole Olakau’atu until the end of 2031 and winger Jason Saab until the end of 2029.

Fellow front-rowers Josh Aloiai and Nathan Brown have also signed two-year extensions, the latter after starting the year on a $1200-a-week train-and-trial deal.

Only the Raiders and Panthers have more players signed for 2026 and beyond than Manly, with Paseka viewed as the club’s long-term forward leader.

“We’ve got a great set of players here and to keep them all together long-term, you just build on that,” he said.

“We’ve built on that since 2020. If we can keep those guys in key positions, I think that helps and the big goal is to win a comp. Hopefully (Seibold) signs a lot of the boys, I love everyone here.”

22 charges and $22,000 fines: Sezer latest Tiger in trouble

Scott Bailey

Wests Tigers’ discipline issues have been laid bare with Aidan Sezer facing the club’s seventh ban of the season.

Sezer was on Saturday sin-binned for a hip-drop tackle on South Sydney fullback Jye Gray, before being hit with a grade-two dangerous contact charge on Sunday.

He will miss two matches with an early guilty plea, or risk a third match if he fights the charge at the judiciary and fails.

The suspension marks the third time Sezer has been in strife for a hip-drop tackle, after copping a four-game ban for one on Josh Curran in May.

The off-contract half was also charged for a similar offence on Dolphins veteran Jesse Bromwich in round five, and on that occasion escaped with an $1800 fine.

The charge again highlights’ the Tigers’ discipline woes, as the joint-venture face a battle to avoid a third straight wooden spoon.

Tigers players have now collected 22 separate charges this season, with Sezer accounting for five of those on his own.

Assuming Sezer takes the early guilty plea, it will take the tally of games missed by Tigers players this year through suspension to 14 matches.

Tigers players have also paid up $22,850 in fines.

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David Klemmer is another repeat offender with five charges this year, while captain Api Koroisau has collected two along with Alex Seyfarth.

They have also had 15 players sin-binned this year, the most of any team in a single season since St George in 1995.

Meanwhile Melbourne interchange player Joe Chan is also facing a two-game ban for a high tackle on Victor Radley.

Chan was also charged with dangerous contact on Dom Young in the Storm’s win over the Sydney Roosters, and can accept an $1800 fine.

Roosters star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was also charged for a knee lift in his return match from a four-game ban, and can also accept an $1800 fine.

AAP