Wests Tigers is delighted to announce the signing of Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks forward Royce Hunt on a three-year deal.
After this season, the 29-year-old, who possesses strong running ability, will join the Wests Tigers after being released from the Sharks during his final year of contract.
A Samoa international, Hunt has played 70 games for the Sharks over the past five seasons after making his NRL debut with the Canberra Raiders in 2017.
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall says Hunt will be a welcome addition to the club.
“Royce is a great leader who will be invaluable in assisting us with the development of the younger players at the club,” said Marshall.
He’s a tough and uncompromising middle, and more importantly, he’s a good human.
Benji Marshall
“We look forward to welcoming Royce and his family to our club.”
READ MORE: Bombshell from Wests Tigers: Balmain threatens to destroy the joint venture and go it alone as the Magpies’ dispute flares up
The Wests Tigers venture’s Balmain faction is threatening to break away from the club agreement in order to pressure the NRL into selecting which foundation side will continue to compete as a separate entity.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that even after the prior group of directors was fired at the end of the previous year in response to an impartial assessment of the club’s management, the conflict between the purported partners has persisted in the boardroom.
Directors of Balmain are furious that the Wests’ part of the joint venture, which is 30% owned by the Magpies, is in charge of purse strings.
If the ugly standoff deteriorates even further, the NRL could need to step in or make a call on whether the Balmain Tigers or Western Suburbs Magpies inherit the shared licence which was granted to the 1908 originals when they merged at the end of 1999 as part of the competition being rationalised as part of the Super League peace deal.
Balmain have plans to approach long-time benefactor, property magnate Harry Triguboff, and another billionaire businessman Neville Crichton to financially back what would be a dramatic development if they tried to go it alone.
