Wests Tigers have pulled out of the race to sign wantaway NZ Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake.
Last week, the Tigers reportedly tabled a four-year contract to lure Fonua-Blake from Mt Smart to Sydney, as the gamebreaking prop seeks a release from the Warriors.
Amid a tumultuous week at Wests, which has already seen the removal of the chief executive and entire board, the Tigers have taken the deal off the table to look elsewhere.
Speaking to SEN, interim chief executive Shane Richardson claims signing Fonua-Blake would be detrimental to the Tigers salary cap and had the backing of rookie coach Benji Marshall.
"I think he's a great player, he's one of the top three front-rowers in the game, but our forward pack is really strong and we can add to that with our young players coming through," he said.
"We need flexibility in our cap to be able to do things we need to do to make us stronger now and, from that point of view, it's my opinion - and also Benji's, because I wouldn't do it without Benji - that [it's not] where we need to focus our attention on."
The Tigers are understood to have shifted their efforts towards luring Penrith Panthers five-eighth Jarome Luai to the club, as his current contract expires at the end of 2024.
Fonua-Blake, 28, appears destined to exit the Warriors, after his request for an immediate release was turned down and he committed to playing next season.
He sought to return to Sydney on compassionate grounds to be closer to his family.
With Fonua-Blake's current contract running until the end of 2026, the Warriors have reportedly set terms that would allow him to leave early, but they want a player in return and are understood to have drawn up a four-man shortlist.
Given the nature of his request, they are only prepared to let Fonua-Blake move to a Sydney-based side, with St George Dragons and Canterbury Bulldogs stating their interest, along with the Tigers.
Cronulla Sharks also seem to have entered the race to sign the Dally M Prop of the Year, after clearing more than $1 million off their salary cap for next season.
