Wests Tigers have formally farewelled seven players who will depart the club at the club's annual Kelly-Barnes Award Night at Curzon Hall on Monday night.
Tim Grant, Pita Godinet, Tuimoala Lolohea, Kevin Naiqama, Bayley Sironen, Sauaso Sue and Malakai Watene-Zelezniak will all leave Wests Tigers at the end of the 2018 season.
Wests Tigers would like to thank all players for their service and wish them well in the future!
WESTS TIGERS DEPARTING PLAYERS
Tim Grant (2016-18) — Wests Tigers Player #189
Tim joined Wests Tigers ahead of the 2016 season, and went on to play 46 games for the club — scoring two tries and celebrating his 150th NRL game. The former State of Origin prop will return to Penrith in 2019, the club he made his first-grade debut at back in 2007.
Pita Godinet (2018) — Wests Tigers Player #211
Following a sound World Cup campaign for Samoa, Pita joined Wests Tigers in 2018 as one of several new faces at the club. He went on to feature in nine games for Ivan Cleary's side.
Tuimoala Lolohea (2017-18) — Wests Tigers Player #203
Tuimoala joined Wests Tigers midway through the 2017 season from the New Zealand Warriors and went on to feature in 19 games throughout this time at the club. The 23-year-old registered five tries and 47 goals in his time at Wests Tigers, and will join Super League club Leeds Rhinos on a long-term contract in 2019.
Kevin Naiqama (2015-18) — Wests Tigers Player #180
Kevin will also make the switch to Super League in 2019 after signing a long-term contract with St. Helens. Having joined Wests Tigers ahead of the 2015 season, the Fiji international went on to play 90 games for the club — scoring 35 tries in that time, and was the club's leading try-scorer in 2017. He celebrated his 100th NRL game earlier this year.
Bayley Sironen (2017-18) — Wests Tigers Player #207
A local junior of Wests Tigers, Bayley made his first-grade debut for Wests Tigers in the penultimate game of the 2017 season and also played in the final game of that year against the New Zealand Warriors. A member of the club's Intrust Super Premiership squad in 2018, Bayley has been a tremendous servant of the club throughout the junior grades and will link up with the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2019.
Sauaso Sue (2013-18) — Wests Tigers Player #162
A member of the club's NYC Premiership-winning side in 2012, Sauaso made his first-grade debut for Wests Tigers in 2013 and has gone on to play 116 games for the club — making him the 15th longest-serving player in club history. The 26-year-old has scored 10 tries in his 116 games for Wests Tigers, and will join the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 2019.
Malakai Watene-Zelezniak (2017-18) — Wests Tigers Player #202
Malakai joined Wests Tigers midway through the 2017 season with one NRL appearance to his name having debuted at Penrith earlier that year. The 27-year-old would play 13 games for Wests Tigers that year before adding another 12 to his total this year — finishing his time at the club with nine tries from 26 games. He will join another NRL club in 2019.
