The Wests Tigers are expected to announce on Thursday that their brief pursuit of former NRL forward Willie Mason has ended.
The Tigers were believed to be keen on the former Test back-rower to boost their thin front-row rotation – which has been hit heavily by a toe injury to NSW representative Keith Galloway.
That followed the departure of front-row specialists Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Fifita to Cronulla in the off-season, leaving inexperienced duo Aaron Woods and Matt Groat to carry the load this season.
Back-to-back losses to Manly and St George Illawarra, in which the Tigers were outmuscled up front on both occasions, looked to have fast-tracked the deal, but the club went cold on the 31-year-old.
“I can’t (give an update on Mason), Stephen Humphreys will make a statement about it (on Thursday),” Sheens said on Thursday morning.
“I think we’re leaving it in his hands to do that.”
Sheens confirmed that Mason had been courted by the Tigers to improve his forward pack, especially while Galloway remains sidelined for up to another month.
“We’ve made an enquiry about a number of players just to improve our front-row stock at this stage of the season,” he said.
Lock Chris Heighington said Mason would be a good signing for any club, but that the Tigers were well represented in the forwards regardless of any future signings.
“It’s up to club management (what happens with Mason), but in saying that we’ve two really good props in Woods and Groat coming through who are going to be really talented players,” Heighington said.
“That’s up to the club but in saying that he’d be a really good signing.
“He’s a good player and he’s done it at the top level.”