Marshall's manager Martin Tauber met with Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe this week to get a gauge on the club's interest in the former Tigers pin-up boy. Back in black and gold? Benji Marshall after playing his 200th game for the Wests Tigers in 2013. Credit:Brendan Esposito While the Tigers' priority is to re-sign Brooks and Moses, there is a growing fear the club could be left stranded if one or both decide to part ways in June and want an answer within the first six weeks of the season. Brooks and Moses are free agents at the end of this season but have a clause in their contracts entitling them to a further 12 months extension. A decision on that extension was meant to be made by January, however the club agreed to push back the deadline until June at the request of the talented duo.

By waiting until June, the club runs the risk of missing out on a replacement should either player leave the club, with Cooper Cronk, Luke Keary and Corey Norman among the other off-contract halves. But the Tigers will remain in limbo until Brooks and Moses reach a decision, unable to make a play for potential replacements until they understand whether the duo will remain. Marshall is yet to receive an offer from an NRL or Super League club, and is likely to still be on the market in June if the Tigers come knocking. It is understood Tigers coach Jason Taylor would rather invest in a younger player than take a punt on Marshall, who turned 31 last week. New Tigers general manager Mark O'Neill, who played alongside Marshall in the 2005 premiership triumph, will join the club in a fortnight's time.

It is unclear what role O'Neill will play in discussions but he remains close friends with Marshall given their time together at the club. While Marshall's form fell away in his final season at the Tigers, he has been one of St George Illawarra's best since returning from a brief stint for the Auckland Blues in the Super Rugby competition. He is likely to demand close to $500,000 a season, slightly less than the $600,000 Brooks and Moses will earn in 2017 if they remain at the Tigers. It is believed Keary, who would be a handy replacement for Marshall at the Dragons, has an asking price of around $800,000 a season. Moses said part of the reason he wanted to delay discussions was because he believes he didn't give a true value of himself in a disappointing 2015 campaign.