THE Wests Tigers’ salary cap mess looks set to ensure another rep star is playing for a different club in 2016 with Martin Taupau reportedly keen to walk away.

Speaking on NRL 360 on Wednesday night, Triple M Brisbane’s Ben Dobbin revealed Taupau had asked for a release from the Tigers with the Rabbitohs and Titans set to pounce.

“One of the biggest names in their side, Martin Taupau, will not be playing there next year,” Dobbin said.

“What I can tell you is that he has asked the club that he could please get a release.

Round 20

SAGA: Farah’s manager to dump dirty laundry

“Now, everybody’s talking that he’s going to go to South Sydney but my understanding is that the Gold Coast Titans are right in the mix to sign this superstar.

This week on the Market Watch podcast Robbie Farah’s manager Sam Ayoub and Bulldogs CEO Raelene Castle join Brett Kimmorley and the boys to talk Farah, the Tigers and some big news on Canterbury young guns.

“He would be an absolute awesome addition to any side I can tell you. He’s a front-rower/back-rower.

“But, they have got massive cap problems, the Tigers ... They’ve obviously got the Robbie Farah issue simmering away there.

“Martin Taupau, one of the upcoming superstars won’t be at the Tigers next year and watch this space, he might end up on the GC (Gold Coast).”

Martin Taupau has been linked to the Rabbitohs after a season when he put this massive fend on Alex Johnston. Source: News Corp Australia

Taupau is contracted with the Tigers for 2016 but with the club’s chairwoman Marina Go admitting in an interview earlier this year that it would take three years to sort out their salary cap mess, a release for the Kiwi forward may not be something they can afford to block.

The Rabbitohs recently agreed to release Glenn Stewart from the final year of his contract so he could take up a deal with Catalans in the English Super League.

That move has freed up space in the salary cap and with Sam Burgess this week flatly rejecting reports that he will be returning to the NRL next season, Taupau would fit the bill as a player who could stiffen up the pack that has lost its reputation as one of the NRL’s fiercest.

With the Titans losing Nate Myles and Dave Taylor, Neil Henry could also do with a powerful forward to give his 2016 pack some starch.

News of Taupau’s likely departure is another blow to the Tigers, with the pressure mounting on the club’s board, management and coach Jason Taylor, particularly as the Robbie Farah saga continues to play out in public.

Tigers fans have rallied around Robbie Farah. Source: News Corp Australia

Tigers fans earlier this week took to the streets to protest their club’s treatment of their star hooker and club captain and on Wednesday Farah’s manager Sam Ayoub threw fuel on the fire revealing he was prepared to “embarrass plenty of people” at the Tigers over the manner in which Farah’s sidelining was engineered.

“I’ve got everything pretty much documented,” Ayoub told the Fox NRL Market Watch podcast.

“What was said and when and who said what and there’ll be a sequence of events that is going to come out later that will embarrass plenty of people.”

Ayoub also confirmed that Farah was determined to dig in his heels at the Tigers and honour the contract tying him to the club for the next two years.