Wests Tigers have landed a major recruitment coup, securing Penrith's premiership hooker Apisai Koroisau on a two-year deal from the 2023 NRL season.
Koroisau — who made his State of Origin debut for NSW this season — agreed to terms with the Tigers on Friday, knocking back interest from the NRL's newest franchise, the Dolphins.
He will stay with Penrith for the 2022 season.
Koroisau is likely to play a key role in the Tigers' next chapter, which is largely being guided by their 2005 premiership coach Tim Sheens, who is on board as their director of football.
The move to the Tigers will see Koroisau reunite with head coach Michael Maguire, under whom he made his NRL debut and won a premiership while at South Sydney in 2014.
"He (Koroisau) not only adds a further level of experience in a key position of the spine, but he has shown himself to be successful alongside Michael Maguire previously in his career," Sheens said in a Tigers statement.
Koroisau has played 145 NRL matches across across three clubs — the Panthers, Sea Eagles and Rabbitohs.
He is the latest member of Penrith's premiership-winning side to sign elsewhere after the grand final, following Paul Momirovski and Viliame Kikau.
Momirovski has returned to the Sydney Roosters, while Kikau will link up with Canterbury in 2023.
The Tigers have also signed Parramatta's Isaiah Papali'i for 2023, while they will welcome Jackson Hastings and Tyrone Peachey to the club for next year.
AAP/ABC
