DEAR James Tedesco,
Please stay!
Do you remember during your first ever media "interview" — two weeks before your debut in 2012 — you told me that playing for the Tigers "would mean so much to me, my family, my friends, everyone who has watched and supported me my whole life. But no one would be prouder than me"?
Imagine the pride you would feel playing your last game of rugby league for your local NRL team.
Imagine going from a skinny Wests junior to a heroic Wests Tigers legend. Imagine looking back knowing you inspired the next James Tedesco from Macarthur the same way Brett Hodgson inspired you.
Us fans understand that if a rival club comes up with an offer too hard to refuse, it would be just that: too hard to refuse.
We know a rugby league career can be short and the recent tragedy with Newcastle's Alex McKinnon has made that more apparent than ever.
But Tigers fans want to see you become "the mayor of Menangle", the same way John Skandalis is known as "the mayor of Minto" for his long and respected career with his local team.
You've come so far from the knee injury suffered on debut. The mental scars that coincide with the scars on the operated knee look to have healed.
Your form in the first four rounds of 2014 is just a glimpse of what you can achieve.
The Tigers can build a premiership winning team around you and the other youngsters coming through the development system.
Your combination with halfback Luke Brooks has been described by the legendary Andrew Johns as "like watching Langer and Walters".
Not bad for four NRL games together.
They won't be able to compare your combination to anyone's after 10 years of playing first grade together, it would do a dis-service to the two of you. Imagine that.
