The current Tiger believes his club should be forced to deal with the "flow-on effects" of terminating the services of former coach Michael Maguire earlier this year.

Papali'i has signed to join the Tigers on a three-year deal from 2023, but has since said he'd like to talk to the club at the end of the season about the future after the sacking of his New Zealand national team coach in Maguire.

It's believed Papali'i wants to remain an Eel while the NZ Warriors have also been linked with him in recent days.

Tamou was asked if he had agreed with the Tigers' perspective Papali'i should honour the deal, but he firmly sided with the Parramatta back-rower.

"He signed when 'Madge' was here, so he's got every right to reassess his options," he told reporters.

"He was dealing with Madge, now he's gone ... now is the flow-on effect with these sorts of things happening.

"He's got every reason to question 'okay, where am I at now with this club?'

"Obviously he's had meetings with Madge and he's come out publicly and said he's the main reason for him to come to the Tigers.

"He's got every right to sit down and think about it at the end of the year."

Tamou, though, said he expected Papali'i would eventually honour his deal and called on him to make the decision quickly with the situation "unfair" on the Tigers either way.

But the Rugby League Players Association doesn't share Tamou's sentiment about being allowed to renege on the deal, with president Clint Newton expressing his belief Papali'i must honour his contract as he hadn't offered any reason why the contract should be voided.

"Our expectation of players is that they honour their contracts," he told SEN.

"What we have told him and his management team is that essentially it is their responsibility to honour the contract and not terminate.

"There have been many situations over the last several years where there is mutual agreement to terminate ... the Tigers haven't looked for that.

"Papali'i and his team are well within their rights, like any other workplace, to request a termination.

"That's not to say it should be granted or that it will be."

Australian Associated Press