Benji Marshall and the Wests Tigers are on the verge of getting their man, with Jarome Luai poised to sign a five-year deal with the Campbelltown club worth more than $6 million, to begin in at the end of next season.
This NRL offseason has been dominated by question marks regarding three-time champion Luai and where he would land if he left Penrith for increased pay. The Panthers originally put $2.5 million over three years on the table, but it wasn’t enough to keep the star five-eighth at the foot of the mountain. He will instead, reports suggest, sign with the Tigers in a move that will make him the main playmaker in Tigertown from 2025.
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There is a cooling-off period however, with new NRL rules allowing the Panthers to match the Tigers’ deal with one of their own if they so choose. It’s unlikely Penrith will front up the cash though.
The exit will end a very bountiful Panthers career for Luai, who came through the club’s juniors system before winning three straight championships between 2021 and 2023 while playing in the halves. He has made 107 appearances for Penrith. He also has 11 Samoan caps and has pulled on a New South Wales jersey seven times in the last three seasons.
Luai has a 10-day period in which he could backflip on the deal, if he chooses.
If he were to stun Tigers officials and knock back the offer, the Bulldogs—who many assumed were the frontrunners for his signature already—would be in pole position to sign him. Gus Gould and Canterbury offered the 26-year-old $5.5 million over five years but may have a stronger silverware chance in the short term.
The Sydney Morning Herald has since reported incoming Tigers chief Shane Richardson proved key, ramping up the hunt for his signature before his feet were even really under the desk.
