Benji Marshall is happy to let Jarome Luai take full control of his Wests Tigers outfit if he makes the jump from the Penrith Panthers, offering the in-demand free agent the halfback jumper alongside a mouthwatering $4.5 million.
In a secret meeting at Luai’s home last week, Marshall heard the 26-year-old is eager to try his hand at playing No.7 in the NRL—a dream he obviously can’t chase at Penrith with Nathan Cleary leading the three-time champions.
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Though Luai has remained relatively untested as a team’s chief playmaker, he has shown during several periods when Cleary was injured that he can run a team quite well.
The halfback promise, on top of a $4.5 million payday, seems to have turned Luai’s head.
He has been fielding offers since November 1 after turning down Penrith’s $1.7 million, two-year extension before the start of the NRL free agency period, with many tipping that his decision would eventually lead him away from Ivan Cleary’s premiership team. The Sporting Base has heard he had meetings with several teams last week.
None offered him anything quite as sweet as the Tigers, who are extremely eager to break away from the bottom of the table after earning the last two wooden spoons.
In particular, Marshall has high wraps on Luai and thinks he will slot in well.
Luai still has some time to think about the Wests offer but all signs are beginning to point towards the three-time NRL champion heading to (and leading) Tiger Town from the 2025 season onward.
