NRL pre-season: Jarome Luai era kicks off at Wests Tigers as $6m man arrives ahead of schedule

Jarome Luai has touched down in Tigertown earlier than expected, with the $6m man reporting for his first pre-season session alongside another star recruit. See the latest pre-season news and pictures.

It’s happening.

The Jarome Luai era has officially begun earlier than expected after the $6 million man reported for duty at Wests Tigers training on Tuesday.

Luai wasn’t expected at Concord until December 21 and his early return gives him and new halves partner Lachlan Galvin a chance to work on their combination and hit the ground running ahead of the Tigers’ Round 1 clash against Newcastle in Campbelltown on March 7.

Four-time premiership-winning, former Panther Luai, ripped in for his first session as a Tiger along with fellow ex-Penrith star Sunia Turuva.

The pair who played their final game for Penrith in the grand final in October, arrive at Concord with plenty of expectation as they look to help lift the Tigers off the canvas to avoid a fourth straight wooden spoon.

Still two months away from trials, Tigers fans will need to wait to see their new look squad in action, but for the first time in a long time fans are feeling the excitement in Tigertown.

Jarome Luai training with the Tigers. Picture: Tigers Instagram

Sunia Turuva also joined the pre-season. Picture: Tigers Instagram

Luai, who played for Samoa in the three-Test series against England which concluded in November, is coming to the club not only to wear the No.7 jersey but to call the shots as the chief playmaker after playing second fiddle to Nathan Cleary at Penrith.

The 27-year-old Luai signed a mammoth, five-year contract before the start of the 2024 season, but is only required to stay for two years due to clauses put in place by his management.

Luai and Turuva joined fellow new Tigers Jack Bird, Royce Hunt and Jeral Skelton who have been training since the middle of November.

Still absent was former Sydney Roosters prop Terrell May who is due back next week after playing for Samoa.

The Tigers kick off their Pre-Season Challenge campaign against Canterbury on February 16.

GUS WATCHES OVER DOGS AS SELECTION PUZZLE GROWS

He’s the archetype of a recent Canterbury recruit.

Enari Tuala has the kind of backline versatility that coach Cameron Ciraldo fine-tuned to success in 2024, and will help him push for a spot in the Bulldogs’ best 17 in 2025.

The 26-year-old entered his third week of pre-season with the Bulldogs on Monday, and spoke about how his shattered hopes to prove himself to Newcastle and earn a new contract turned into a chance to reinvent himself at Belmore.

After five seasons and 40 tries from 87 games at the Knights, a devastating calf injury at the back end of last year ended his chance to prove himself on the field and he was swept up as part of a mass clean-out at the club.

But when the Bulldogs came knocking, he jumped at the chance for a challenge.

“Just getting told I had the opportunity to come here and I didn’t really know what my options were, and once I heard the Bulldogs were interested I was really excited. They’re a club going in the right direction, and all the boys, I just want to learn from them,” he said.

“I thought it would be good for me, a bit of change and get out of my comfort zone and become a better player.

“It was hard, especially this season, I was on the last year of my contract and I ended up tearing my calf, so it was hard to prove myself for a contract. But once the Bulldogs showed faith in me I was happy.

“(It happened in) round 18 against the Raiders, just after halftime, I felt it pop and it was a grade three tear.

Vibes were high at Bulldogs training. Picture: Damian Shaw

“I knew I was gone for the season so that was devastating, especially with my contract and not knowing what was going to happen, but I think everything happens for a reason and I’m loving it.”

Now at his third club after making his debut with the Cowboys, Tuala has established a reputation based on versatility and can play either side of the field in the centres or on the wing.

That has now become a main attribute for the types of players Ciraldo recruits.

Stephen Crichton. Picture: Damian Shaw

Bronson Xerri. Picture: Damian Shaw

With the departures of Josh Addo-Carr and Jeral Skelton, there’s a vacant right wing position and competition is high between Bronson Xerri, Jacob Kiraz, Blake Wilson, Marcelo Montoya to fit in alongside Stephen Crichton and Connor Tracey in the backline.

“We really haven’t spoken about (my position), but meeting him for the first time he really liked that I could play both sides, centre, wing and have that versatility,” he said.

“It’s been tough, learning the new system and stuff like that, but I’m learning.

“Ciro has been tipping me up to things and helping me out, he’s really straightforward.

“I’ll play anywhere.”

Jacob Preston among the Bulldogs at training. Picture: Damian Shaw

BULLDOGS WEEK THREE TRAINING SNAPSHOT

• In humid conditions on Monday the team were put through their paces at Belmore Oval while club boss Phil Gould watched intently on the sidelines

• Vibes were high as music thumped, and the team was vocal on the field as they were put through a warm up

• Positions are yet to be nailed down over summer, with players training in multiple positions and situations through agility and fitness drills to stress test combinations

• After a long recovery, Tuala is now training freely after his five-year tenure at the Knights came to an end with a calf injury at the back end of 2024

• Tuala joins Kiraz, Wilson and Montoya pushing for a spot on the wing after the exit of Addo-Carr for 2025

• Connor Tracey is expected to remain at fullback, with Xerri and Crichton in the centres

PARRAMATTA’S POST-GUTHO ERA BEGINS

The post-Gutho era at Parramatta has officially started.

Star recruit Isaiah Iongi – the player poised to replace longstanding fullback Clint Gutherson – has undertaken his first day of training with the Eels.

Brisbane-born Iongi, who signed from Penrith, arrived at Parramatta’s Kellyville headquarters early Monday morning to start a new career as the club’s premier fullback.

After a nine season, 206-game career at Parramatta, Gutherson has joined St George Illawarra with Iongi ready to step into the substantial void.

“Mate, he is an exceptional talent,” said Eels general manager of football, Mark O’Neill. “He is building connections with the staff, coach and teammates. We will drip feed him into it.

“Between now and Christmas, he will get to know his role in the team and align with our club and identity.

“We’re not going to be putting pressure on him. We just need Isaiah to be Isaiah, not anyone else. That will be good enough.

“Like with any change, there are different coaching and training methodologies and (head coach) Jason Ryles has his own ideas around how he wants to play his football.”

Isaiah Iongi has big shoes to fill. Picture: Instagram

Just 21 years old, Iongi comes to Parramatta carrying enormous potential despite having played just one NRL game – for Penrith against Newcastle in round 22 last season.

In that match, Iongi ran for 257 metres and posted eight tackle busts from fullback.

While excited, Parramatta fans are aware replacing Gutherson, who scored 96 tries for Parramatta, will be enormously challenging.

Asked what Parramatta fans can expect from Iongi, O’Neill said: “You can expect a bit of excitement, energy and enthusiasm.

“He’s pretty quick and elusive. Isaiah has good attacking skills which will compliment some of the other players in our squad too.”

Iongi was stuck behind NSW and Australian fullback Dylan Edwards at Penrith.

Initially, Parramatta felt Blaize Talagi could be their long-term fullback but when he joined Penrith, the Eels targeted Iongi, who played 59 NSW Cup games for the Panthers between 2022 and 2024, scoring 17 tries.

Clint Gutherson in his Dragons gear. Picture: Dragons

Iongi was the 2023 NSW Cup fullback of the year, has represented Queensland under 19s and was the 2022 Penrith Jersey Flegg player of the year. He has signed a three-year contract with Parramatta.

In October, Iongi told Nine: “There are always going to be challenges and expectations anywhere. At Panthers there was and anywhere else, too. It’s all part of the game, it’s all about how you handle it.

“You’ve got to work for it. I’ll get a good pre-season under my belt at Parra, that will help me build confidence with them. We’ll get that team bonding.”

Iongi’s first real test is expected in round one when Parramatta travels to Melbourne to play the Storm.

Originally published as NRL pre-season: Jarome Luai era kicks off at Wests Tigers as $6m man arrives ahead of schedule