NRL transfer news: Luciano Leilua price tag to hit $3 million as Wests Tigers hesitate on big deal

Wests Tigers forward Luciano Leilua has been waiting 10 weeks for Wests Tigers to nail down a contract upgrade, yet time is almost up on re-signing the big Samoan.

Api Koroisau and Josh Hodgson.

Wests Tigers forward Luciano Leilua has been waiting 10 weeks for a dithering Wests Tigers to nail down a contract upgrade and extension which could be worth a cool $3 million.

Due to a series of delays, Wests Tigers now have little more than a week to re-sign Leilua or face having the Samoan Test star throw himself onto the NRL open market.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Leilua is earning around $450,000 a year — he has one season remaining on his current deal — but has sought a significant pay increase for next season given his form this season.

It is understood Leilua will seek an upgraded deal worth $675,000 to $700,000 for 2022.

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Luciano Leilua is believed to be chasing a new four-year deal expected to hit around $3 million.

And should that request be accepted and finalised, Leilua, 25, would then seek a new four-year deal to remain at Concord until the end of 2026. That would take his total upgraded and extended package to around $3 million.

Wests Tigers are aware of Leilua’s contract situation but have been slow to act on his retention.

Drama at the club surrounding coach Michael Maguire’s future, the departure of football general manager Adam Hartigan, the recruitment of head of football Tim Sheens, and the return of former recruitment Warren McDonnell has delayed the Leilua negotiations.

Most clubs were more than aware about difficulties in a securing a response or return call from Hartigan, even internally.

Contract talks between the club and Leilua started in August — and there’s still no resolution.

The key question is whether a deal can be struck before November 1 when Leilua essentially becomes a free agent — and a player expected to attract considerable interest.

Friends claim Leilua isn’t angry at the holdup but is getting restless. Losing Leilua would be a PR disaster for the club and the incoming Sheens.

Wests Tigers have indicated an inclination to retain Leilua but the wait for a contract offer continues.

There is no guarantee the Tigers will agree to Leilua’s financial request and may seek further negotiations with his management.

There is no guarantee the Tigers will agree to Leilua’s financial request.

McDonnell is said to be a fan of Leilua and a new deal will likely be finalised, depending on whether both parties can agree on the financial terms.

Two recruitment managers from rival Sydney-based clubs told The Daily Telegraph that Leilua could now demand up to $700,000 a season.

The Tigers placed all contract negotiations on hold while undergoing a season review where Maguire’s job was under threat.

Many rated Leilua and Adam Doueihi as the Tigers’ best players this year.

Leilua’s contract wait can be revealed just a day after his older brother, Joey, left the Wests Tigers in ugly circumstances.

On his way out of Concord, Joey claimed Maguire refused to accept blame for losses this year.

Through Instagram, Leilua posted: “Btw (by the way), I wouldn’t play for someone that blames the team all the time! And not himself! #Madge.”

It is understood Joey’s comments will not impact on Luciano’s desire to remain at Concord.

NRL time bomb blows at up yet another coach

Departing Wests Tigers star Joey Leilua has attacked Wests Tigers’ Michael Maguire — continuing an ugly trend of conflict between the player and his previous NRL coaches.

After claiming he didn’t want to play under Maguire, Leilua controversially accused the Wests Tigers coach of refusing to accept blame for a loss this year.

Leilua has had drama with almost every coach he’d played under in the NRL, including Ricky Stuart, Rick Stone, Brad Fittler and Wayne Bennett.

Essentially unwanted at Concord, Leilua — who once earned $850,000 a season while at Canberra — was offered a train and trial contract with Wests Tigers’ worth just $1000 a week.

Joey Leilua will knock back a train-and-trial offer from the Tigers. Picture: AAP/Brendon Thorne

While The Daily Telegraph stands by the story, Leilua took to social media to deny he was offered such a modest contract and then sensationally took aim at Maguire.

Leilua claimed Maguire blamed the players — and not himself — for another poor season.

Leilua posted: “I wouldn’t play for someone that blames the team all the time! And not himself! #Madge.

“Well, this (train and trial) is another lie. Never got offered to go there for a train and trial.”

The Daily Telegraph spoke to Maguire about Leilua’s comments but the premiership-winning coach declined to comment.

This isn’t the first coach Leilua has had issues with over his 12-year NRL career.

After leaving Canberra in 2019, Leilua revealed a fallout with Stuart.

Leilua claimed “something happened last year between me and Sticky (Stuart) and I wasn’t happy.

Leilua roasted Michael Maguire on Instagram.

“I was coming back from my neck (operation) and he told me I’d be back for the Sydney Roosters. I would have been up against Latrell (Mitchell), I worked my arse off and got mentally prepared,” he said.

“Then they went over to New Zealand the week before and had a massive win, he came back and said I wasn’t good enough to play.

“I asked him if he thought I wasn’t good enough for the team, and he said, ‘you’re not good enough for this team’. From that moment I was off him.”

In 2015, while with the Knights, Leilua fell out with Newcastle coach Rick Stone.

Stone said: “I don’t want anyone who doesn’t want to play for us, so we’ve released him and we’ve moved on.

“The bottom line for the leadership group and the management team is we want players who want to play for us. And at this point in time, Joey doesn’t want to do that. So we’ve released him.”

When starting out his career at Dragons, a young Leilua managed to find issue with Bennett, then the St George Illawarra head coach.

Leilua recalled: “He (Bennett) said to me ‘what are you doing?’ I had an offer from the Roosters and Melbourne I think at the time.

“I walked straight into (Bennett’s) office, and told him real simple. ‘I don’t want to play here anymore, I’ve had enough, I need a change. See ya’. He didn’t like it.”

Joey Leilua is eyeing a move to the MLR competition. Picture: Robb Cox/NRL Photos

Even the affable Fittler seemed irritated at times with Leilua.

“I remember signing him in 2009 as a kid coming out of school,” Fittler, the then Roosters coach, later recalled.

“Within three years he was spotted as a future NSW player, so he would have only been 20 years old and really hasn’t gotten much better than that. The talent’s still there but the control isn’t.

“The hard thing is, so much of his game is that push and shove, and get the other centre off his game a little bit.”

Three years later, Leilua’s contract at Bondi was terminated.

Wests Tigers make shock Api play

– Paul Crawley

Jacob Liddle has emerged as the most likely odd man out after Api Koroisau became the latest name linked to Wests Tigers.

This comes just days after the Tigers were in talks with the Canberra Raiders to see if the two clubs could strike an agreement to release Josh Hodgson from the final year of his contract.

But it is understood those talks have now been put on hold as the Tigers’ new head of football Tim Sheens investigates whether Koroisau is a fair dinkum option for next year, despite having a year to run on his contract at Penrith.

Api Koroisau has emerged as a transfer target for Wests Tigers. Picture: NRL Photos

If nothing comes of that it is expected Hodgson could still end up at the Tigers next season if they can get him at the right price.

The Raiders would be happy to keep Hodgson but will not stand in his way if he could get a longer deal elsewhere.

It would mean the Raiders carrying a significant chunk of the final year of Hodgson’s reported $650,000 salary.

Josh Hodgson could be on his way out of Canberra. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Liddle is the player being mentioned as possible excess baggage if the Tigers end up with either Hodgson or Koroisau.

Liddle, 24, only signed a new two-year contract extension in June that was meant to keep him at the Tigers until the end of 2023.

Young Jake Simpkin is also on the books until the end of 2024 but he is considered to be safe.

Jacob Liddle’s future at Wests Tigers appears clouded. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

It is hard to see how the Tigers could fit or justify keeping all three recognised dummy halves in their NRL squad.

Though it would be a big call letting Liddle go given the 24-year-old is coming off his best season where he was one of the Tigers’ most consistent players.

Meanwhile, the Raiders are closing in on former Bulldog Adam Elliott with talks continuing this week.