Jarome Luai’s message to Tigers fans: He’s more worried about getting ‘claws out’ than his get-out clause

Jarome Luai’s lucrative $6 million Tigers contract has a get-out clause which will have fans on edge come the back-end of the year. However, the star signing has a clear message to the long-suffering fanbase that should alleviate some concern.

Claws out or get-out clause?

Jarome Luai has a clear message for Wests Tigers fans, the only set of claws he is worried about are those that will inflict pain on their opposition, not the get-out clause in his rich contract at Concord.

Sunia Turuva, and his Tigers teammates, celebrated each of the winger’s three tries last weekend against Parramatta with a ‘claws’ hand motion at CommBank Stadium.

And it’s caught on, not only at Concord but among long suffering Wests Tigers fans.

It was introduced by fiery forward Samuela Fainu as a way to symbolise the attitude the Tigers are taking into 2025.

That after three wooden spoons, Benji Marshall’s men won’t be the easy beats any longer and will ‘put up a fight’.

Wests Tigers' Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva bring out the claw cleberation. Picture: NRL

“My claws are always out,” Luai said.

“Samuela started before we were here, but anything Sunia Turuva does, people just follow him. If anyone scores now, I think they are going to get their claws out but I have seen now the fans have jumped on board.

“I think it’s cool. It just showed we loved playing with each other so ‘claws out everybody’.

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“We just want to be a team that is resilient, that when things get tough we are the team that wants to win games. I think we have the team to do it. We believe in each other... it’s on again this week... not to prove it to anyone else but to ourselves.”

Despite signing a lucrative $6 million deal over five years, Luai has a get-out clause which allows him to hit the open market from November 1, meaning the four-time premiership winner could switch to a rival from 2027.

Already, Luai has been linked to Parramatta, where Eels coach Jason Ryles is in search of a new five-eighth after Dylan Brown agreed to the richest NRL deal ever to join Newcastle next year.

“Claws, claws... wrong clause,” Luai laughed when told ‘claws out’ could also refer to the get-out clause in his contract.

“There is only one ‘claws’ I’m focused on, that is my head being locked in for the boys right now.

Sunia Turuva with the claw celebration. Pic: NRL

“I had a bit of a giggle (when I got linked to the Eels) but I’m locked in here and I want to be a Tiger.

“I’m enjoying my time here and the company, these boys love their footy and that’s what I love about being here.

Jarome Luai notched his first win as a Tiger last weekend. Picture: NRL Photos

Star five-eighth Lachlan Galvin, who is a free agent from November 1, is also a target for the Eels. The club is preparing to offer the teenager a lucrative extension to stay at Concord long-term.

Luai is confident the relationship that the new Tigers halves combination are building on and off the field will help convince Galvin to commit to the club.

“He loves this group of boys. He’s similar to what I was at Penrith coming through the grades, you can tell he loves this team,” Luai said.

“I’m an older head now and I need to keep him on track at times... he’s similar to what I was, he likes to have a laugh and joke around. You’ve got to know when there are times to pull your head in and switch on.

“He’s going really well, he’s a young dude and there is a lot of pressure on him, a lot of attention. But I’m definitely here for him if he needs a mentor.”

Rising Tallyn Da Silva, who won a Harold Matthews (under 17’s) title for the Western Suburbs Magpies alongside Galvin in 2022, is also off-contract in seven months.

Already a number of clubs are circling the rookie dummy-half, who is currently an understudy to Api Koroisau.

Koroisau is signed until the end of 2026, but Da Silva said he is happy to bide his time behind the former premiership winner.

“I have not spoken to (Galvin) about leaving the Tigers or our futures at the moment,” Da Silva said.

“We are in a similar position, we are two, three years into our dream and we want to focus (on that).

“I don’t think I’m ready to play an 80-minute game just yet, I have so much to learn about the game defensively. As long as I have to wait, I’m happy right now to do it, especially if it’s behind Api.”

Originally published as Jarome Luai’s message to Tigers fans: He’s more worried about getting ‘claws out’ than his get-out clause