Jarome Luai is set to sign a monster five-year deal worth more than $6 million with Wests Tigers.
The Panthers star has told coaching staff and teammates he will not be at the club beyond next season and is set to join the joint venture from 2025. He told teammates in an emotional post-training session announcement on Saturday.
Jarome Luai is on his way to Wests Tigers.Credit: Steven Siewert
The premiers had offered Luai a three-year, $2.55 million deal to remain at the club until 2027, but the NSW and Samoa representative decided to test his value on the open market.
Luai has played 107 matches for the Panthers, winning the past three grand finals.
Under the NRL’s new rules, Luai can declare only his intention to sign with the Tigers, giving Penrith a 10-day period to come up with a bigger offer to try to keep him.
Luai also retains the right to pull out of the deal with the Tigers during that period, creating a fortnight of intrigue about his future, given the big-money offer also on the table from the Bulldogs, worth about $5.5 million over five years.
NRL documentation: Last right of negotiation clause
Every player must provide his incumbent club with a last right of negotiation for a 10-day period from the date of notice that the player has received an offer from a rival club, and that offer has been submitted to the NRL, that he is prepared to accept. In order to give effect to this clause:
- a) the player must provide notice to his incumbent club that he has an offer that he will accept in 10 days’ time (subject to negotiations with his incumbent club);
- b) the club can then engage in contract negotiations with the player for a period of up to 10 days, or the club may waive its rights in writing (at which point the player is free to sign with the rival club);
- c) the offer from the rival NRL club must be an official offer and submitted to the NRL salary cap auditor (the contents of which will remain confidential, but the NRL salary cap auditor can provide verification to the incumbent club that an official offer has been received). The offer must remain open for acceptance for a minimum of 14 days, and for at least 48 hours beyond the expiry of the 10-day negotiation period with the incumbent club. There is no requirement for the player to disclose the terms of the offer to his incumbent club;
- d) at the expiry of the 10 days, the player may sign (or reject) the offer from the rival club.
Shane Richardson was appointed interim chief executive of the Tigers on Tuesday, but made the pursuit of Luai a priority.
Despite not officially starting in the top job until the new year, Richardson organised to meet Luai’s management on Thursday where he was assured the club remained a viable option.
Richardson held a phone hook-up with Luai and his management late on Friday.
“But nothing has been finalised,” Richardson said.
Jarome Luai hugging Scott Sorensen at Panthers training on Saturday.Credit: Channel Nine
Richardson withdrew the Tigers’ offer for Addin Fonua-Blake during the week, but said none of that money was used to sweeten the Luai deal.
Canterbury were viewed as favourites to land Luai’s signature, where he would have reunited with several former Panthers, including recruit Stephen Crichton and coach Cameron Ciraldo. But the swift reaction to the boardroom clean-out at the Tigers made sure they remained in the race.
Tigers coach Benji Marshall, a favourite of Luai when he was growing up, has also been hands-on in the chase, and told him why the player and club would be a good fit.
There are high hopes for youngster Lachie Galvin, who is signed for three years, while Adam Doueihi is on track to return by May. Richardson, who worked with Doueihi at South Sydney, declared the injured star “a major part of the Tigers’ plans”.
Panthers players form a huddle for Jarome Luai at training on Saturday.Credit: Channel Nine
Luai remained tight-lipped when he left Penrith training on Saturday, and later took to social media to inform his 240,000 Instagram followers there had been “no pen to paper”, and “I’ll let yous know when a deal is done”.
One of his best friends, Panthers winger Brian To’o, told this masthead after training: “We love him here at the club, but it’s all part of business.
“Just the thought of him leaving, it’s going to be pretty sad. But it’s what is best for him, and family comes first.
“He’s one of my best friends, my son’s godfather, so he’ll be coming around to check on my boy.”
Nathan Cleary and father Ivan preferred not to comment when approached about Luai. The five-eighth, who is returning from shoulder surgery, completed a series of running drills on his own before being one of the first to exit the building.
Several teammates planned to grill him in the gym about his plans, only to discover he had already left.
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