Wests Tigers may still be outside the top eight, but the signing of Jarome Luai has already been hailed a success.
Tigers CEO Shane Richardson praised Sunday’s rivals, premiers Penrith, for presenting the Tigers with the “finished article”.
“Penrith provided him with the polish that’s made him what he is, on and off the field,” Richardson said.
“At our club’s he’s the alpha leader, he’s taken on that role, and I’ve been surprised at how good he has done at that role. I’m just glad we’ve got him.”
Luai inked a $6 million, five-year deal with the Tigers, and while his sole focus is winning premierships, there are five simple way he has already improved his new club.
Natural-born leader
Coach Benji Marshall quickly elevated Luai to the co-captaincy alongside Api Koroisau. The dummy-half, who played with Luai at the Panthers, noticed how far the halfback had come in terms of leadership.
Jasrome Luai’s time at the Wests Tigers has already been hailed a success.Credit: Getty Images
“When he talks, it’s right on point, there’s no fluffing about,” Koroisau said. “As a leader, there are a lot of times when you want to say things, but you’re unsure if it’s the right time. But he picks his times, knows exactly what to say and when to say it.”
Improved Koroisau’s game
Koroisau has always been a dominant dummy-half, especially last year when Lachlan Galvin was still learning his craft, and there was no one dominant playmaker.
But with Luai’s arrival, Koroisau has noticed teams devoting much of their attention to him, which in turn has started to open up more space through the ruck.
Api Koroisau has found his job become easier with Luai’s arrival.Credit: NRL Images
The Dolphins only had eyes for Luai and Galvin in a recent match, and Koroisau was able to pinch easy metres before scoring a try.
“Everyone watches him when he’s on the field,” Koroisau said. “They’re waiting for him to get the ball, [looking] at the shape on his outside, which frees up the middle of the ruck a bit more, and that helps my game.
“People are always watching him. He’s a big talker out there, which has helped me as well.”
The Tigers’ halfback has continued to improve his long kicking game.Credit: NRL Images
Long kicking game
There were plenty of questions about how Luai would handle running a team now he was without former halves partner and Penrith chief controller, Nathan Cleary.
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary noted Luai had started to take on more responsibility last year while Nathan was out injured, and part of that transition included doing a lot of more work on his long kicking game.
“He’s always had a good short game, but his long game is definitely getting better,” Cleary said this week. “He’s touching the ball more, being around both sides of the footy, and dangerous.”
A marketer’s dream
The Tigers brand has been boosted by Luai and his natural charisma and charm in front of the camera and with sponsors. Richardson cannot recall the last time the recruit knocked back a chance to promote one of the club’s community or Polynesian programs in Sydney’s west.
Jarome Luai recording a song with The Wiggles.Credit: Instagram
Before Christmas, at his first signing session with fans at Concord, Luai stayed back for nearly an hour and a half after training to sign every autograph and pose for every photo.
Anthony Field, blue Wiggle and longtime Tigers fan, has spent his entire life in the entertainment industry. After welcoming Luai and a few of the players into the recording studio at the start of the year, he was so blown away by Luai’s vocals he said he was prepared to produce an album for him.
Jarome Luai leads the way at Tigers training back in March.Credit: Sam Mooy
Overdue professionalism
The best thing about signing premiership-winners is they know the lofty standards required to achieve success.
Luai has had a direct influence on the squad’s youngsters, with Richardson saying: “He sets a good example for the younger players, and has shown them what you need to do to be a professional – he’s the ultimate professional.”
Marshall said on Saturday: “Jarome’s impact on the club, you can’t measure it. In terms of what he’s brought to us in terms of standards, professionalism, competing on every play, leadership, all the things he’s really good at, he’s been outstanding for us.
“We won six games last year, four games the year before, and four games [in 2023]. We’ve won five so far [in 2025] – we’re not happy with that, we think we’ve got more in us, but he’s added a lot to us. We love having him here.”
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