Tucker
Well-known member
He should never have been our half.
I agree his value is running and flat out attack.
OFFICIAL Jarome Luai - #295
- Thread starter Frecal
- Start date
I agree his value is running and flat out attack.
RonDingo
Well-known member
Great piece on a great player, sadly all of this is still not enough for alot of haters on this forum.‘The finished article’: Five ways Jarome Luai has already improved the Tigers
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.© 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.
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.”
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.
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.© 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.”
Odessa
Well-known member
Was thinking about this today why does Luai have to play 7 ?
The great Darren Lockyer played the back half of his career at 6 and ran the team from there
Shame Perry would do his job and kick to the corners and when Lockery wanted the ball over called everyone and it worked great
mikey
Well-known member
Still a long way for the club to go but I do think he's doing what we need in the long term.
Last edited:
mtd#2
Well-known member
Halbrowne61
Well-known member
Big money, big expectations. We thought he was going to scale tall buildings in a single bound, impose some Penrith toughness, set up the rest of the team for numerous tries and dazzle us with mind blowing steps.
So he’s going ok but I want more, lots more and I make no apology for that. Hopefully it will come, eventually.
He needs to watch Katoa play. Play direct like him. To much sideways crap.
The Chad
Well-known member
Luai @ #7 looked significantly more effective with another half not crowding him or taking the ball 50% of the time.
Let's see if the next 4-5 games changes opinions.
Let's see if the next 4-5 games changes opinions.
Ron Brodrick's Spirit
Well-known member
This is my favourite thread.
I t allows me to instantly sort who on here knows what they're watching from the clueless.
If you can't see the difference Jarome makes then I suggest Rugby League isn't for you.
I t allows me to instantly sort who on here knows what they're watching from the clueless.
If you can't see the difference Jarome makes then I suggest Rugby League isn't for you.
Wests Tigers still banking on Jarome Luai to be the spark the club needs
Jarome Luai was meant to be the Tigers’ $6 million saviour, and while the club insists they couldn’t be happier with ‘Romey’ on and off the field, they concede more can be done to help their playmaker excel.
Brent ReadFollow
@brentread_7
6 min read
June 8, 2025 - 5:00AM
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...ory/cff50777d16d9634522a3dcff8d54e6d#comments
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Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson has conceded the club needs to ease the burden on Jarome Luai as their star recruit prepares for a meeting against his former club Penrith on Sunday afternoon.
Luai was hailed as the Tigers’ saviour after joining the club in the off-season on a five year deal worth upward of $6 million.
The early signs were promising but the Tigers have lost their past three games while dealing with the controversial departure of teenage prodigy Lachlan Galvin, who is expected to make his debut for the Bulldogs on Monday.
Luai, meanwhile, paid the price for the Tigers’ mixed form when he was overlooked for the NSW side, with Parramatta playmaker Mitchell Moses preferred at five-eighth for the opening game of the State of Origin series.
Richardson insists that the club couldn’t be happier with Luai’s input since his arrival and hailed the Samoan international for his leadership on and off the field.
“Oh, he’s a revelation,” Richardson said.
“From day one, his enthusiasm, his leadership, his buy-in to what we’re trying to do, his mentoring of the young players - he’s been nothing but a revelation.
Jarome Luai quickly took charge at the Wests Tigers, Picture: Getty Images
“His challenge has not been working with the team - he does a great job. His challenge has been coming from a championship club to rebuilding a club and then spending a fair bit of time trying to mentor young players instead of having to just concentrate on his own game.
“We’re more than happy with his form and what he’s doing but we’ve got to try and take a little bit of weight off him and make sure that he’s able to play the game we know he can play.”
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TAKING FULL CONTROL
Luai was lured to the Tigers for his leadership as much as his talent. At Penrith, the Tigers playmaker shared a dressing room which was bloated with leaders.
Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo shared the captaincy in his final season but Luai was in the background, always cajoling and playing his part.
At the Tigers, he has been in the foreground with Api Koroisau, exemplified by the way they were front and centre during the Galvin saga.
Even after he was axed from the NSW team for Origin I, Luai stopped to speak to journalists who were waiting outside the dressing room at Campbelltown Stadium.
If the Tigers wanted leadership, they have received it in spades from Luai.
Wests Tigers' Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva bring out the claw celebration.
“Mate, it’s just crazy,” Tigers winger Sunia Turuva, another former Penrith player, said.
“Back at Penrith you have all the leaders there, so I guess he didn’t really get to speak as much as he does here.
“But just seeing the way that he’s just taken full control here with Api - it started with the army camp that we had at the start of the year and his energy when the boys were down and out, it was unmatched, picking the boys up.
“I think the key one with Romey is just after a loss, how positive he is with the boys.
“Especially because we’ve got a young group, he’s able to give good chat and good energy to the boys around us. If you know Romey, he’s pretty smart, he’s well-spoken.
“For myself, I’ve been fortunate enough to see it in the last couple of years.
“I’ve played outside him. He’s got the captain and leadership under his belt now.
“So it’s just good to see the way he’s growing as a player and as a man off the field, it’s really cool to see.”
THE WINNER
There was a stat that largely flew under the radar during Luai’s time at Penrith - the Panthers’ winning record when Luai was in the team was better than when Cleary was present.
As important as Cleary was to Penrith’s success, that one stat suggested that Luai was a vital piece of the puzzle.
Certainly the Panthers have struggled this year in his absence - they are 15th heading into Sunday’s game at Campbelltown Stadium.
“He’s a winner,” Richardson said.
“Everything he does is meticulous and thorough, whether it be playing touch football, whether it be hit ups, whatever you want to talk about.
“Everything is done at 100 miles per hour. He’s an enthusiastic talker without talking shit. He’s a magnet for the players. Nothing is too much trouble for him.
“He’s the first bloke to pick up the dishes and wash them up. He’s humble.
“He doesn’t think about things other than winning.”
Jarome Luai came to the Wests Tigers to win a ‘ring.’ Picture: Getty Images
Many thought Luai had turned his back on the chance to win another premiership when he arrived at the Tigers. Richardson insists Luai’s only motivation during talks over his deal was the chance to add to his four premierships.
“That’s what it’s all about - rings,” Richardson said.
“He believes we can win another ring for him here, which will be massive. He’s here to win. He doesn’t like losing, but he’s not a bad tempered loser.
“He’s the first one to walk around the room and check on everybody.
“He knows what it takes to build a team. Don’t forget, he came through the hard times at Penrith. They weren’t always winning.
“The big thing about him, I noticed when he was 15 years old, he didn’t have to be the captain to create the enthusiasm in the team.
“He’s the first one to jump in when they score a try, he’s the first one too pull them together. Whereas Cleary would have led them over there ….. he was a spark.
“And he’s the spark here.”
THE GET OUT CLAUSES
Much has been made about the clauses in Luai’s five-year deal with the Tigers that give him the ability to head to market on November 1.
His first two years were locked in but he has player options for the three years after that.
Remarkably, when Richardson first took over negotiations, the parties were talking about a deal with clauses at the end of every year.
Richardson convinced Luai to give him some time to demonstrate that the club was on the rise and he says he harbours no concerns over Luai’s commitment.
“I’ve got no question mark that he is in for the crocodile roll,” Richardson said.
“I don’t worry at all.
“I know what we promised him …. and why I let it go in the second year, because I wanted to prove in the first year that we’re going to do the things we said we’re going to do.”
(L-R) Benji Marshall and Jarome Luai are a dynamic pair. Picture: Getty Images
Richardson insists they have done just that. The club has certainly improved their form on recent years and they continue to recruit with vigour - on Friday they announced they had signed Newcastle and England back rower Kai Pearce-Paul for the next three years.
“In my experience, wherever I have been, you’ve got to get a marquee player to build the club around,” Richardson said.
“I was fortunate we got Preston Campbell when Penrith were wooden spooners and we built the club around him.
“Greg Inglis, there’s no doubt whatsoever, was the turning point for us to win a premiership at Souths. I see Luai in the same category - he’s a great leader, a great player, he’s marquee and you can build a club around him.
“He’s got a very close relationship with Benji (Marshal). I think Benji sold to him on the basis that we’re building for something special and you could be part of that.
“You can leave a legacy at this club. It’s really just he’s got this amazing ability to win. I mean there’s a game of inches and yeah we haven’t got the inches (at times this season).
“But at the end of the day, we’ll get better and better as the year goes on and we’ll get better and better next year.”
This guy is such a pro, and we're reaping the benefits from his signing in many ways. Not yet completely on the field IMO, but it'll get there - likely faster if he plays outside of Latu.
Really liked his shout out to Benji in the press conference - mentioning how he's helping him every day.
Really liked his shout out to Benji in the press conference - mentioning how he's helping him every day.
Tigerstigerstigers
Well-known member
Me too. There’s real belief within. this team. Just need a couple of added class forwards and we will get there.
upthetigers
Well-known member
Luai outplayed Cleary
mikey
Well-known member
And I reckon he just may have been more important to them.
Give him some better quality players and we will no doubt reap the benefits.
upthetigers
Well-known member
Our first choice team are guns plus Makasini or T May and we're a bloody good football team plus the Fijian from Storm to help the middles.
