From the SMH
Jarome Luai says Wests Tigers have nothing to worry about … if they do one thing.
Jarome Luai says he will pledge his long-term future to Wests Tigers – on one condition.
“As long as they do right by me and my family, they’ll have nothing to worry about,” Luai said
Jarome has until April 30 to trigger a clause to activate a further three seasons at the Tigers, adding about $3.5 million to his deal.
The playmaker was regularly praised by coach Benji Marshall for lifting standards on and off the field during his first year at Concord after leaving Penrith with four premiership rings.
Whether Luai has seen enough potential in the Tigers playing group to want to recommit – and whether his get-out clause is removed altogether – will be hot topics this summer.
“That’s why I’m still here. That’s why I’m looking forward to staying here as well.
“If they want to talk, then we’ll talk, but like I said, if they treat me and my family right, they’ve got nothing to worry about.”
Luai flew out for New Zealand with the Samoa team early Monday for the start of the Pacific Championships.
Having had time to reflect on the Tigers’ campaign, he said 2025 could not be described as a success because “we didn’t play in the finals”.
“That’s me as a competitor, and the years I’ve been through [at Penrith],” he said. “We can be a lot better, and it starts in pre-season.”
Luai, fellow Tigers Taylan and Terrell May, Canberra’s
Josh Papalii, Parramatta’s Junior Paulo, Penrith’s Blaize Talagi and Brian To’o, and premiership-winning prop Payne Haas – who Luai refers to as “Samoa’s marquee signing” – are just some of the big names in action on Sunday against the Kiwis in Auckland.
Haas has been heavily linked to breakaway rugby union competition R360, with his management reportedly telling organisers last week the prop was only interested in entering negotiations if they were prepared to pay a minimum of $3 million a season.
Luai said there had been plenty of “banter” with the players about R360 and the wild money being discussed.
“The figures getting thrown around, as a player, it will always be eye-catching, but until it actually happens, I don’t think we’ll have serious conversations about it,” he said.
Taylan May’s late-season cameo was another promising sign for the Tigers, especially the quality of football he delivered without a pre-season, and Luai said he would be one of Samoa’s danger men out wide.
“He’s a freak, bro ... and if his mind is right, and he’s motivated, and he’s got a goal to work towards, then he’s a threat to a lot of others,” Luai said.
Now 28, Luai captained Samoa in a series in England last year, and will share the responsibility with Paulo this year.
The tiny Pacific nation made it to the World Cup final in 2022, and is still awaiting the returns of Stephen Crichton and Spencer Leniu, two players who will miss this series due to injury and fatherhood respectively, ahead of next year’s World Cup.
