https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...a/news-story/8999b580bf1911dc73f736f741ea6180
Wests Tigers captain Jarome Luai vows to end finals drought with new mantra
Jahrome Luai is giving up the halfback position and reinventing his approach to lead the Wests Tigers to finally end rugby league’s longest finals drought.
Tyson Jackson
6 min read
January 23, 2026 - 3:54PM
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...ory/8999b580bf1911dc73f736f741ea6180#comments
Jarome Luai arrived at Wests Tigers as the leader he wanted to be, not the leader they needed.
He came with a big price tag, the much sought‑after No.7 jersey, as well as the captaincy.
Then he realised he didn’t need to change what made him one of the NRL’s elite halves.
“It was probably just me trying to bite off more than I could chew, Luai said.
“Getting the captaincy role, trying to worry about too many things. I know it was a big responsibility, new club, got the price tag around me and everyone had this expectation of myself, but all of that just took away from what’s most important and that’s my job and how I do my job on the field.”
It was a trial by fire for Luai, who joined the Tigers to be the main man, but it took a year at the helm to realise that role wasn’t about a number on his back or the price tag to match; it was about what got him there in the first place.
Reflecting on his already illustrious career left Luai with one clear option: go back to what works.
A change in perception, which he hopes will bring the same success to the club that he’s accomplished everywhere he has gone.
“I know I said I came here to play seven, be Batman, whereas now I’m doing what this team needs me to be, and that’s me at my best, “ Luai said.
“I’ve been at my best in the six, letting me do what I do. Eyes-up footy, take a bit of pressure off my plate, and we’ve got guys that can do that. And it’s just me trusting in my teammates now.”
FRONTING THE BOARD
His new-found outlook on rugby league began when he returned for pre‑season, but Luai’s first taste of Wests Tigers board drama quickly complicated matters.
Just as things looked to be on the up for the Tigers, the Holman Barnes Group sacked its independent board members, leading to one of Luai’s biggest supporters, chief executive Shane Richardson, leaving the club.
Luai was one of the first to go to the board to ensure his playing group was left out of the drama.
“I’m a guy that doesn’t listen to outside noise or external things. If I want to know something, I’ll go and do the digging myself,” Luai said.
“I spoke to a few people, and I got my own information and I got exactly what I needed to know and to just reassure that this club’s still where it needs to be and where it needs to be going.
Benji Marshall laying down the law in pre-season.
“Benji’s still the guy. And at the end of the day, those guys aren’t going to go there, suit up for us and run the ball up when we need them to.
“So, my job as a leader, as a captain, is to make sure that’s separated from the playing group. And it’s not going to affect us anyway.“
Luai was quick to reassure his playing group that everything was under control and that their goal remained the same.
TOP-EIGHT DECLARATION
Luai is one of the more confident players in the NRL, but the Tigers five‑eighth believes there is no world in which the Tigers miss the top eight for the 15th year in a row.
Luai is no stranger to the camera, being a Kayo Sports ambassador, and a fan favourite around Tigertown, but his confidence around football is on another level.
Despite having big goals last year, Luai revealed his confidence wasn’t reciprocated by everyone in the club, and the goal of finals was more a hope.
Now it’s a promise.
“We’re playing finals, bro,” Luai said.
“It’s not just me that believes in that. It’s the whole team this time around.
“I think it was just sort of just me hoping that last year. But I’m not hoping, bro. I know we’re going to make finals.”
STYLES MAKE FIGHTS
Luai’s leadership isn’t the only thing changing at the Tigers this year, with coach Benji Marshall ushering in a new playing style.
While the free‑flowing football the Tigers brought to the table last year was exciting to watch, Marshall’s development as a coach has Luai convinced the club has implemented what it takes to win.
“Benji has changed his style of the way he’s gone about the team and he’s really put his foot down and I think he’s just really firm on what this team needs right now,” Luai said.
“It’s just the mentality of our team, really diving into valuing what actually wins games, and that’s the little things, those things that the fans don’t see or don’t pick up on, the things that you don’t get points off from SuperCoach.
“That shit wins comps and wins games. How we approach a set, the mentality around where we put the ball, where we finish our sets has been a big thing for us this pre-season.”
BUILDING FROM THE BOTTOM
It may seem backwards for some, but Luai’s mantra on leadership is one he has held since the day he started his career in Penrith.
“Leadership starts at the bottom.”
Skippering one of the younger squads in the competition, Luai has hammered into his cohort that they need to have a voice and lead if the club is to achieve any success — not only for their own confidence.
“As soon as you can get those guys comfortable enough to speak their mind they can keep all older guys accountable,” he said.
“That’ll be a real big strength of ours within the year if we can tap into that.“
Jarome Luai says off-contract fullback Jahream Bula belongs at the Wests Tigers. Picture: Getty Images
BULA’S FUTURE
Luai has faced difficult contract negotiations and career-defining decisions that were the catalyst for his move to the Tigers, a situation in which young fullback Jahream Bula now finds himself.
Bula, off contract at the end of this season, is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal with the Tigers. Despite the club being confident of re‑signing the 23-year-old, the Fijian international has garnered interest from multiple clubs, Canterbury and St George Illawarra.
“You want the best for Reamy and I know this club’s the best fit for him,” Luai said.
“We just want him to shine and we value what he brings to this team and he knows that. I’ve spoken to him just about, he’s got so much room to grow, and I think if he’s a part of this, not rebuild, but a part of this journey where we’re taking these cats from the ground up and putting them back into contention, it will stay with him forever.
“I think these are his stripes, this is where he belongs.”
Laui has praised the singing of Kai Pearce-Paul. Picture: Instagram
NEW RECRUIT EFFECT
They have been active in the market, and Luai believes the club has recruited perfectly.
Both Bunty Afoa and Kai Pearce‑Paul have been stars of the club’s pre‑season in Luai’s eyes.
Former New Zealand Warrior Afoa was awarded the MVP of the Tigers’ army camp, while Pearce‑Paul is seen as the missing piece in the Tigers’ puzzle from last year.
“He’s a pure second rower,” Luai said of the England international.
“He’s got an X factor about him. He’s a kick target, he’s got silky hands, but the thing that surprised me the most is his work ethic and how much he values things like kick chase, getting into tackles and working hard at marker.”
Taylan May working hard at training.
UNMASKING A SUPERHERO
Luai has dropped the hope of being Batman for the Tigers, but he only had to look across the field to find Taylan May had adopted the nickname.
With a full pre‑season under his belt and no distractions, Luai has predicted May to have a breakout year.
“Batman’s ready to rock. He’s had a great pre-season,” Luai said.
“He’s coming with a mindset that he’s one of the best centres in the game. And I think when he’s thinking like that, watch out.”
