Jarome Luai has announced he will leave three-time premiers Penrith at the end of the upcoming NRL season after signing a five-year deal with the Wests Tigers.
Key points:
- Luai will join the Wests Tigers ahead of the 2025 season
- He says it was the "toughest decision" he has made in his career
- Luai says he is looking forward to playing under Tigers coach Benji Marshall
Luai ended weeks of speculation about his future beyond this season, confirming on Wednesday he will switch clubs in 2025.
He described the move as the "toughest decision" of his career, but said it was made for family and personal reasons.
"The obvious reason was it was a great opportunity for me to provide for my family but also to create something for myself," Luai told a media conference in Sydney on Wednesday.
Luai said playing under Tigers coach Benji Marshall was another key reason behind his signing with the club.
"I've had a great connection with Benji … we've spoken about the future and what he sees in me moving forward," he said.
"So I'm really excited about it [and] excited about the challenge, as well."
Last month, the 26-year-old informed his teammates of his intention to leave the Panthers, who did not match the Tigers' big-money offer.
But no contract was formally signed at the time as Marshall and club management put the finishing touches on a proposed deal.
Under the NRL's new transfer rules, Luai was required to give the Panthers a 10-day window in which they could try to convince him to stay with the club.
But resigned to losing Luai, the Panthers are understood to have waived that right this week, paving the way for the move to the Tigers to be confirmed.
"We definitely got more attention than we would have liked these past couple of months," Luai said.
Marshall said Luai would be a valuable addition to the Tigers' roster in 2025.
"His experience as a genuine premiership-winning playmaker will be great for us and the future of our club," Marshall said in a Tigers statement.
"We love the way Jarome plays his footy and even better, he is a great person."
After taking the week off before Christmas, Luai is expected back at training with Penrith on Thursday.
Luai made his NRL debut with the Panthers in 2018, having come through the club's junior ranks.
He played five-eighth in each of the Panthers' premiership victories between 2021 and 2023.
Luai has made seven State of Origin appearances for New South Wales and played 11 Tests for Samoa.
ABC/AAP
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