- Wests Tigers playmaker will be the face of newest NRL franchise in 2028
Jarome Luai has declared he wants to grow a nation after confirming he will leave Wests Tigers to take up a tax-free contract and become the face of the PNG Chiefs in 2028.
Luai has signed a two-year deal, which includes an option in his favour for a third year.
The playmaker and his family flew to Port Moresby on a private jet, where he was wooed by the country’s Prime Minister James Marape.
Upon his return, the Samoan international indicated to the Tigers his eagerness to join the Chiefs as a foundation player for their maiden campaign.
‘I think everyone wants me to say (I did it for) the tax-free (salary) and how appealing that is,’ Luai said on Wednesday.
‘But that’s not what got the deal signed. Being over there, you sort of realise that it’s bigger than a game over there.
Jarome Luai has declared he wants to grow a nation after confirming he will leave Wests Tigers to take up a tax-free contact and become the face of the PNG Chiefs in 2028
Luai, 29, has signed a two-year deal, which includes an option in his favour for a third year
Luai can leave the Wests Tigers at the end of 2027 due to the clauses he was given in his five-year deal (pictured, with Chiefs CEO Lorna McPherson and GM Football Michael Chammas)
‘And when the time comes, we’ll be able to change a lot of lives for the better.
‘It was probably more the vision that I resonated with … being Polynesian – there’s a lot of similarities to Samoa, and what that team’s eventually going to do for those people is grow a nation.’
Luai is permitted to leave the Tigers because of the clauses he was given in his five-year deal.
The five-eighth is in the second season of that contract – which permitted the playmaker to activate an option to stay or leave after years three, four and five.
Luai, 29, has told the Tigers he will take up his option to stay at Concord on a $1.2 million a season deal in 2027, but has indicated he will then move to the Chiefs for their first campaign.
‘I’m here for 18 months, and wherever I am right now, I’m going to give my all to the team, to my brothers, to what we’ve built here,’ Luai said.
‘This place will be a great place to be and play at when the time comes to leave.’
Luai’s salary will be completely tax-free and his signing represents a major coup for the Chiefs.
The start-up club’s entry into the NRL was met with concern over their ability to lure top-level talent, given Papua New Guinea’s security issues.
‘It was important, that’s why my (family) came with me,’ Luai said.
‘It (safety) was all there… and there’s some really great people behind all of that and how it’s going to work.’
