Jarome Luai has declared he won’t walk out on the Wests Tigers, giving the strongest indication yet he will see out his five-year contract with the NRL club.
Signed until the end of 2029, Luai has a clause in his deal that allows him to leave the Tigers at the end of next season if he wishes.
The half has until the end of next April to activate the final three years of the deal, but is effectively a free agent from this November when he can be approached by rival clubs.
The Tigers have shown signs of improvement in four-time premiership winner Luai’s first year at the club, but are out of finals contention headed into the last six weeks.
Coach Benji Marshall remains under scrutiny, while the joint-venture will be playing against a junior they had planned to build their future around, Lachlan Galvin, this weekend.
Galvin faces his former side for the first time in a Sunday arvo blockbuster (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
But there have been positives, with the Tigers claiming their most wins in four seasons and captain Apisai Koroisau extending his deal until 2028 last week.
Quizzed on whether Koroisau’s re-signing could be a big reason why he stays, Luai responded: “I’m staying. don’t worry.”
Asked for how long, Luai quipped: “For life.”
And questioned further on whether the clause in his contract had been removed, Luai was definitive in saying he wanted to remain a Tiger.
“It’s not gone, but when things get hard, people are expecting you to change,” Luai said.
“I’m not that type of guy. I’m here for the long run and I’m here to change this club around.”
Luai’s declaration came as the Tigers co-captain insisted he had no interest in the storyline surrounding the joint-venture taking on Galvin at Canterbury this week.
Luai said he had not spoken to Galvin since the young half left Concord last month, with his focus only on current teammates.
But he did expect Galvin to be booed by Tigers fans at CommBank Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
“I’ve been on the receiving end many times,” Luai said.
“For me it’s fun. You know, that’s the game of rugby league. It’s a fan-driven game, you know, so you’ve got to expect that. Good luck to Lachy.”
Galvin had his best game in Bulldogs colours in Sunday’s 42-4 win over Manly, with he and fellow half Matt Burton running at will as Canterbury’s attack clicked into gear.
Luai said his side had nothing special planned for Galvin, with Burton posing a serious threat and the Tigers needing to limit the Bulldogs halves time with the ball.
“That’s a talking point for us every week,” Luai said.
“But in particular, Burto, their left edge, they’ve been scoring a lot of points. I think it was one of Burto’s best games that he played on the weekend.
“He’s got that big left foot. He’s a big body. He’s a runner. They’re looking pretty dangerous in attack, so we need to be on defensively.”
Pacific clash gets marquee venue
Tonga are set to play Samoa in a Pacific Cup blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium, in what could be the most attended rugby league Test in Australia in more than a decade.
The NRL are expected to soon confirm the schedule for this year’s Pacific Championships, with the tournament to coincide with Australia’s Ashes tour of England.
AAP understands New Zealand will host both of their matches, including the series opener against Samoa in mid October.
Tonga and Samoa will then be given the best possible chance of drawing a crowd, with the game slated for October 28 at the 52,500-seat Suncorp Stadium.
The final is then expected be played in Sydney on November 9.
Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium is considered the most likely venue, after also hosting the decider last year.
All games are at this stage set to be played at 4pm on Sundays.
Brisbane’s Samoa-Tonga match could be one of the most hotly anticipated games of the season.
These sides haven’t met in Australia since 2018, and Samoa has joined Tonga as a genuine international powerhouse since then.
The biggest crowd at a Test in Australia in the past decade was the 40,033 who attended the 2017 World Cup final.
This year’s Suncorp Stadium clash would be every chance of bettering that figure, with Brisbane considered the fastest growing Pasifika city in the world.
Proven rugby league powerhouse Tonga and 2022 World Cup finalists Samoa have put the international game on the map with their drawing power and performances.
Both will be red-hot contenders to win the 2026 World Cup, to be hosted in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Jason Taumalolo representing Tonga against Samoa. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
Samoa could yet be boosted by the inclusion of Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Brisbane prop Payne Haas and Gold Coast captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.
They already have players including Penrith winger Brian To’o, Bulldogs centre and captain Stephen Crichton and Wests Tigers playmaker Jarome Luai.
Tonga, coached by Dolphins mentor Kristian Woolf, reached the final of the Pacific Cup against Australia last year.
Their side boasted Dolphins star half Isaiya Katoa, North Queensland wrecking-ball Jason Taumalolo, and a suite of other NRL stars including Daniel Tupou, Eli Katoa and Felise Kaufusi.
The Tongans will be without Manly second-rower Haumole Olaukau’atu, but have rising Warriors such as 19-year-old forward Leka Halasima to call upon.
Halasima played for Tonga A last year and is regarded as one of the brightest second-row prospects in the NRL.
Hunt needs to hook in more at new role
Brisbane veteran Ben Hunt admits he must up the ante with his running game at hooker as he prepares for his 200th NRL match for the Broncos.
The 35-year-old has moved from No.6 to No.9 after a two-month break with a hamstring injury due to the return of Ezra Mam at five-eighth.
It was a switch coach Michael Maguire told the former St George Illawarra captain was on the cards after he signed with the club on a two-year deal.
In two games at hooker – a 26-14 win over Gold Coast and a 22-20 loss to Parramatta – Hunt is yet to hit the high standard he sets for himself.
Ben Hunt. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
He had three runs against the Eels for 15m and no runs against the Titans.
Ahead of Friday night’s meeting with cellar dwellers South Sydney, Hunt said he needed to start running the ball.
“That’s definitely something I’ve got to bring into my game the next few weeks,” Hunt said.
“Now I am back and have got a bit of match fitness and am into the swing of things, I have got to contribute a lot more with the ball. That definitely involves me running out of dummy-half.
“The good (hookers) are doing that. They get half a sniff, guys like Blayke Brailey at the moment, and they are off and running. I’ve got to start doing that.”
Hunt, who has been a halfback for the majority of his 346 NRL matches, has an interesting assignment ahead of him.
He forged a stellar representative career for Queensland and Australia as a hooker and utility but had started at No.9 at NRL level on just 15 occasions before this year.
Hunt was signed to the Broncos while still at school and didn’t think he would ever leave – until he signed a mega deal with the Dragons from 2018.
His return ahead of this season was somewhat of a fairytale, so his 200th game is a milestone to savour.
Gagai gets another go at Knights
People power has won over at Newcastle, with Dane Gagai handed a one-year extension to play on at the Knights in 2026.
Off contract at the end of this year and now aged 34, Gagai’s future had appeared uncertain as he entered the final months of 2025 unsigned.
That prompted an online petition for the club to re-sign the former Queensland State of Origin star.
The deal is now complete, leaving Tyson Frizell and Adam Elliott as the remaining two veterans unsigned at the Knights.
“Everyone knows Dane brings experience and competitiveness to every contest, every day,” Knights recruitment manager Peter O’Sullivan said.
“He has worked really hard for his extension, his tenacity to never give up and willingness to play in any position, especially through extenuating circumstances, shows his true character.
“This extension compliments and balances our squad perfectly for next season.”
Gagai’s extension means his career will go into a 16th season, having played 309 games since his debut with Brisbane in 2011.
The centre spent six seasons at Newcastle between 2012 and 2017, before returning to the club in 2022 after a four-year stint at South Sydney.
Gagai has been one of the shining lights for the Knights in a side that has struggled to find form and consistency.
with AAP
