"It was a shock": Luai addresses media for the first time since Tigers split

Wests Tigers playmaker Jarome Luai has admitted to his surprise by the club’s decision to move him on for the 2027 season.

Luai joined the Tigers in 2025 to a five-year deal but chose to exercise an exit clause in his contract and subsequently signed a lucrative deal with the PNG Chiefs. The four-time Premiership winner was set to join PNG in 2028 but the Tigers told Luai he is free to join a rival club in 2027.

Speaking to the media for the first time since the club’s decision, Luai said he held no grudges or ill-will to the Wests Tigers organisation.

“It was a shock. I’ll be honest with you,” Luai told the media on Thursday morning.

“As a player, our game at this level is a business. The faster a player can comprehend that, the better understanding they will have of why these decisions are made . “I’m fully supportive of the club for their decision because there is potential here for some of the guys, especially in the halves.

“Without opportunity, those guys can’t prosper and the last thing I wanted to be was a road block for someone else’s success.

“It’s been tough because there’s been a lot of noise around but that’s the world we live in.

“Everyone’s got an opinion and sometimes, people think their opinion is important because it’s there for the world to see and here.

“My main thing now is to adapt, move on and I just want to enjoy my footy.

“That’s when I’m at my best and I want to leave my jersey in a better position than when I found it.”

Luai has since signed a one-year deal with the Parramatta Eels for the 2027 decision.

The 29-year-old was quick to shut down any rumours of a rift between him and coach Benji Marshall as well as his new deal with Parramatta.

“I’ve got the utmost respect for Benji,” Luai added.

“It’s the way he holds himself and how much he loves the club and loves this team.

“We’ve been able to have tough conversations. We won’t let a business decision get in the way of our relationship.

“I’m not at Parramatta yet so I’ll answer those questions after November 1 or whenever our season’s done.

“Out of respect for the club and the rest of the lads, I’m still a Wests Tigers member.”

At the time Luai signed with PNG in late April, the Tigers were sitting third on the ladder with a 5-2 record. The Tigers now sit 13th on the ladder after Round 19 having lost eight of their past 10 matches.

Luai acknowledged that his announcement to sign with the Chiefs has been an unwanted distraction but was adamant that it didn’t contribute to the recent string of poor results.

“If it affected anyone, me making a call on leaving the club 18 months prior, I will wear that.

“I’ve never shied away from responsibility and accountability. If it’s on me, it’s on me. “The best thing I can do now is put my best foot forward for the lads.

“People are quick to point the finger and quick to forget.

“I’ve enjoyed my time at the Tigers and I’ve grown in a lot of ways that people haven’t seen.

“We aren’t winning wooden spoons anymore. That’s a tick in that box.

“These last couple of months, I just want to have fun with the lads.”

The Tigers play in a de facto elimination final when they take on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Saturday night at Accor Stadium.