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Tigers captain Jarome Luai visited Papua New Guinea on Sunday, in the first sign he could make a shock move to the Chiefs.
Luai is poised to become rugby league’s biggest earner if he signs a deal with the club, as the NRL would not register him for less than the $1.2 million he is on at the Tigers due to contract rules.
With tax-free contracts a major lure at the disposal of the Chiefs, Luai would need to be paid around $2.2 million if playing for a team subject to income tax in order to have a similar level of take-home pay.
Tax-free contracts were one of the main allowances granted by the NRL to what will be the competition’s 19th team in 2028.
His tour of Australia’s northern neighbour is being hosted by the Chiefs CEO Lorna McPherson, and general manager, Michael Chammas. A photo of Luai, understood to have been taken in Papua New Guinea, was circulating on Sunday afternoon.
Luai has until April 30 to take up an option to stay with the Tigers for next season. He’s expected to do that, but before activating that part of the deal, he would need to sign with the Chiefs for 2028 to take advantage of his free agency.
It would be a huge coup for the new team and set a benchmark for the type of player they are hoping to attract.
Luai was a multiple premiership winner with the Panthers and remains a State of Origin and Test star. His signing would tower over anything the Perth Bears have been able to achieve ahead of their 2027 arrival into the NRL.
Luai has long been asked about taking the clauses out of his Tigers contract, but has managed to sidestep media inquiries as well as he dodges defenders on the field. It’s understood the Tigers know he is in PNG.
The deal would be a significant coup for Chammas, who was always close to Luai when he was a journalist with Nine newspapers.
This masthead recently revealed that Mitch Kenny, a former teammate of Luai, was in line to be the PNG skipper. Another Panthers multiple premiership winner, Liam Martin is interested in exploring the PNG option.
The other attractive part of any Luai deal is his ability to attract other players to the game’s newest franchise.
If Luai is to become the marquee man for the Chiefs in 2028, it would mean he had spent three seasons from what was initially a five-year deal to join the Wests Tigers.
His much-hyped signing from the Panthers for the 2025 season played a huge role in the club’s turnaround from cellar dwellers to second spot on the ladder after eight rounds of the 2026 season.
His on-field ability, coupled with strong leadership qualities, has been crucial to helping the joint venture team become a genuine finals contender.
But, during this time, always lurking in the background has been an option in his favour in his contract that allowed him to leave the joint venture club after just two seasons and then at the conclusion of each season after that.
Wests Tigers, who have five of their first seven matches this season, next face Cronulla on Sunday. They are coming off a 33-14 win over Canberra at Leichhardt Oval on Thursday night.
