‘We’re building something special’: Jarome Luai on Benji, Bula and how long he’ll be a Tiger

3 weeks ago 3

Jarome Luai once likened himself to Batman in explaining his motivation for joining Wests Tigers. Upon reflection, he feels there’s a better superhero analogy.

“I probably looked at it a bit differently back then when I was saying all of that,” Luai explains.

“Batman sort of does things on his own. He’s that kind of character. But it takes 30 guys to win a premiership, you know what I mean?

“I definitely look at it in a different light now. There’s no one-man show, there’s no one-man team in any successful team ... it’s about how I’ll make players better. How I’ll make better men around me and then ultimately that’s going to create a winning culture.”

Which is why today Luai sees himself less as the brooding Batman loner and more of an Avenger, part of a team tasked with fighting the good fight.

“Everyone’s got their superpower, everyone’s got their role to play,” Luai says. “I think that’s a lot better way to put it ... I’ve always liked Thor because of his long hair.”

Tigers playmaker Jarome Luai on the attack against Penrith.

Luai says this at Wests Tigers headquarters on Friday afternoon, where he is posing in the new-look 2026 jersey after the club struck an apparel deal with Canterbury of New Zealand.

It’s his first chance to reflect on a season that finished when Samoa lost the Pacific Championships final last weekend, also his first since shifting from four-peat premiers Penrith. In his absence, the Panthers finished a game short of another grand final, while Luai helped the Tigers climb off the bottom to 13th.

“The expectation for myself has always been high, I’ve got a pretty good success rate over the years and we didn’t play finals,” Luai says.

“It was probably a cross on a personal level. As a winner, as a competitor, I always want to be in that frame to compete for a championship. Until we’re there, I wouldn’t say it’s not a success, but we’re building something special here.”

Jahream Bula is part of what it is shaping as a formidable spine for the the Wests Tigers.

The Tigers finished below where Luai is used to, but he has no regrets in his decision to join the joint-venture outfit.

“There are going to be ups and downs, and that’s all part of this journey,” he says. “It’s all about embracing it, finding little ways to get better and help the people around you get better. I’ve been here before, bro, so I know what it takes.”

It’s no secret Luai has a clause in his five-year, $6 million contract which, if activated, could result in him leaving at the end of next season.

Asked how long he wants to wear the Tigers jersey, Luai replies: “Until I’m done. I’ve always said it and hopefully I’ve shown that with my actions and how I’ve played this year.”

Luai hopes teammate Jahream Bula, another member of the Tigers spine who has a clause in his contract, is also in for the long haul.

“Yes sir, definitely,” Luai says. He’s a big part of this club, we love him here and I love playing next to him. “His future’s in his hands, but if you ask anyone here, they love to play with Reamy, so hopefully we can lock them down … He’s got it all in spades; he’s athletic, he’s young, he’s got a great head on his shoulders, he works hard.

”And you can just tell he loves the game, the way he plays it, so hopefully we just keep building on that combination, finding ways to make him better. That’s my job and my responsibility, to get him some ball. It’s a sight to see.”

With Luai at five-eighth, Bula at fullback and Apisai Koroisau at hooker, the Tigers have the makings of a formidable spine. Coach Benji Marshall hasn’t settled on a halves partner since Lachlan Galvin’s acrimonious departure, but Luai has high hopes for youngster Latu Fainu.

“I’ve spoken highly of him the past year that’s gone by,” he says. “Just a bit of luck needs to go his way with injury and stuff like that, I know he’s bouncing back again from another one, so if my brother can stay healthy, I’m sure he’ll be one of the best in the comp.”

The upcoming season will also be a defining one for Marshall. After earning the wooden spoon in his first year in charge, the club improved in his second and now the expectation is that the Tigers can make their first finals series since 2011.

Luai has no doubt Marshall is the man to take the club forward.

“Benji’s right up there with all the coaches that I’ve had,” he says.

“He’s played the game in the modern era, so he understands it. He understands what players go through on a daily basis and I think that’s sort of what separates him from some of the other coaches as well.

“He was obviously my idol, but take that out of the picture. He’s a great NRL coach, and I definitely think he’s the guy to lead this club to the promised land.”