Wests Tigers captain Jarome Luai should remove a contract clause which allows him to leave the club because he wouldn’t get the same salary elsewhere, according to The Daily Telegraph reporter David Riccio.
Luai has a five-year deal with the joint venture which expires at the end of the 2029 season, but has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave the club at the end of 2026, if he decides to do so.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Luai assured Tigers supporters he was committed to the club for the long-term.
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“I’m staying, don’t worry, for life,” Luai boldly declared.
When asked whether he had removed the option from his contract, Luai conceded that he hadn’t yet.
“It’s not gone but I think when things get hard, people sort of 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.”
Riccio felt as though Luai’s words didn’t mean a whole lot, unless he was willing to sit down with Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson and have the clause removed.
“I think Tigers fans will sleep a little bit better when that happens,” Riccio said on NRL 360 on Wednesday night.
Given his hefty $1.2 million salary, Luai’s statistics aren’t very impressive this season.
The five-eighth is yet to score a try for his new club, and of the halves who have played 10 or more games in the NRL this season, he sits at 13th for try assists, 17th for both line break assists and runs, and 29th for line breaks.
It’s why Riccio believes Luai may be better served to remain at the Tigers, because he’d be unlikely to command his current salary at another club.
“I can understand why he would take his options (out) and stay at the Tigers, because I would argue that if he went onto the open market today, he wouldn’t be able to get the current salary that he’s on of around $1.2 million,” Riccio said.
However, fellow panellist James Hooper had a different view.
“I reckon he would,” Hooper replied.
“I disagree with that. I think he would (get a similar salary elsewhere). With new teams coming in, with Perth coming in, with Papua New Guinea coming in.
“He’s an elite player. He’s won four premiership rings. If he went to the open market, I would argue that he would command top dollar in the current climate.”
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Hooper also felt that Luai was part of the reason why Lachlan Galvin left the Wests Tigers in a “messy” mid-season departure to join the Bulldogs, and therefore it’s crucial for the Tigers that the signing of Luai works out over the long-term.
“The other element that we can’t tap dance around with Jarome, and this is why the Wests Tigers desperately need it to work with him, is that his arrival has forced Lachie Galvin out,” Hooper added.
“There was clearly some friction in terms of their personalities, they didn’t get along, Lachie hasn’t enjoyed whatever he’s brought to the club, and that’s a big part of the reason why he’s sought the messy exit.”
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