Jarome Luai is being tipped to earn about $2 million per season if he makes a bombshell defection to PNG, after the Wests Tigers star met with Chiefs officials on Sunday. Luai was spotted in Port Moresby and attended a local league game alongside prime minister James Marape, where fans chanted “Luai, Luai, Luai.”
According to reports he met with PNG Chiefs officials, including their general manager Michael Chammas. Luai reportedly told the Tigers he was leaving the country and would be back on Monday.
Jarome Luai was spotted in PNG and reportedly met with Chiefs officials. Image: PNG Post Courier/Getty
The five-eighth is in the second year of a five-year contract with the Tigers, worth $1.2 million per season. But the final three years are ‘player options’ in his favour, meaning he can leave the Tigers at any time.
The Chiefs are set to enter the NRL competition in 2028. Luai reportedly has until April 30 to inform the Tigers whether he’ll take up his option for 2027. It means he could elect to stay at the Tigers next year and then head to PNG in 2028.
Luai’s signature would be a huge coup for the NRL’s newest team. NRL players who sign with PNG are afforded extra incentives like tax-free money, and Michael Carayannis of The Daily Telegraph wrote on Sunday night that Luai could earn the equivalent of $2 million per season if he makes the switch.
Jarome Luai was seen at a local league game in Port Moresby. Image: PNG Post Courier
PNG on the hunt for first NRL signing
Former NRL player and current Hull KR coach Willie Peters has already signed on to coach the Chiefs. They’re yet to make on official signing, but players like Pat Carrigan, Alex Johnston, Cameron McInnes and Toby Rudolf have all expressed a potential interest.
Carrigan said earlier this year: “I think there’d be a fair list of boys trying to join that PNG crew if it’s tax-free dollars, that’s for sure. It’s a business…you learn how this game goes.”
Melbourne Storm legend and Chiefs board member Marcus Bai said last month: “The fans will go crazy for Carrigan because he is a Broncos player and so many people in PNG love the Broncos. It would be awesome to have Pat Carrigan.
“He is not only a great player, but the support for the Broncos in Papua New Guinea is unbelievable. He is the type of player PNG would want and the fans would bow down to him. Guys like him and Nathan Cleary who have won grand finals, so if they could come here and win a premiership for PNG, it would change the lives of PNG people.”