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<\/p>\nBenji Marshall publicly squashed rumblings of a fallout with Jarome Luai \u2014 but the \u201cpolarising\u201d playmaker\u2019s decisions may have had a negative impact on the squad.<\/p>\n
As legendary back rower Gorden Tallis explained, there was an instant shift in the Broncos\u2019 changing rooms when Wendell Sailor announced he was joining Rugby Australia in 2001.<\/p>\n
While there was no obvious bad blood between the Tigers and Luai when he was unveiled as the PNG Chiefs\u2019 marquee signing, Tallis believed it may have shifted attitudes within the squad.<\/p>\n
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Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s polarising. It happened to myself and Wendell Sailor, it changed our relationship when he went to rugby,\u201d Tallis said on NRL360 on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n \u201cGood on him, he went for big money. But it changed, it changes your dressing room. When he signed for PNG, as much as you can say there\u2019s no rift.<\/p>\n \u201cThere might not be a rift but it changes your perception… it might be a fraction, and they will still love him and still talk and still be teammates.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it does change a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n That change, albeit small, may have put the wheels in motion for Luai to be informed he was free to leave at the end of the 2026 season, signing a one-year deal with the Eels for 2027.<\/p>\n The Tigers\u2019 call sparked rumours of a rift between Marshall and Luai, which led the club\u2019s coach to tee off at the \u201cabsolutely bulls***\u201d and \u201cmade-up\u201d suggestions.<\/a><\/p>\n Those rumours only intensified after Martin Luai, Jarome\u2019s Dad, liked a post from Triple M that included a quote from Channel Nine reporter Danny Weidler which suggested Jarome and Marshall are \u201cnot as close as they were since he said I\u2019m off to PNG\u201d.<\/p>\n Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\n ‘Is it worth it for the Tigers?’ Anasta | 02:35<\/p>\n Those rumblings suggest a shift in the pair\u2019s relationship, which Marshall denied.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what I will say though is that the fact that people can make up rumours that we\u2019re having a relationship breakdown or a rift between our friendship is absolutely bulls**t,\u201d Marshall said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat baffles me is that off a hint of a few things or a situation where people think you should have a rift on it, it\u2019s not right. You can\u2019t make that stuff up.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t mean this to anyone personally in here, but in the media what we have done is made some s*** up that me and him have a fractured relationship, which is far from the truth.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I think what you guys need to do is have a look at why you\u2019re making that up and not put that on us and put that out there so it creates more for us. That\u2019s not true.\u201d<\/p>\n However, Fox League\u2019s Paul Crawley remained adamant that a rift remained between the pair.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Benji has a habit of the best form of defence is attack in these sorts of situations. In all honesty, there may not be a breakdown between him and Jarome,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the fact of the matter is the Tigers have let go of their captain, their marquee man, and what a few months ago they were all on the same page.<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n TEAM LISTS: Madge\u2019s bumper Broncos boost; Storm\u2019s halves headache worsens<\/a><\/p>\n LUAI MOVE CONFIRMED: Luai locks in new club as cost of Tigers move revealed<\/a><\/p>\n