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 WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n The Eels will pay $700,000 of Luai\u2019s $1.2 million contract next year, while the Tigers will chip in $500,000.<\/p>\n At the time, Eels general manager of football Mark O\u2019Neill praised Luai and said he was signed to bring professionalism and consistency to the struggling club.<\/p>\n Four-time Parramatta premiership-winner Brett Kenny, however, told foxsports.com.au that he wouldn\u2019t have singed Luai for several reasons.<\/p>\n Kenny said he would have preferred the club gave the up-and-coming juniors a go first.<\/p>\n Not only to gain valuable experience, but to ensure they felt part of the club\u2019s long-term plans.<\/p>\n Ryles fires back at Luai signing critics | 02:08<\/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 Kenny is worried the best young talent at Parramatta might look to other clubs if the Eels keep signing players like Luai and Jonah Pezet to short-term deals<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThey might not be ready yet but you also might end up losing them if you\u2019re not careful,\u201d Kenny said. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen Luai goes they might try and buy another five-eighth and in the meantime one of those younger blokes might get offered a contract from another club and go because they\u2019re not getting a chance at Parramatta.<\/p>\n \u201cLook at the young bloke who is playing halfback for the Raiders (Ethan Sanders). I remember watching him play for Parramatta.<\/p>\n \u201cHe struggled at times but went well and the next thing you know, he\u2019s gone to Canberra, so they need to be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n Parramatta legend Brett Kenny has several issues with the Jarome Luai signingSource: Supplied<\/p>\n Luai was told by the Tigers he could entertain offers from rivals for 2027 just months after he informed the club he was moving to the PNG Chiefs from 2028.<\/p>\n His long-term footy future is with the Chiefs, not the Eels, and that\u2019s raised concerns about how committed Luai will be for the Parramatta cause, given he\u2019s only there for a year. <\/p>\n Kenny is worried the Eels won\u2019t see the best of the four-time premiership winner because he may have one eye on the Chiefs while wearing a Parramatta jersey. <\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got to look at what Luai\u2019s mindset might be,\u201d Kenny said. <\/p>\n \u201cThe following year he\u2019s going to play for the Chiefs and he\u2019s going to earn huge money<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIs he really going to work hard and try and get the team to the semis? There\u2019s no guarantee there.<\/p>\n \u201cIs he just going to go through the motions and get through the season before he goes off and cops his big dollars?\u201d<\/p>\n ‘Every week I can have a little dig’ | 04:51<\/p>\n Another worry Kenny has is how the club\u2019s treating its best player \u2013 captain and halfback Mitchell Moses.<\/p>\n Kenny formed one of the all-time great halves partnerships with Peter Sterling to win four premierships together.<\/p>\n He doesn\u2019t like the fact Moses will have another halves partner next season and another the year after when Luai is gone.<\/p>\n Moses will turn 33 shortly before Luai leaves the club and Kenny fears having so many halves partners will affect the Eels captain while he\u2019s in the prime of his career.<\/p>\n \u201cThe person I worry about is Mitchell Moses. You just wonder how it\u2019s going to affect him,\u201d Kenny said. <\/p>\n \u201cHow many five-eighths has he had in the past couple of years?<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact we (Kenny and Sterling) played together for so long was a big reason why we had that success.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n THE RUN HOME: Storm\u2019s only hope of saving historic run; shock top-two surge<\/a><\/p>\n TALKING POINTS: $13m blow exposes big \u2018challenge\u2019; star\u2019s response to \u2018unfair\u2019 move<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/a>
<\/a><\/p>\n