{"id":893551,"date":"2026-09-16T02:10:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T02:10:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/893551\/"},"modified":"2026-09-16T02:10:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T02:10:23","slug":"jarome-luai-skips-wests-tigers-end-of-season-awards-night-amid-reports-of-fractured-relationship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/893551\/","title":{"rendered":"Jarome Luai skips Wests Tigers end-of-season awards night amid reports of fractured relationship"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Christian<\/p>\n

September 16, 2026 \u2014 10:05am<\/p>\n

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Jarome Luai\u2019s two-year career at the Wests Tigers has come to an end with the star playmaker ditching the club\u2019s end of season awards\u2019 night.<\/p>\n

Luai did not attend the function at Doltone House in Pyrmont on Tuesday night as his teammates celebrated clubman Alex Twal being crowned the Kelly-Barnes Medal winner. Co\u2013captain Api Koroisau won the players\u2019 player award.<\/p>\n

\"JaromeJarome Luai\u2019s time at the Tigers has ended.Wolter Peeters<\/p>\n

About the same time as the Tigers posted on their social media network that Twal had taken home the club\u2019s main prize, Luai uploaded a story on his official Instagram account from Samoa, the Pacific nation where he has spent the past several days promoting the Rugby League World Cup.<\/p>\n

The Tigers confirmed Luai did not attend the awards night.<\/p>\n

It is not uncommon for players to be overseas on holidays and miss end-of-season presentations. There were 27 no-shows at the St George Illawarra presentation night in 2022.<\/p>\n

But it is rare for the highest-paid player and co-captain to skip the final formal event of the season \u2013 and Luai\u2019s absence all but summed up how toxic his relationship with the Tigers had become.<\/p>\n

\"JaromeJarome Luai arriving at the resort in Samoa.Instagram<\/p>\n

Tension between the four-time premiership winner and the Tigers started the moment Luai hopped off a private jet from Port Moresby and announced he would become the Papua New Guinea Chiefs\u2019 marquee signing from 2028.<\/p>\n

The Tigers had won five of their first seven games, but following the Luai announcement, dropped 14 of their next 17 to miss the finals for a 15th straight year.<\/p>\n

Coach Benji Marshall repeatedly said there was no bad blood with Luai, and there were no regrets about signing him in the first place.<\/p>\n

Despite his pending exit, Luai remained one of the most popular players with fans.<\/p>\n

\"JaromeJarome Luai and Benji Marshall.Fairfax Media<\/p>\n

\u201cTell those guys to come and walk a day in my shoes<\/a> and see if they can do it \u2013 see if they\u2019re a better fit for it,\u201d he said after the Tigers\u2019 shock round 25 win over the Roosters.<\/p>\n

Speaking before the final-round Panthers\u2019 clash, Marshall said: \u201cI\u2019m sure a lot of people will have their opinions about what he hasn\u2019t done here.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he\u2019d admit himself he would have liked to have contributed more on the field.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut all in all, he\u2019ll leave here having had an impact on our club \u2026<\/p>\n

\"JaromeJarome Luai\u2019s career at the Tigers has come to an end.Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no regrets from our side about bringing him here whatsoever because he did the job we needed him to.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Tigers will rely on Latu Fainu, who played the second half against the Panthers in the halves, Adam Doueihi, Jock Madden and rookie Javon Andrews to slot into the halves in 2027.<\/p>\n

Another perspective\"Tigers<\/a><\/p>\n

They have recruited Jayden Brailey from the Raiders, while Newcastle\u2019s Tyson Frizell is also being wooed because of his experience.<\/p>\n

A good friend of Marshall\u2019s from their playing days at St George Illawarra, Frizell told this masthead on Tuesday the coach had picked up the phone on several occasions about a move to Concord.<\/p>\n

In other club presentation news, Simi Sasagi won Canberra\u2019s Meninga Medal, and Hamish Stewart became the youngest recipient of the Dragons Medal.<\/p>\n

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