It is not just Jarome Luai creating headlines with his social media activity.
Father Martin has now caused a stir with one single emoji, commenting on a post which hinted at potential fractures in the relationship between Jarome and Tigers coach Benji Marshall.
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Martin commented an ‘OK’ emoji on a post from Triple M that included a quote from Channel Nine reporter Danny Weidler which suggested Jarome and Marshall are “not as close as they were since he said I’m off to PNG”.
“It feels weird to me that the guy who was brought in to change the culture of your club is out the door in a couple of years,” Weidler said on the radio program.
“My feeling on it is that Benji and Jarome aren’t necessarily as close as they were. I’m not saying there was a blow-up or anything. I just don’t think they are as close as they were ever since he made that big call to say I’m off to PNG.
“Quite often in those situations when a player makes a decision like that, it takes a very strong club and very strong people to make it continue to work in the background.
“It has worked. Penrith players have gone. Someone like Stephen Crichton had a great season but Penrith and the Wests Tigers are different clubs.”
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The Instagram post in question.Source: FOX SPORTSMartin Luai responds with an OK emoji.Source: FOX SPORTS
It is not the first time Martin Luai has created headlines on social media, having previously posted ‘Get out clause activated’ on his story after the Tigers’ 64-0 loss to the Storm last year.
That, of course, was in reference to the option to Luai’s contract which allowed him to hit the open market and leave the Tigers despite having signed with the club until the end of 2029.
Martin joked in the aftermath of that incident that he had been banned from social media by his wife.
The latest social media post comes in the wake of confirmation the five-eighth will leave the Tigers at the end of the year, with the club looking to free up salary cap space to spend on extending some of its young talent.
Both Luke Keary and former Tigers front rower Aaron Woods questioned whether the Luai decision could split the dressing room, while there are now suggestions it could challenge his relationship with Marshall.
The Tigers coach is yet to front media to address how the club came to the decision and what it means for the rest of the season, having shut down any questions on Luai in Friday night’s press conference after the loss to the Warriors.
Code Sports reporter Brent Read said on Triple M that he would suggest Luai and Marshall’s relationship is “probably strained to an extent”.
“It was tight. I’m not sure it’s as tight as it was because of what has happened and the way things have unfolded,” he added.