In a hurried press conference on Tuesday, Luai declared his desire to join the Tigers after the 2024 season, leaving
the Panthers behind. The rumored deal is worth $6 million spread over five years.
A day later, Tigers interim CEO Shane Richardson told SEN he was so excited the team just “had to get him.”
According to Richardson, “every team needs and requires a player who can change the game.”
“They are like diamonds when they come up, because they are very rare and hard to come by.”
The Tigers and head coach Benji Marshall have finally found their man. Luai is the centerpiece of what promises to
be an exciting group of quality second halves at Concord.
The Tigers will also have livewire Jayden Sullivan, emerging star Latu Fainu, and teenage phenom Lachlan Galvin in
addition to Luai.
Marshall will also have access to Adam Doueihi, who is expected to make a comeback from an ACL injury in the
second half of the 2024 campaign.
Luai will be expected to be the team’s primary playmaker regardless of the new player the Tigers sign.
Although it is unclear from the early dialogue if that will be in the number six or number seven jersey, Luai appears
to be starting as the Tigers’ halfback in 2025.
Playing alongside Nathan Cleary, Luai hasn’t really been asked to perform this role for the club, but he has shown
promise on the international scene, helping Samoa to the 2022 World Cup final.
When questioned at the aforementioned press conference regarding Penrith coach Ivan Cleary’s remarks raising
doubts about Luai’s readiness to be a team’s star playmaker, Luai addressed the issue.
It wasn’t a lie, Luai claimed.
“At the end of the day, paying someone whatever you think they’re going to be for your club is risky, but like I
mentioned earlier, I firmly believe in my abilities and what I can provide, and that comes from working hard.
“I was somewhat taken aback by what I heard from Cleary, but he wasn’t lying.”
If Luai does decide to wear the number seven shirt, he would be following in the footsteps of Marshall, who did the
same after departing the Tigers in the second half of his career.
With the Dragons, Marshall developed into a full-time halfback by controlling his running game and honing his
playmaking.
Brad Fittler, the former coach of the Blues and polarizing playmaker Luai, feels that if given the opportunity, the
playmaker can lead a club, bringing comparisons to Marshall.
“Benji, didn’t he do it himself?” Fittler revealed last month to the SMH.
Despite not being a typical halfback, Benji managed to play the position in his own unique way.
“Benji played a totally different role towards the end of his career, and some of his best football was during that
time.”
“He’s an excellent illustration of the opportunities here. Once more, Jarome has simply never been in that position.
Therefore, I believe that a lot of people assume he can’t do it because he has never had to.
Although Luai’s half partner is unknown, he will still have support from others around him.
Both fullback Jahream Bula and former Panthers teammate Api Koroisau had fantastic rookie seasons in 2023 for
the Tigers.
Bula made a big splash the previous season, taking home the Kelly-Barnes Medal as the Tigers’ player of the year and
placing second in the NRL Rookie of the Year competition.
Luai isn’t expected to arrive until the following season, so 2024 will be important for the Tigers in general and the
halves in particular.
Luai will definitely start, but with whom will he partner?
It seems like Sullivan is the front-runner at this early point.
After signing a four-year contract for an estimated $2.2 million, Sullivan left the Dragons. He will most likely wear
number six with seasoned halfback Aiden Sezer when the Tigers play the Raiders in the opening game of 2024.
Sezer is viewed as a temporary solution till Luai shows up, while Sullivan is seen as the way forward. The Tigers’
brass hopes that will be the case, at the very least.
Throughout his 27 appearances in the first grade for the Dragons, the 22-year-old has shown off a lot of talent, but
consistency has been a problem.
Marshall may be prepared to put one of his young players in the fire if Sullivan struggles, even if he will have plenty
of chances this season to be the guy next to Luai in 2025.
Lachlan Galvin, the 2023 Peter Sterling Medal winner for top schoolboy player, and teenager Latu Fainu, who inked
a four-year, $2 million contract from 2024, are both waiting in the wings for their chance to play in the NRL.
When the NSW under-19 team defeated the Queensland under-19 team in July, Fainu was among the finest players
on the field.
Given that Sullivan and Fainu have comparable high-paying contracts, it could not be out of the question to propose
that the Tigers only retain one of the two players for the upcoming season in light of Luai’s signing.
Galvin agreed to a new three-year contract that will begin in 2024, but there are rumors that other teams are
interested in signing him.
Doueihi is the other name in question.
Sadly, Doueihi’s career has been marred by injuries. On Easter Monday, the 25-year-old tore his third ACL against
the Eels. Doueihi has only appeared in 87 games for the Tigers and Rabbitohs in six seasons.
Doueihi’s most recent injury will prevent him from playing for the most of the 2024 season, which is a contract year.
Doueihi’s adaptability works to his advantage.
Doueihi can play at fullback or in the centers and is a skilled outside back, so even if Luai arrives, there won’t be
room in the halves for him.
