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Important update on 1476AMJarome Luai reveals reason he became PNG Chief No. 1
George Clarke, AAP •  April 29th, 2026 2:24 pm
Jarome Luai has been locked in as the first marquee signing for the PNG Chiefs | Photo: Dean Lewins/AAP
Jarome Luai has declared he wants to "grow a nation" after becoming the first player to say yes to the tax-free salaries on offer with NRL new boys the PNG Chiefs.
Luai confirmed to a media scrum on Wednesday that 2027 will be his last season at Wests Tigers after the four-time premiership winner put pen to paper on a three-year deal, which includes an option in his favour in the final season.
The five-eighth made a mad dash to Port Moresby on a private jet last weekend with his family, meeting with PNG prime minister James Marape before agreeing to terms with the Chiefs.
West Tigers' Jarome Luai and coach Benji Marshall talk about the playmaker's move to the PNG Chiefs | Video: AAP
The deal with the Chiefs is tax free as part of the concessions afforded to the NRL newcomers, who enter the competition in 2028.
But Luai, whose Tigers contract is worth roughly $1.2 million per season, insists that wasn't his main motivation.
"I think everyone wants me to say (I did it for) the tax-free (salary) and how appealing that is," Luai said on Wednesday.
"But that's not what got the deal signed. Being over there, you sort of realise that it's bigger than a game over there.
"And when the time comes, we'll be able to change a lot of lives for the better.
"It was probably more the vision that I resonated with … being Polynesian - there's a lot of similarities to Samoa, and what that team's eventually going to do for those people is grow a nation."
Jarome Luai's signature has delighted Chiefs' football GM Michael Chammas and CEO Lorna McPherson | Photo: Supplied
The Samoan international's signature is a major coup for the Chiefs under new football boss Michael Chammas.
It is also an endorsement of the Chiefs, given the security concerns in the rugby-league obsessed nation.
"It (safety) was important, that's why my (family) came with me," Luai said.
"It was all there ... and there's some really good people behind all of that, and it's going to work, and it's going to be real."
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Luai's acquisition for PNG is a huge statement about the Chiefs' intent, while fellow expansion club Perth Bears, who will enter the NRL in 2027, have struggled to land a marquee player.
South Sydney winger Alex Johnston is likely to join the playmaker at the Chiefs, and given Luai's standing there's a sense of anticipation he will be a honeypot to players curious about joining PNG.
When it was put to him that his former Penrith teammate Nathan Cleary comes off contract at the end of 2027, Luai said: "It's a long way away, let's see what happens."
Luai has been a big part of the Tigers' resurgence under Benji Marshall, but was not naive to the fact that critics would bring up his response to Lachlan Galvin's exit from the club 12 months ago.
The highly skilled Jarome Luai has been a key to West Tigers' revival under coach Benji Marshall | Photo: Dean Lewins/AAP
The 29-year-old posted a photo captioned "team first" when Galvin agitated for a release from his Tigers contract to join Canterbury midway through last season.
"It's a tricky one, two different situations, and I'm going to be an adult about it and not drag Lachie into something that he is not a part of," Luai said.
"He's got a big part to play in his own team now. But it's two different situations. I know the 'team first' thing is getting thrown around a bit.
"I'm here for 18 months. I live and breathe team first.
"My brothers know that, they're happy for me and my family. This club will be in a great position when I leave."
Luai was free to negotiate with the Chiefs given the clauses in his five-year contract with the Tigers, which permitted the No. 6 to activate an option to stay or leave.
He will remain with the Tigers in 2027 before becoming PNG's leader in chief.
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