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Marshall defends Luai form, weighs in on Folau link
George Clarke, AAP • June 12th, 2026 5:11 pm
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall has come to the defence of Jarome Luai about the star's form | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Benji Marshall claims it's inaccurate to attribute Jarome Luai's pending move to the PNG Chiefs as the catalyst for Wests Tigers' mid-season implosion.
As he ruled out a move for controversial code-hopper Israel Folau, Marshall leapt to the defence of Tigers co-captain Luai following the club's recent struggles.
The Tigers, who host the Gold Coast at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday, started the season with a 5-2 record.
In the weeks since Luai put pen to paper and agreed to join the Chiefs in 2028, the Tigers have won just one of their last five games, leaking 226 points across that period including last week's 68-0 humiliation at the hands of Penrith.
But Marshall said it was too simplistic to lay the blame for the Tigers' demise at the feet of their out-of-form five-eighth.
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall rules out a move to sign Israel Folau | Video: AAP
"I said this at the time, it'll become a distraction if you let it," Marshall said.
"If you don't find the results, then they'll find the excuses to make that a distraction.
"We haven't had the results, so people are always going to point to that, but it's deeper than that.
"You don't like making excuses but when you've got your key players out, what we haven't done is adapt enough in those games to defend better.
"You can talk all you want about Jarome's decision to go to PNG, but there's 16 other players or 18 other players in the squad that need to do their job as well."
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Luai's application in the weeks since he inked his Chiefs deal has been heavily scrutinised.
Two-time premiership winner turned pundit Luke Keary argued on Fox Sports the Tigers co-captain hadn't stepped up to the plate.
But Marshall said Luai's form was a smokescreen to the Tigers' true issues.
"I want him to go out and play the way Jarome plays his best footy and not take on the pressure and bear the expectation of the whole team - he doesn't need that," Marshall said.
"What I need is the guys around him to give him a good platform to play his footy … it's going to be a team effort this week, not just Jarome.
"The focus shouldn't be on what he's doing, it should be on the whole team."
Benji Marshall says he has no interest in signing Israel Folau | Photo: Jono Searle/AAP
Meanwhile, Marshall broke his own golden rule - speaking publicly about recruitment - to address speculation linking the Tigers with a move for Folau.
Reports emerged earlier this week Folau, who hasn't played NRL in over a decade, could make his way back to Australia after the expiration of his deal in Japanese rugby union.
But Marshall was clear the Tigers wouldn't be making a move for the 37-year-old former Wallabies star.
"That's the furthest thing from my mind, I need to get my team back on track," Marshall said.
"I need to focus on what's important right now ... we're not signing him."
