Jarome Luai on why he signed with the PNG Chiefs

After signing with the PNG Chiefs for its inaugural 2028 season, outgoing Wests Tigers co-captain Jarome Luai has said the move is not about the money.

“It’s bigger than a game over there … when the time comes, we’ll be able to change a lot of lives for the better,” he said.

Luai left the Penrith Panthers in 2024 to join the Tigers on a five-year contract, although the deal included a clause allowing him to renew on an annual basis.

It is understood that the new tax-free deal with the PNG Chiefs is worth $1.2 million a season from 2028.

Speaking to reporters, Luai said his Polynesian background was also a deciding factor, adding: “There’s a lot of similarities to Samoa.”

“What that team’s eventually going to do for those people is just grow a nation,” he said.

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