Jarome Luai's early departure from the Wests Tigers has sparked debate about his conduct and its impact on the dressing room, with a former premiership winner calling his social media behaviour 'borderline childish'. The Tigers confirmed last Saturday that Luai had been granted a release from the final year of his $1.2 million contract, a move widely seen as freeing up salary cap space to retain emerging talent like the Fainu brothers.
However, Code Sports reporter David Riccio revealed another 'major factor' behind the decision: genuine concerns that Luai's looming move to the PNG Chiefs could become a distraction in 2027. 'There were genuine concerns within the Wests Tigers that Jarome could have still one foot in the door at $1.2 million at the club and one foot out of