Penrith ‘respect’ Jarome’s big shift

The Panthers have responded to Jarome Luai’s decision to join Wests Tigers from 2025 on a five-year deal, with the three-time defending premiers expressing their “disappointment” but ultimately “respecting Jarome’s choice” as salary cap pressures force another star out of the club.

Luai announced on Wednesday that he was heading to the Tigers next year to link up with childhood hero Benji Marshall, who has had his biggest win as a coach as the club looks to bounce back from consecutive wooden spoons.

Leaving his hometown club, where he’s won three titles and played alongside his best mates, was a brutal decision for Luai, but the chance to prove himself as the head chef was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.

Penrith wanted to keep him but couldn’t match the Tigers’ offer, with Luai joining other big names Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau, Api Koroisau and Stephen Crichton who have all moved on.

“As publicly stated previously, the club believes that as a three-time premiership player and international representative, Jarome has earnt the right to explore the open market and although the club is disappointed by the outcome, it respects Jarome’s choice,” the Panthers posted.

Luai will return to training on Thursday but will remain sidelined as he recovers from shoulder surgery. It’s unclear whether he’ll be available for the trip to the UK for the World Club Challenge.

But he and the Panthers have stressed they are fully committed to working together to achieve an unprecedented fourth straight title. “We acknowledge that the situation is compounded by salary cap capacity due to the club’s recent success,” Panthers Rugby League chief executive Matt Cameron said.