Jarome Luai to leave Wests Tigers at end of season
NRL star Jarome Luai will depart the Wests Tigers at the end of the 2026 season to join the Papua New Guinea Chiefs for their inaugural 2028 campaign. The early release was mutually agreed upon to allow the Tigers to focus on developing younger talent.
Why it matters
Luai's move to the expansion PNG Chiefs represents a major shift in the NRL's competitive landscape and economic structure.
Jarome Luai will end his stint with the Wests Tigers at the conclusion of the 2026 season. ( Getty Images: Hannah Peters )
Link copied Share Share article Wests Tigers have confirmed star five-eighth Jarome Luai will leave the club at the end of the season.
Luai signed with the Tigers from Penrith, where he won four premierships as a Panther, for the 2025 season.
He was contracted with the Tigers until 2027, but the two parties have agreed to part ways after the playmaker activated a release clause in his contract.
Jarome Luai's decision to sign with Papua New Guinea is a showcase of the economic power behind the Chiefs and marks the start of the greatest rugby league gold rush since Super League.
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