Luai set for SHOCK Early Departure 🤯 Where Will the Star Half Land in 2027? 👀 | NRL 360 | Fox League

Let's get to breaking news out of the Tigers today.Jerome Luai told that he can leave at the end of the year.Yeah, big news, Brady.There was a meeting last week with the club and Jerome and basically gave him permission to go to market, see what's out there for him.Obviously, he's got a year left in that deal.He's going to Papua New Guinea in 2028.

And I think the Tigers just wanted to move in another direction.

So, Jerome is free to go to market now.This is a massive story.It's a huge story.The club captain has been told to move on.

Yeah.

Why?

Well, because I think, as I said, he's leaving in a year's time.The club's got some young halves coming through.Javan Andrews, Latu Farnu.And I think their belief is it's best to give those guys an opportunity in the next 12 months to see whether they're up to it.And if Jerome can go and find a club, I believe he will.Look, I'd be stunned if he's not a Parramatta next season.

We'll get to that.This is a big backflip.

It is massive.Like, you know, on the bus, all the signs, all that.He signed with PNG, which no one had a problem with.I don't think West Tigers.I thought they handled it well.What, ten weeks later, he's looking for a next club next?

Did they not have a problem with it?Or did they have a problem with it?What's that?Him going to PNG in the way that he signed the contract?

Well, they didn't have a problem until it became a problem.And they haven't succeeded.For mine, it's a concession that the Jerome Lewi $1 .2 million experiment hasn't succeeded.Like, we're heading into round 19.and mathematically there's still a chance of playing finals and they've told their skipper he's not wanted for next year.I'll put it to you this way, if Nathan Cleary's coming off contract right at the end of next season and he's signed somewhere else, do Penrith put him in New South Wales or try and flog him off somewhere else so they can bring a young kid through?

You know what I mean?That club has decided that Jerome's It hasn't been a success.

No one's going to pay close to that for a year.

But my understanding is there's already a termination fee that's been agreed, Braith.That'll become formal on Monday, formally announced on Monday.And I don't think they're putting in more than $3 billion.$200 ,000, $300 ,000 towards his next deal.So who's going to pay $900 ,000 for one year?Well, as I said, I'd be stunned if he's not a Parramatta next year.

Really?And we've seen they did it with Jonah Pezza this year.Jonah came in for $12 ,000, another one -year deal.Just to bridge them through.Because if you remember at the end of next year, we're talking Matt Burton, some other big names are coming off contracts.So it buys them 12 months, they can get in the market for a Matt Burton and potentially land them and get them in the end of 2027.

Then Jerome can go off and go to PNV.

How do you play it there at the moment in the halves?for one year, it is a bit of a risk for that player.Because, you know, if you don't play exactly how you should, or to the expectations that you are, then they'll likely bring someone else in, like Volkman's playing outstanding.

I would say it's less of a risk with Jerome, because they've played together, him and Mitchell Moses.Now, granted it was at Origin, but their record at Origin level is outstanding.So, if you go on that small sample size, that combination works.

You are paying three times as much, that's all.There is a risk to it, right?And there's also, you know, destabilisation.Yeah, of course.Because Volkman is playing out of his, you know.We should say that's not confirmed, Breit.

No, no, but it's a fair point.

That's just a suspicion.That's the likely place that he goes.I mean, Craws, see I'm a bit different than you on the Lua situation where there was success for the Tigers.I think he gave them credibility that they didn't have.I think he helped them on that front.I think he made them a more attractive football club and it hasn't been rewarded with a place in the finals.

But I think they became, I wouldn't say destination club when Jerome was there, but they became a much more attractive club.And I think we've seen the Tigers were on the up this year until they had some injury problems.I don't think it was an abject failure.

Not an abject failure.Rudy it's not a success because they're not playing finals again like 2011.is how far we go back as a club.And then for them to concede coming into Round 19 that they've basically given up on their captain.I just can't see how you say that's a success for the Jerome Louis experiment.And you talk about Benji, they were selling this.

When Benji signed until when?The end of 2030 or what?It was extended.They were selling it as the players wanted to be on board with Benji.And then Jerome Louis leaves.So they're supposedly the great mates.

What's happened there?Is this Benji's decision?Because I can't imagine the Tigers let Jerome go unless Benji signed it.

No, I believe it's Benji's decision, yeah.Benji's driven this, it's my understanding.

Which would make you think that their relationship is on the rocks.

Well, I mean, I'm sure Benji feels a little bit...What's the word I'm looking for?A little bit cheated by the fact he's gone and signed with PNG.But you've got to remember, he got offered a ridiculous amount of money to go to PNG.I don't hold it against him.And they gave him the clause.

It's tax free money, right?So I guess this was a fear when they had those clauses put in that contract that this might happen.Because we asked Jerome about it constantly.Are you going to stay?Are you going to stay?You've got the clauses in your contract.

And it's now turned out this way.And I understand why they've made this decision.As I said, they've got young halves here.They need to know whether they can play.They need to re -sign Samuel Afanu.They've now got salary cap room.

They can create some space for Afanu.So I think it's a smart decision by the club.

If I'm a Tigers fan, am I thinking there's going to be more go with him?Is he that powerful there?

No, I don't think so.Taruva signed a long -term deal.He's the bloke who you would most closely link with him and he's signed a long -term deal.The May boys have signed long -term deals.I mean, they've spent a lot of money on the cap in recent months, right?And as I said, this frees up a bit more money for them.

Before we get to Origin, you said...Do we have to go there?Of course we do.OK.You said Parramatta.What about the Perth Bears?

Look, Perth have got an interest, Braith, but, look, I think this is relatively pretty advanced, right?And my understanding is Perth... haven't got anything in front of Jerome Louis.So that makes me think that something's been done elsewhere.

OK, big news out of the Tigers, the West Tigers today.