Luai to PNG CONFIRMED! Inside The Blockbuster Deal + Who Could Be Next? 🤔 | NRL 360 | Fox League

Huge news this afternoon, Jerome Lui reportedly signing with the PNG Chiefs on a three year deal. He will play for the West Tigers the remainder of this season and next, but is the first signing for the Chiefs today. How did this go down? Yeah, that's certainly our understanding.

He informed West Tigers teammates and coaching staff that indeed he will be joining the Chiefs in 28 and take up his one year option that was in his contract to continue playing with the West Tigers through until 2027. It's a monumental signing. It's a huge, huge win for the PNG Chiefs and I don't think we can understate it on so many levels in relation to not only the fact that with their first major play as a football club,

they have their man, they have a franchise player. Second to that he operates as an effective recruitment agent. Now both here in Sydney with all these tentacles and we'll get to it throughout the NRL but also to working on the ground for the Chiefs once he's there. This is massive. Gordie, what a signing for PNG first up. Do you like it? And what do you think of Jerome Lewi making the move?

Well I think they would love it. Obviously we've heard so much about the money, the tax free dollars. Well that was always a box that every player would have ticked. But I think the living conditions, I think that box now is ticked for him to go over there, spend the weekend, go to the local footy. Now that's the message that he can sell. Right, so obviously everybody knows that whoever's played their rugby league mad, the fans are going to love you, the dollar's great, but now the living is probably the thing that will sort of win it over for the other players.

Crawford, what are your first thoughts? I think it's great for him, it's a brave decision, it's great for the Chiefs, I think it's also good for the West Tigers. I think the fact that they can now understand that Jerome is there for this year and next year, he's 29 years of age, so by the time he goes to the Chiefs he's 31, he's given the Tigers good service in his time there, it's a massive opportunity for him and his family, the money he makes out of it, but it's also great for the game that you've got a player with this clout who's made a call to go up

there and be a part of what's going to become a massive part of the game. Dave, what is the term of the deal and how much?

Look, the actual figures haven't been confirmed as yet. Now we anticipate Jerome will hold a press conference tomorrow with the West Tigers to confirm this deal. Estimations at this stage are it is at around

the $1.2, $1.3 million mark. He's currently on $1.2 at the West Tigers.

Tax free dollars.

The key there, Braith, as you said, it's tax free. Whatever the deal is with the Pernod G. Chiefs is tax free. So the equivalent of that is around $2.2 million a year if he's signed with a Sydney club? Yes, effectively. And what's key here guys is that that doesn't include third party deals. Now he could be, I think he'll be the highest earning player in the game when you factor in both salary and also the potential of huge third party deals being

the number one franchise player for the Sheets.

How old is Drone?

29. 29. So he's 29 years of age, Gordy, three year deal, are you happy with that?

Yeah, absolutely. At his age?

Yeah, I think well...

Well he'll be 31 by the time he gets here.

31, three year deal.

He looks pretty robust. You look at the way Daley Cherry Evans is still playing now, Ben Hunt's playing, Adam Reynolds, you'd think he'd play a different role. But there's no doubt. He probably hasn't gone there for the playing. I think the culture of the Tigers, I suppose when you get a little bit older it's what

you do through the week, really helps the young kids as well.

What Dave said there too you can't understate either because not only is his salary tax free but the third parties are tax-free.

Yeah.

So that just could be...

Which is the big lure, right? If you look at it and you sort of compare it to say to Caelan Ponga who's on around 1.4, 1.5, whatever, around that much, he's getting 700 more a year than Caelan Ponga. So if you peel it all back and you compare it to some of the biggest names in our game, it's irresistible. It's too hard to refuse.

And if you're a player like him, who's done it all, won premierships, gone to the West Tigers, he has made a change, and we'll dive into it a little deeper, but he has made a significant difference there as well. This is what we're dealing with. This is the PNG Chiefs which we've known from day one are going to be tax free dollars and it's such a huge appeal to players to go over and play. It really is. I think they're going to have a very competitive team, started off by this guy right here making the decision to go. And Gordie, you spoke to it before.

If he's been over there, he's spoken to Chemis and he was with the Prime Minister and they've showed him the grounds and seen the conditions he's going to be living in, took his wife I believe and his son. So it is a significant day for Rugby League. And it's a significant day too, Braith, on the front of, I think it now opens the eyes of rival clubs as to what they face for any potential players that the Chiefs may line up next to go after.

Because the entire game works under a salary cap except the Chiefs. The Chiefs have tax free money. Well they do.

They do.

But they have tax free money. So Gordie, if you look at how clubs split up their salary cap, they might have, like Melbourne Storm is a good example, there's three marquee players there all around that one million mark. Well, those figures now jump to almost double. Yeah, but the salary cap has never been there because of the third party some clubs can

attract.

Yes, but I think the clubs until now, I think the clubs until now have been, well they've sat back and it hasn't been really a problem. They got $4 million. Every club got $4 million as a result of the PNG franchise being announced.

Until now it hasn't been a problem to them. But now the reality will start setting in.

I couldn't agree more with Crawls here. I firmly believe, and this sounds odd, the Chiefs will become one of the most hated teams in the competition as far as rivalries are concerned. Are you sure? Yes, because of what Crawley is saying, from Rival Club's point of view.

Fans will be upset.

They'll be upset. But it's not their fault. And it's not Jerome's fault.

This is the NRL who have made this that way on purpose.

It must be their team because Dorne was the same last night.

There will be Tiger fans out there now upset at the fact, you know, I hold nothing against Jerome, I think good on him. The Tigers agreed to allow these clauses in his contract. He's done absolutely nothing wrong. No, the NRL have put the rules in place. Fans, as you well know, are very passionate and they don't always see... Fans hated when players had signed mid-season, but now that doesn't seem to be the case.

Can we not underestimate the major advantage the Chiefs have through their tax-free dollars? Therefore they're going to start picking the eyes out of, and he is the major domino that will create the wave of momentum for the recruitment

driver for Chiefs.

Can I just say something on that? You know what, that's a great argument and it's hard to argue against, but the clubs have known that the PNG Hunters Chiefs have been coming in for how long?

At least two years.

So haven't they had time to look up?

To be honest, they've had time to look up.

They've got their $4 million sweetener. But they've had time to look at it. I was saying it ages ago about how much of an advantage they've got and how much of a disadvantage Perth have got because there's no compensation there. I kind of got shot down with that but I think it's taken now to see that a player like Jerome Lui, and I'm hearing there's others are very keen on going there. I've heard it a lot within our game, talking to players. Now everyone's going, oh hang on. Now everyone's starting to get the shits because they're going, oh this is actually happening and it's going to attract players like him. So it's actually a reality now.

Now I want to get back to Jerome. Why is he the right man for the job? What does he bring? Or if you disagree, why is he not the right man?

Well mate, that's a question for you because you're a 5'8 and you've played in that role.

I think it's, listen, from a playing perspective, he's a key playmaker and he's a great talker and he's a captain and he's a leader and he's one of the best 5-8's in the game. So you can build a team around him straight away. And he's a competitor. You see that. And it's off-field that's the big one, which is why the Tigers brought him. It's because he brings a great culture, a winning culture and he seems to be able to bring a group together and set standards that the other players abide by. And that's been shown. He hasn't played out of his skin at the Tigers. He hasn't probably reached the potential that a lot of people thought he would on field.

But what he's been able to create there... He's playing a different role. And that's a really good point, you know, because when Jerome left the Panthers to go to the Tigers on the big $1.2 million deal, there was a lot of... the jury was out as to whether he was marquee man. And while he probably hasn't excelled to his absolute potential on the playing field, he has provided great leadership and brought that group together with his camaraderie and the way that he draws players to him.

The Tigers have gone from being wooden spurners to top four on the ladder. He must be a popular player too. Oh absolutely. Absolutely. I think you hit the nail on the ladder. He must be a popular player too. Oh absolutely, absolutely. I think you hit the nail on the head earlier Gordie and the fact that he's a father heading to PNG because everything, like it or not, PNG have been at pains to tell us about they're not staying in a compound, don't call it a compound as far as the set up for families and accommodation of what

it will look like. Now Jerome being a family man and a father has indicated to every other father and family man in the competition that it's going to be okay.

And that's a huge selling point to recruit other players.

So add to that, it is a selling point and it's a priority for them because they're going to be isolated to a degree in Papua New Guinea. They're away from Sydney, away from everything. They're taking families over there to relocate. There's not really a community there apart from the ones, the footy team itself and the partners and kids.

That's going to be their social life as well. So it is a priority to get family men over there and people with the right culture and the right character. Chemist and Willie Peters, they said they would have instant success, they were confident in the press conference. They've been able to get this scout in Jerome Hughes. Does this give you guys more confidence now that they're actually the real deal and they're making an impression straight away. I think it's first to many.

I really do. I think players know now that it is a business. I know they've got a short time in the game. And I think that the big clubs will be targeted by the Chiefs. I have no doubt. They're like the marquee players.

He gives it an instant presence, doesn't he? Absolutely. And clout in the recruitment. It also shows you that he's obviously gone up there and looked at the lifestyle and figured I can handle that. And so that will make other players want to go and have a look too. But I do think, Braith, going back to your point about the poor old Perth Bears, they're

up against it. It's dead set not a fair fight. The fact that they get absolutely no help from a salary cap perspective or anything else. Hold on, Melbourne never got a... But it's a different... No, no, Gordon. Just hear me out for a moment. Papua New Guinea or Port Moresby is a three hour flight, isn't it? From Brisbane, four hours from Sydney. Perth's five, six hours. You know, it's just as far away, if not

further, for all the families that have been going to go over there. They're also getting tax-free money, not just on their salary, but on third parties. You know, you look at the fact, and Chemist no doubt, and Willie Peters are doing an exceptional job to get this out there and get Jerome's signature, but from a Perth perspective it's no wonder they're

struggling. Well maybe they look at the AFL model where someone like a Collingwood gets this and then someone like Gold Coast Suns gets I think $10 or $12 million more to eradicate that problem and that's what needs to happen. It's not just you can't go help Perth and that. I think there's a lot of clubs from Canberra that whinge about getting players.

Oh yeah, the Dolphins have no help.

The other clubs haven't, but I'm just saying that now you have got a club that is getting help and it's a significant advantage. And they go on toe to toe.

They pretty much go on toe to toe. Dave, you've got some details on how PNG sold this to Jerome? Yeah, well this is a legacy piece. It really is. They want him to be their front man. And ultimately said to Jerome, when he did fly up over the weekend, come and build your NRL team. Now what an opportunity.

Have you ever heard of any club speaking to their number one target that you can have a major say on the entire structure of the rugby league team. I think it shows that, one, how much investment they want from Jerome Louis, not just as the footballer, and we've touched on it already, but it's everything off the field. With his deep Samoan heritage, I think there's a real understanding of what culture means

in the PNG, up in PNG, as far as what rugby league can do to absolutely transform a country. Samoa has gone through rapid transformation through rugby league. And PNG will be no different. And I've got no concerns whatsoever

that Jerome will be the flag.

Alright, Luai is in, but who could be next? Now, we've taken a look at a list of ex-teammates that are off contract. November 1, Panthers and Tigers fans, look away. Nathan Cleary, Isaiah Yo, Brian Tau, Mitch Kenney, Liam Martin, Moses Liotta, Jereme Buller, Sania Taruva, Talon May, Terlmay and Matt Burton. Now again this means nothing but it could mean something because these players here are ex-players, ex-teammates, they've had a lot of success together and if you're trying to build a culture, a

winning culture and success over in PNG and you've got the dollars they've got these are the guys they could be looking at. Well this is your salary cap too, doesn't it? So these are all obvious friends of Jerome. Then you've got many of these guys who would stand up as marquee players, but it's not just two or three marquee players because of the way the tax system is going to work.

Guys on $700,000 then become $1.2 million players or furthermore. If they got two from each list, it's a fair start. I actually think it's more the Panthers that should be concerned. I see the Tigers on the rise and they've got something really good going on there. The Panthers, we know, they're the best team in the competition. Well, you think Cleary's going to the market?

That's what I mean. And the Panthers can't possibly keep everyone. They've had too much success and too much star power to retain all of their players. And again, the Panthers have had their success, they've won premierships, your mindset changes as you get older. You've got to think family, you've got to think kids.

It changes everything when you've won that many premierships. So I would think the more at risk of feeling the impact of this signing would be the PNGs. Every single one of those players has earned the right to do his best for the final years

of his career, hasn't he? Absolutely. With what they've achieved at that club.

You think the top two definitely and you think Moses Liotta has probably been there for all of them and Liam Martin and Brian Todd. So you see this list here, fellas? This is the list that is so important for the PNG Chiefs in Jerome Louis indicating today that he's coming in 28. Now if he had knocked that back and taken up his option with the West Tigers and waited till this November 1 to then indicate, I'll go to the Chiefs. It leaves

six months of time that the Chiefs won't be able to chase these names on the back of the momentum that Lewi gives them now. And he could have changed his mind by then too. Absolutely. For any reason. There's three names on that list specifically for me. It's Brian Tuttle, Mitch Kenny and Liam Martin. You've got to congratulate Michael Chambers. It's a big job from him. It's a great result. He took a big Mitch Kenny and Liam Martin. You've got to congratulate Michael Chambers. It's a big job from him. It's a great result. He took a big risk going there. It's only all the doors but this is a great start for him.