Jarome Luai could return to Panthers in shock new reveal about $6 million Wests Tigers contract

Jarome Luai is free to leave the Wests Tigers after just two years of his contract in a staggering new revelation about his five-year deal. The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Thursday night that only two years of Luai's five-year contract are actually guaranteed, and the other three are 'player options'.

It means the five-eighth will definitely be at the Tigers in 2025 and 2026, but after that he's free to opt out of his contract if he can find a new club. According to the SMH, former Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe was firmly against allowing Luai to sign a contract with three years of player options, but new boss Shane Richardson ticked off on it when he replaced Pascoe.

It's the same sort of clause that Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown have in their long-term contracts with the Parramatta Eels. It's believed the Tigers relented and allowed Luai to get his way in a last-ditch attempt to convince him not to re-sign with Penrith.

And Panthers fans are now daring to dream that he'll make a quick return to Penrith after his difficult decision to leave. However the money on offer at the Tigers might be too good to refuse.

Speaking on SEN radio on Friday morning, leading journalist Michael Carayannis said: "If the Tigers walk away with another wooden spoon he might want to exit the club. If I'm the Wests Tigers I'm trying to re-negotiate and get that clause out. This time next year he'll actually be a free agent and there will be more teams lining up for Jarome Luai than there were this year."

Commentator Andrew Voss added: :"If I was the Tigers at the very least, I think it should have been three (years guaranteed) plus two (options). You have to lock in for three years working with teammates and blokes coming through. You've got an 18-year-old half with you (Lachie Galvin). I would like to see three years of Jarome Luai locked in."

Fans dare to dream of Jarome Luai return to Panthers

The Samoan international will make $1.2 million per season at Wests, and the Panthers are unlikely to be able to match that number if Luai is keen to come home. Although 2027 is also when the NRL's broadcast deal is due for renewal, meaning teams will theoretically get more money in their salary caps when a new agreement is signed.

The Panthers have lost a plethora of big-name players during their run of four-straight premierships, with Luai, Stephen Crichton, Api Koroisau and Matt Burton all leaving for rival clubs with more money to spend than the Panthers. Due to the Panthers' success, they've been burdened by salary cap restraints when players make a name for themselves and draw bigger offers elsewhere.

But if the Tigers don't have immediate success with Luai, will he try and get out of his contract and take less money elsewhere? The five-eighth previously admitted he had to put his family first and take the $6 million the Tigers were offering, but circumstances might have changed in two years.

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Nathan Cleary's heartache at parting ways with Jarome Luai

Speaking earlier this year, Nathan Cleary expressed his heartache that Luai was leaving. "I've played alongside 'Romy' my whole Penrith career, since we were 15 years old, which makes it even tougher," he said. "It's sad. It's also a business, and he needs to look after his beautiful young family. He had so many people in his ear asking him what he was going to do, so I didn't want to be that guy asking.

"He's also at that stage of his career where he can make decisions for himself. We all found out at the same time that he was leaving. I never could have pictured Romy in another jersey."

Now the details of Luai's contract are out in the open, there will be even more pressure on Tigers coach Benji Marshall to perform. With Luai joining Terrell May, Royce Hunt and Jack Bird as big names to join the club, the Tigers are expected to avoid a fourth-straight wooden spoon in 2025. But if they don't, it could affect the future of both Luai and Marshall.