Jarome Luai on verge of telling move amid Penrith contract saga
The three-time premiership winner is expected to test the open market.
Panthers star Jarome Luai is reportedly set to announce he will sign with management company Black Money Enterprises as rival clubs prepare to enter into a bidding war for the five-eighth's services. Channel 9's Danny Weidler says the announcement is imminent in what is the surest sign that the three-time premiership winner will seek a move away from the foot of the mountain in search of a lucrative contract.
Luai is currently recovering from a shoulder injury that ruled him out of Samoa's Pacific Test series, having just helped the Panthers to a third straight premiership. The No.6 is off contract at the end of next season and is free to negotiate with rival clubs from November 1.
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The crafty playmaker is understood to have met with Panthers bosses, who stated their intent to retain his services, however, gave their blessing for him to look elsewhere. It is believed the premiers can offer Luai a maximum of $800,000 per season and it is thought he could command north of $1million elsewhere.
The premiers recently extended fullback Dylan Edward's contract, offering him a new four-year deal reportedly worth $850,000 per year. Penrith chief Matt Cameron told The Daily Telegraph that Luai is aware of the club's salary cap capacity and while they ideally want to keep him, the ball is in his court.
“Jarome is contracted until the end of 2024 so we don’t see a need to rush these conversations," Cameron said. “Jarome is a three-time premiership player who will obviously command interest on the open market and the Panthers have no problem with him investigating all his options moving forward.”
Panthers have numerous players on big money deals, including Nathan Cleary (who earns around $1.3 million per year), James Fisher-Harris ($950,000), Dylan Edwards ($850,000), and Liam Martin ($750,000).
Luai must tell Panthers about any offers from rival clubs
Under a new "last right of negotiation" clause implemented by the NRL, Luai will be obliged to inform the Panthers of any offers from rival clubs. Under the new policy, no player can leave their current team for a rival club without giving notice they have received an offer that they intend to accept.
Previously, players could sign with rivals from November (one year out from their deal expiring) and were not required to tell their current club. If Luai was to agree on a deal with a rival club, the Panthers would have 10 days from when they are informed about the rival offer to table their own deal and try to persuade Luai to stay, or allow him to leave.
Luai, however, not be required to disclose the financial terms of the rival club's offer as part of the negotiations and would not be compelled to accept Penrith's offer if it matched a rival bid. After 10 days, the five-eigth could sign with a rival club as originally intended if the Panthers were unable to convince him to stay put and only then would the new contract be registered by the NRL.
Phil Rothfield believes Luai will take a paycut
Veteran journalist Phil Rothfield believes Luai will turn his back on a million dollar move in order to stay at the Panthers. “He’s just bought a house in Penrith, a lovely family home. I have a feeling he’ll take a reasonable haircut to stay because he’s guaranteed success at that organisation not for one or two years but probably for the next six or seven,” Rothfield said previously on NRL360.
“As a player, you’re probably willing to take a couple hundred a year less to stay somewhere but if you’re talking up around three or four hundred a year, that’s a different beast.”
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