Gus has finally pulled the trigger on a Panthers star – this time away from prying cameras.
After sitting back and monitoring developments with Jarome Luai, Bulldogs general manager of football, Phil Gould, has stepped forward to hold a formal meeting with the Panthers and NSW star on Wednesday.
The big-money race for Luai has suddenly become more colourful and lively.
It is understood the meeting took place around lunchtime and could be pivotal for Wests Tigers.
Well-placed sources claim Luai now has a clearer path forward after meeting with Gould and Bulldogs head coach Cameron Ciraldo.
It was expected that Gould, given Luai is close to deciding his club from 2025, discussed contract remuneration.
Luai now knows which club has lodged the biggest offer – and it’s expected to be Wests Tigers. There is an increasing theory in rugby league that Canterbury could be more interested in Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake and Luai.
Unlike previous meetings with Fonua-Blake and club captain Raymond Faitala-Mariner, which were photographed on fans’ phones and made public, Gould found a private and undisclosed location to meet with Luai.
Ciraldo is known to be close to Luai, the pair having developed a strong bond while at Penrith. The Bulldogs would sign Luai at the right place but the club won’t pay ‘overs’ for the Samoan star.
Those close to Wests Tigers claim the club remains more than confident of luring Luai to Concord.
Luai wants $1.2m a year – the Tigers offer stands just above $1.1m but the club does have room to increase their deal. Wests Tigers and Canterbury are Luai’s only suitors outside current club, Penrith.
With a review of club operations due to be released, and Marshall in his first full year as a head coach, Wests Tigers are desperate to sign a big name.
One player manager suggested on Wednesday that Luai and Fonua-Blake could go as a package but it is difficult to determine which club could afford both players.
Luai met with Wests Tigers powerbrokers on Tuesday and the club has tabled an offer worth around $4.5m over four years. Penrith has offered Luai around $850,000 a season – well short of their rivals.
The Panthers hope Luai may still stay given he is a local junior now shooting for four successive premierships.
Luai, 28, will return to Panthers pre-season training toward the back-end of next week given he remains contracted to Penrith for 2024.
Under the NRL’s new contracting model, Penrith will get confirmation from the NRL about the Tigers interest once Luai gives an indication that he is ready to accept the rival offer.
The Panthers will then have 10 days to convince him to alter his decision.
It is understood negotiations have not reached that point yet, although the latest meeting between the Tigers and Luai could be seen as an indication that both sides have a genuine interest in getting a deal in place as soon as possible.
Clubs understand Luai is close to deciding his future.
He is undergoing rehabilitation for a shoulder injury that will rule him unavailable for the pre-season World Club Challenge in England.
