No Cookies
www.dailytelegraph.com.au
The Wests Tigers have suffered another massive recruitment blow, losing outstanding second-rower Luciano Leilua to the North Queensland Cowboys.
The giant edge forward has also asked for a release from the final year of his contract in 2022 to join the Cowboys in the new year.
Shattered Wests Tigers officials are planning to issue a press release on Thursday morning.
The Cowboys have used the money they saved after missing out on barnstorming Penrith Panthers forward Viliame Kikau to sign Leilua on a three-year deal.
The Daily Telegraph understands he will be paid $700,000 a season.
It is known Leilua and his manager, Mario Tartak, have been disappointed with negotiations at the Wests Tigers for the last couple of months.
Little progress has been made since they began talks in August.
The signing of Isaah Papili'i from the Parramatta Eels last week on more than $600,000-a-year was the catalyst for Leilua to look elsewhere.
He felt undervalued.
The Leilua camp insists coach Michael Maguire is not the problem despite the coach’s well publicised falling out with his brother Joey.
It has more to do with the fact Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe has not once spoken to Tartak about the negotiations since August.