On Sunday afternoon, during the first charm offensive launched by the PNG Chiefs, the sales pitch to Jarome Luai changed.
Luai was midway through a tour of Loloata Island, a luxury getaway just 20 minutes from Port Moresby, when the big boss called. Suddenly, a whirlwind expedition that included visiting the Airways Hotel, an international school, a golf course, the fledgling franchise’s home ground and a quick stop at a local grocery store wouldn’t be complete without meeting Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape.
Marape was sitting in the stands for the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup round-three clash between the NPL Enga Mioks and the Kroton Hela Wigmen – won 9-6 by Mioks in a thriller – in Port Moresby, and wanted Luai beside him. A phone call was made. Soon, the PM was the second-most recognisable figure to the 2000 footy fans at Sir John Guise Stadium.
There are a number of reasons why Luai activated a get-out clause in his Tigers contract that will result in him becoming the Chiefs’ inaugural signing. Luai articulated some of those, including the lure of tax-free dollars, during a press conference at Tigers headquarters on Wednesday morning. However, those tasked with showing him around PNG are convinced those moments sitting in the stands with the prime minister – with the locals cheering “Luai! Luai!” – sealed the deal.
“He was awesome, he really wanted to be involved through the process,” Luai said of Marape.
“We can change the outlook of PNG and what it’s going to do for his people. It was a great experience.”
It was an experience that ultimately gave the Chiefs the playmaker described in the press release they issued on Wednesday morning as “Player #001”.
However, the historic news, broken by this masthead on Tuesday night, was almost hijacked.
While Luai’s three-year deal was being finalised, Alex Johnston and his management team took it upon themselves to leak the news that the South Sydney winger would be the Chiefs’ first signing. This although a contract had not yet been issued, and after explicitly being instructed to keep things under wraps so that Luai could be announced as the first player to commit.
Not only did Johnston – the leading try-scorer in NRL history – tell his South Sydney teammates that he was leaving for PNG, he also posted the “news” on his Instagram page.
It was not well received in Port Moresby. The move is unlikely to prevent a one-year, $250,000 Chiefs deal from eventually getting done, but “AJ” has done little to endear himself to his prospective employers.
Yet not even that sideshow could detract from a transformative moment in rugby league. There has been widespread scepticism from the moment the NRL announced its bold foray into the Pacific, a $600 million gamble – made using taxpayer funds – to counter the growing influence of China. There were fears that even tax-exempt status would not be enough to lure the talent required to build coach Willie Peters a competitive roster.
But with just one signature, Luai has given the entire venture legitimacy. Not only is Luai one of the game’s best players – a four-time premiership playmaker who has represented NSW and captained Samoa – he is a rock star off the field.
There’s a certain swagger that will bring invaluable publicity to the Chiefs, and earn him considerable additional earnings via tax-free third-party arrangements. Perhaps the greatest value to the Chiefs is his ability to attract other recruits. Luai’s former long-time Panthers halves partner Nathan Cleary will become a free agent at the end of this year, if he doesn’t re-sign before November 1.
Perhaps there’s a chance of a Port Moresby reunion?
“That’s a long way away bro,” Luai replied. “We’ll see what happens.”
The Luai deal is a clear indication of the Chiefs’ ambition. Their entry into the competition is still two seasons away, but they are already off to a flying start. It is in stark contrast to the Perth Bears, who are yet to entice a marquee man, despite kicking off their inaugural campaign 12 months earlier. It’s little surprise the announcement of Super League pair Toby Sexton and Harry Newman as the inaugural Bears signings was met with significantly less fanfare.
Luai’s Chiefs deal is a great rugby league story for all fans, except those supporting Wests Tigers. Their co-captain, highest-paid player and talisman is leaving at his first convenience.
Still, the joint venture was putting a positive spin on the development.
“The Wests Tigers can confirm that Jarome Luai has activated a clause in his contract, keeping the representative five-eighth at the club for the 2027 NRL season,” was the first line of the club’s media release on the matter.
The Tigers have been criticised for putting themselves in harm’s way by allowing get-out clauses in Luai’s deal. But the reality is, given he was swapping a club that had won four consecutive premierships for one that earned three consecutive spoons, they had little choice.
Luai is not the organising half the club hoped he would become, but he has justified his $1.2 million-a-season pricetag nonetheless. Standards have lifted on his watch, players have either signed or re-signed to play alongside “Romey” and there has been a steady progression up the competition ladder.
In being honest and transparent about his PNG dealings, Luai has given the Tigers plenty of time to replace him.
“It is pretty positive for us – the way he’s handled it is really professional,” said interim Tigers chief executive Shaun Mielekamp.
“It’s been done really quickly so that we can get on with the weekend. It’s something that is really well received by the club.”
Asked if he feared several Tigers would follow Luai to PNG, Mielekamp said: “No. Because the culture we have built here is very positive. Players want to come here – it’s a really good place. I’m very confident that the culture that is being built is one that will keep players wanting to stay here and be part of this.”
One of the great ironies is that it took a get-out clause in the Chiefs contract to convince Luai to trigger a get-out clause in his Tigers contract. If Luai sees out the full three years of his PNG deal, he will take home every cent of the $3.6 million that he earns. However, he can pull up stumps after just two years – there’s an escape clause he can activate then – if he decides that life in Port Moresby is not for him and his family.
Regardless, he will leave the Tigers in a much better state than when he arrived. If he can say the same thing when he finishes up in PNG, it will be his greatest legacy.
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