Jarome Luai looks poised to confirm his switch to the Wests Tigers after the Penrith Panthers reportedly waived the 10-day cooling off period.
Luai has been absent from Panthers training after informing teammates that the 2024 season would be his last, expected to join Benji Marshall at the Tigers on a monster five-year, $6 million deal.
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Under the new contracting rules in the CBA, there is a 10-day cooling off period after a player receives an offer they’d be willing to accept from another club.
That gives the player’s former club the chance to negotiate and potentially up their offer if they would like. Those 10 days also gives the player the option to change his mind if he wants to.
That period, which began on December 16, came and went without any confirmation of a move from Luai.
On Tuesday, however, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that the Panthers, who tabled a three-year deal worth $2.5 million, waived their right to the cooling off period.
It means a blockbuster switch is set to be announced in the coming days, giving Marshall and the Tigers the marquee player they so desperately need to turn the merger club around.
Only last month Tigers legend Steve Roach raised doubts that Luai would in fact make the move and suggested he would be making a mistake if he did
“Why would you go from the team winning the premiership to the wooden spooners, I don’t get it,” he told foxsports.com.au
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“You’ll get cash down the track if you’re a one-team player, it doesn’t matter, you’ll make more that way.
“I’d like him to come, he’s a good player, but I have my doubts.”
News of Luai’s impending switch comes after the entire Tigers board was sacked along with and CEO Justin Pascoe following back-to-back wooden spoons.
The Bulldogs were the only other team in the hunt for Luai’s signature but it is understood their offer was about $750,000 less than that of the Tigers.
That was after The Daily Telegraph reported interim Tigers CEO Shane Richardson upped what they were willing to offer Luai to $1.2 million over five years.
