DANE ELDRIDGE: Jarome Luai going to the PNG Chiefs may not be the worst thing for the red-hot Tigers

The Wests Tigers are enjoying their most exciting season in decades and not just because it’s free of ritualistic self-sacrifice and board biffo.<

Nestled in the top four after a string of encouraging performances, the 2026 Tigers are not only unrecognisable, they’re also piping the good vibes back through the embattled joint venture again.

In fact, they’re soaring so high it’s almost too good to be true- and it appears it is.

Barely 72 hours after the club’s walkover of the Raiders on Thursday night, Jarome Luai has reportedly signed with the new Papua New Guinea franchise for season 2028.

While the joint venture still has another 18 months before their star five-eighth departs, it’s still a gut punch that’s come at a typically inconvenient time with the squad finally clicking and everything gloriously docile in the front office.

Considering he’s only in the second year of a five year deal, Luai jumping ship at this stage of the revolution is like one of the Wright Brothers asking to be dropped off 300 metres up the road the second they got off the tarmac.

And if it ultimately poisons the healthy progress made after years of self-harm it will be more ‘Wests Tigers’ than Robbie Farah sipping tinnies on the Leichhardt Oval scoreboard.

The former Panther is certainly a valuable component but hardly Andrew Johns or Michael Hutchence either.

Are Tigers fans destined to never have nice things?

Sure, they’re conditioned to their players fleeing in droves but it’s a new low when one nicks off to another country that doesn’t even have a team yet.

But never fear, Luai departing isn’t the unmitigated balls-up that it seems.

Currently in the second year of his five year deal, the five-eighth’s contract is drenched with so many funky clauses in his favour that he could be a Tiger for life or gone a year ago.

And to be fair, this was the sad reality of the Tigers predicament at the time he was on the market, with the club so unappealing they had to offer a deal so favourable there’s every chance he now secretly holds the deeds to Campbelltown Leagues Club.

But while Luai is the Tigers marquee man wages-wise — reportedly on an annual deal of $1.2m — he’s certainly not the top banana in a revolution that is more indians than chiefs.

With talismen like Api Koroisau and Jahreem Bula bringing the creativity and Adam Doueihi enjoying a banner year at halfback, Luai’s role is to chime in with the ball while acting as Minister for Vibes, the latter we all know he performs with fluent swag.

Sitting second to Douiehi for try assists and third behind the half-back and Bula for line break assists, the former Panther is certainly a valuable component but hardly Andrew Johns or Michael Hutchence either.

In fact, the black-and-golds went 3-0 in his absence earlier this season, with Jock Madden’s steady deputising and Doueihi’s white-hot form leading the side in a streak that included victory over fellow top four aspirants the Warriors in New Zealand.

Then add Luai’s colossal salary, and there’s more silver linings to him departing than one would expect.

Of course, the greatest concern to Tigers fans is the threat of his departure upsetting the immediate chemistry and momentum the side has built.

This is not just down to his ability to attract players — he was influential in luring Taylan May, Terrell May and Sunia Turuva — but especially the balls-out boom-box culture he’s driven that has the squad bristling with an arrogance only seen at the club’s board meetings.

Furthermore, Luai is a magnificent clubman who’s definitely proven he isn’t just there for the wage since arriving, a virtue exhibited in his full-hearted approach to the co-captaincy and the way he gave Lachie Galvin a hiding on socials last year.

Whatever happens though, the man they call “Romey” will be celebrated as one of the new faces that hallmarked the Tigers revolution, a pied piper who took the plunge like Roy Asotasi at Souths despite knowing there’s every chance it could go arse-up.

But will his leaky deal ultimately come as a cost? And should Tigers fans seek therapy or perhaps a new sport?

They’re the biggest losers in all this, even though after only seven short weeks of bliss it should be like muscle memory for them to recommence grieving.

At least however this pans out, they’ll always cherish these blissful first two months of season 2026.