Jarome Luai's trip to Papua New Guinea has kicked off a "public circus" that has the potential to "unsettle" the high-flying Wests Tigers in their premiership push, Billy Slater says.
News broke on Sunday afternoon of Luai, a Tigers co-captain, visiting PNG to explore the possibility of signing with the Chiefs, who will become the NRL's 19th team in 2028.
Luai has until April 30 to take up an option to remain at the Tigers next season. He is expected to do that, but prior to activating that element of the deal he will need to sign with PNG for 2028 if he is to capitalise on his free agency.
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The Tigers – who have not won a premiership since 2005, have not featured in finals football since 2011, and have won three wooden spoons in the past four years – are in red-hot form under coach Benji Marshall this season.
The joint venture is sitting third on the ladder after round eight, with five wins and two losses.
Slater understands why Luai would be open to exploring a move to the Chiefs but the legendary Storm fullback issued a word of caution.
"I don't have a problem with it. With the attraction of tax-free money, you're basically doubling your salary. I can understand why players would look into the possibility of going to Papua New Guinea," he said on Nine's The Billy Slater Podcast.
"The other attraction is starting up a new franchise. To create success over in Papua New Guinea would be an experience of a lifetime. The support that they're gonna get from their local people is gonna be next level, and that would be attractive to some people.
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"The one thing that you've gotta be careful of is it could unsettle what is happening at the Tigers right now, and Jarome Luai is the captain of the Tigers. That's the one thing that has the potential to unsettle [the Tigers], is just that harmony and that togetherness of that footy club and footy team at the moment, because they're onto something special.
"… So it is a business and I do understand players looking after their own affairs and looking after their own future and their families and exploring the options – but this is gonna be a public circus for a period of time until he makes a decision now."
That public circus has the potential to "throw a few question marks in and around" the Tigers, Slater said.
"It may not, but that is the risk in and around going and doing this and the public being aware of it now."
Grainy pictures of Luai in PNG began to circulate online on Sunday afternoon.
The NRL would not register a Chiefs contract for Luai worth less than the $1.2 million per year he's on at the Tigers.
Danny Weidler, the 9News and The Sydney Morning Herald journalist who broke the Luai story, reported he would need to be paid about $2.2 million a year if playing for a club subject to income tax in order to have similar after-tax pay to what the Chiefs would be paying.
The Tigers beat the Raiders 33-14 at Leichhardt Oval last Thursday night. Luai, the Tigers five-eighth, starred at the club's spiritual home, registering two line break assists and setting up a try.
He has been superb for the Tigers in the 18 months he's been there since crossing from the Panthers, where he won four consecutive premierships from 2021-2024.
It's critical that Luai communicates with his Tigers teammates about his interest in PNG, Slater said.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Jarome Luai stands up in front of the group and has a conversation with his teammates and just says, 'This is where I'm at, I'm all in here at the moment and I'm potentially gonna stay here, but I'd be not doing my family the due diligence if I didn't go and look and explore," said Slater.
The Perth Bears will become the NRL's 18th team in 2027, ahead of PNG's entry in 2028.
"I don't know if he [Luai] would leave the Tigers," Slater added.
"He's gone there, he's gone through a few tough years and now they're starting to see the growth of the club, and he's been a part of that. So he may not go.
"And we haven't heard from Jarome Luai just yet, but you know he's obviously up there for a reason – to explore and see what the possibility is.
"But they're onto something at the moment, the Tigers, and there's a real possibility that they could charge for this premiership this year, so you've just gotta be careful that you don't disrupt that."
The Tigers will take on the Sharks at Ocean Protect Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
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