Benji Marshall has responded to the “fictional” rumors surrounding Jarome Luai following Wests Tigers officials’ decision to allow the co-captain to leave and sign with rivals Parramatta for the 2027 season.
Luai is in his second season on an initial five-year deal, but earlier this year he signed with PNG Chiefs for their first campaign in 2028.
Jarome Luai in action against the Warriors. Getty Images
Luai was initially expected to remain at Concord next year, but the Tigers have since released five-eighths for 2027 and he is now set to join the Eels on a temporary deal, the club confirmed on Tuesday night.
“Zharom is one of the most experienced and successful players of his generation, and we are thrilled to welcome him,” said general manager Mark O’Neill.
“His track record speaks for itself. Winning four premierships requires an exceptional level of commitment, consistency and professionalism, and these are the qualities Zharom will bring to our football program every day.”
“Beyond what he brings to the table, we believe Jarom will have a huge impact on our young players coming through the system. His experience in a high-performance environment and his professional approach to preparation and training will help mentor and develop the next generation of Eels.”
The decision called into question Marshall and Luay’s relationship and whether there was an argument between player and coach.
Marshall refused to answer questions following the team’s Round 19 loss to the Warriors at the weekend, but during an impassioned press conference on Tuesday he explained what led to the call and set aside any personal differences with Luai.
“I think it’s good to be able to talk about what happened – a lot of it was made up, hinted at or guessed at in terms of our relationship,” he said.
“This process did not happen overnight – we have spent the last five weeks talking openly and honestly about where we are as a club and from Jarome’s point of view.
“We made a decision based on what we felt was best for our long-term future at our club. We were open and transparent about it and had open conversations like men and, to Jarome’s credit, he took it very well.”
“The fact that people would start rumors about us having a break-up or a break in our friendship is absolute nonsense.
“What baffles me is the implication of certain things or situations where people think you must have a rift, it’s wrong and you can’t make it up.
“We’ve created some nonsense in the media that we have a broken relationship, which is far from the truth. I think what you guys need to do is look at why you’re making this up and not pin it on us.
“I’ll say it again, you can’t just make things up based on hunches or what the situation looks like. It’s not fair to him and his family, and it’s not fair to us.”
Benji Marshall and Jerome Luay. Getty
The likes of Latu Fainu and Javon Andrews are expected to be in contention for playmaker spots following Luai’s departure, with coach Marshall saying the call to release the co-captain was made to ensure some of the Tigers’ young players do not move on.
Marshall was also asked about father Luai Martin liking an Instagram post about a potential rift between the couple.
“The fact of the matter is, you guys created this story, and that’s not true,” he said.
“He’s a father who makes assumptions about his son and my relationship in the title of every post. What you guys did is turn it into World War 10 and something it’s not, something you’re good at, but I think that’s unfair.
“I understand why his father would want to like or comment on this post because he is a father who cares about his son. I am not going to put up with bullshit rumors that are made up, have no basis in anything, or are based on what you guys think might be true.”
Marshall is adamant the Samoan international will remain in first grade for the rest of this season as the Tigers look to keep their slim finals hopes alive.
The iconic club admitted the team’s form had dipped over the past two months but had so far refused to wave the white flag for a top-eight finish.
“We went backwards and it was my fault,” Marshall said.
“By all accounts, we’re done and dusted… but one thing I know about my group and our coaches is that we won’t give up and we won’t give up.
“We will continue to fight as long as he is there, we will try to win as many games as possible.
“Say what you want about us, but if you look at us now compared to last year, we’ve improved. We’ve fallen off a cliff a little bit, but we’ve improved.”
Marshall’s men hope to bounce back in the 20th round against the Bulldogs.