Jarome Luai's mega deal with the Wests Tigers is set to be confirmed on Wednesday, with the star playmaker set to put an end to much-protracted negotiations by announcing a five-year, $6 million deal before the media.
The Panthers had been holding out hope of Luai reconsidering after they increased their offer at the eleventh hour, but The Daily Telegraph has now reported that Luai will announce his move to Tiger Town on Wednesday afternoon on a deal set to commence at the end of this season.
Said reports came off the back of earlier reports from The Sydney Morning Herald that the Panthers had waived their ten-day cooling-off period to allow Luai to announce his new deal with the Tigers.
Under the NRL's new collective bargaining agreement that came into effect during the middle of the 2023 campaign after an arduous negotiation period between the NRL and Rugby League Players Association, clubs where a player is departing have ten days to convince the player to stay if they wish.
The Panthers have waived this right over Luai though, meaning his deal with the Tigers - believed to be worth around $6 million over five years - can now be made official at any stage, provided the NRL have registered the contract after all neccessary checks are carried out.
Luai is believed to have told teammates in mid-December that 2024 would be his final season with the club, having previously wanted to decide before he returned to training.
The longer Luai - who has been able to negotiate with rival clubs since November 1 - didn't re-sign with the Panthers, the more the speculation grew that he would exit the foot of the mountains for a far richer deal elsewhere.
The Canterbury Bulldogs were also rumoured to be in the mix, although it's unclear if they ever put an offer on the table, while the Panthers and Tigers bids were believed to be separated not only by three seasons, but also around $300,000 per year.
Luai, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, will now make the switch to Concord in 2025, with the star New South Wales State of Origin five-eighth likely to find his way into the number seven jersey where he could wind up partnering another young gun in Latu Fainu, who makes the switch to the Tigers from the Manly Sea Eagles alongside his brother Samuela for the 2024 season and beyond.