Following Jarome Luai's shock premature exit from Leichhardt, Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh is open to having the Samoan international join the Wallabies for the right price ahead of their Rugby World Cup campaign in 2027.
Luai is currently a free agent for next year after a mutual agreement from both him and the Wests Tigers to be released from the final year of his contract.
A bombshell was dropped in April when Luai was announced as the PNG Chiefs' inaugural signing for its maiden 2028 season.
It means Luai has some spare time between September this year and then, with CODE Sports revealing Waugh is interested in the 29-year-old's services for the Wallabies in the 15-man code, given it's at the right price.
“Our proposition is very different to an NRL proposition and our door's always open,” Waugh told CODE Sports.
“We want to create an environment that attracts the best talent in Australia and around the world, and the door's always open for those that want to come and experience that experience.”
It is unknown whether a code switch is something Luai would consider, and given he could receive a decent wicket in a stop-over NRL deal before heading to Port Moresby, the jury is still out on him leaving the 13-man game.
Nevertheless, Waugh has expressed his interest, and stranger things have happened in rugby league.
Waugh says there's more to a World Cup than just the figure on a paycheck, and insisted Luai could receive some incredible lifetime memories in representing Australia on home soil.
“We've got a fiscal responsibility of the game and I've been very disciplined around that,” Waugh said.
“I've played at the top level, I've played at internationals for over a decade. There's more to sport than the finances and there's nothing like representing the Wallabies and your country on the world stage in front of your home audience.
“You just cannot replace that in anything else you do.”
After what was originally a five-year deal at the Tigers, Luai will depart after two years at the club and is heavily linked to a switch to the Parramatta Eels for 2027 before he embarks on his Chiefs journey.
Luai's focus now is finishing the year strongly at the Tigers, and says that he will continue to support their journey despite him being gone.
“I'm grateful to everyone involved with the Club for everything over the last two seasons,” Luai said in a Tigers statement.
“Shaun, Benji, the coaches, the staff and my brothers out on the field. We've laid some strong foundations together. I look forward to seeing this group continue to grow and bring success to the Wests Tigers.
“The focus now is on my game and helping this group finish the season strongly.”
The Tigers will face the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Saturday at Accor Stadium.
