Star off-season recruit Jarome Luai has officially been included in the Wests Tigers' captaincy structure for 2025.
The club, who have had Apisai Koroisau act as sole captain since his arrival ahead of the 2023 NRL season, will run with co-captains in 2025 as Jarome Luai joins his former Penrith - and now new Wests Tigers - teammate in the mix.
Luai has won four straight premierships with the Panthers and will take over as halfback at the Tigers where he will be tasked with dragging the team off the bottom of the ladder where they have been for almost as long as Penrith have ruled the competition with an iron fist.
Despite playing five-eighth predominantly in a halves combination with Nathan Cleary at Penrith, Luai showed plenty when tasked with wearing the number seven while Cleary was injured, and will now look to use those experiences to spark the joint-venture.
Luai said being named co-captain was an honour he won't take lightly.
โBeing named captain of the Wests Tigers with Api is an honour I don't take lightly,โ Luai said in a club statement confirming the change to the leadership structure heading into 2025.
โApi has set an incredible standard as a leader, and I'm excited to work alongside him again and contribute to building something special here.
โI am grateful to the coaching staff for giving me this opportunity and I want to make my family, the team, our members and sponsors proud.โ
Luai could become a long-term captaincy option at the Tigers, although his contract has player options in it for each season after the first two, meaning he is technically back on the open market from November 1.
Koroisau, at 32, will only have a handful of seasons left in his career, and the Tigers have an exceptionally youthful squad, leaving Luai as one of the most experienced players in it.
Benji Marshall though said joining Koroisau and Luai in the role was about making the leadership of the Tigers 'exciting'.
โApi has been a phenomenal leader for this club over the past two years, and his respect within the team is second to none,โ Marshall said.
โAdding Jarome's passion and creativity to our leadership structure makes this partnership really exciting.
โTogether, they bring a balance of stability and flair that will drive our team forward in 2025."
Koroisau, who has struggled on his own to spark the Tigers, but will be joined by a host of recruits including Luai for 2025, said there is potential in the squad.
โIt's a privilege to captain this club, and to now share that role with Jarome is really exciting,โ Koroisau said.
โOver the past two years, I've seen firsthand the potential we have, and I'm confident we're heading in the right direction.
โI'm looking forward to what we can achieve together as a team this season.โ
The Tigers open their season against the Newcastle Knights in Campbelltown on March 7.