Wests Tigers fill in Jock Madden's form has been so good that it caused Jarome Luai to offer a return via the bench or reserve grade.
That is the revelation from head coach Benji Marshall who labelled the call to return Luai to the halves for the Tigers as one of the toughest.
Madden's form has been spectacular for the joint-venture outfit who are enjoying their best start to a season in well over a decade.
In front of a packed Campbelltown Stadium last Sunday, Madden, alongside Adam Doueihi piloted the Tigers to a crunching win over the Newcastle Knights. Prior to that, the Tigers came away with wins over the Parramatta Eels and New Zealand Warriors with Madden at the helm.
Luai, who is one of the game's highest-paid players, is fit to go again this weekend and will return at five-eighth for his side against the injury-ravaged Brisbane Broncos, while Madden will play in jersey 14 from the bench.
Coach Marshall, speaking to the media, said that Luai had offered not to knock Madden out of the side in his return.
“To Jarome's credit, he came to me and said, ‘if you need to put Jock in and put me on the bench or play me in reserve grade, I will,'” Marshall said.
“I'll be honest, the Jock selection and Jarome selection was probably one of the toughest decisions, given how Jock's been going.”
Luai last played in Round 2, suffering an MCL injury during the Tigers' only loss of the campaign against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Latu Fainu, who now appears to be more in the forward rotation plans for the joint-venture than being used as a half, is also on the bench this weekend.
The Tigers are also expected to play Samuela Finau for this weekend's clash with the Broncos.
