Ben Hunt has suggested that Jarome Luai’s recent deal with the PNG Chiefs will stir conversations among Broncos players, noting that the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea had hinted at this during a prior visit.
On Wednesday, Luai announced his decision to join the Chiefs as their inaugural signing starting in 2028, after activating a clause in his Tigers contract that rendered him a free agent.
The remainder of the NRL will have to consider the advantages the Chiefs have gained, in addition to the enticing financial offers to play there.
Luai had an audience with Prime Minister James Marape, arrived in the country via a private jet provided by the PNG government, and has been informed he can contribute to shaping the team from its inception.
In a chat with 4BC in Brisbane, Hunt revealed he, along with his Broncos teammates Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam, took the NRL premiership trophy on a promotional tour to Papua New Guinea during the off-season, where they also engaged in an enlightening discussion with Marape.
“We met with the Prime Minister, and he was doing his best to entice us with offers of tax-free cash and more,” Hunt shared.
“He even offered a coaching position and was really making a case for us to consider.”
Regarding the ramifications of Luai’s signing on the Broncos’ players approaching the end of their contracts and the wider NRL community, Hunt stated it was “nothing out of the ordinary.”
“There’s always chatter around the club regarding various matters, especially when you see players making moves like that,” he explained.
“You often hear players without contracts saying, ‘Yeah, I might have a chat with them,’ but honestly, it’s nothing too out there.
“This has been happening for ages—players are continually discussing different clubs and contract situations, so it’s hardly something new.”
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Luai’s contract with the Chiefs is rumoured to be worth approximately $1.5 million annually, tax-free.
Over the three-year deal, he’s set to earn around $4.5 million without tax. The substantial financial incentives have been leveraged to attract players to the Chiefs, although there remains ambiguity about the team’s home base.
Hunt mentioned he’d heard that players would be travelling to PNG for matches, while their training base may be situated in Cairns.
“I’m not sure if anything is finalised yet, but there have definitely been murmurs about small training camps in Cairns and some sessions over in PNG,” he commented.
“How they’ll manage that is still unclear.”
Additionally, South Sydney winger Alex Johnston is tipped to join the Chiefs, although the club was reportedly displeased when Johnston and his management prematurely revealed details about that deal on Tuesday.
Compiled by SportArena.au
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