‘The way it came out, I was like ‘I haven’t even played a game in the colours yet!’’
Jarome Luai is desperate to be the man who turns three-time wooden spooners Wests Tigers into genuine NRL contenders, a feat he believes can be achieved in his first season at the club.
As he downplayed suggestions that he could hit the NRL’s open market at the end of this year, former Penrith five-eighth Luai declared he wanted the long-suffering Tigers “to compete for a title this year”.
The joint venture has not made finals since 2011 and has won three-straight wooden spoons.
But the club’s impressive off-season recruitment headlined by Luai — but supplemented by the arrivals of Terrell May, Sunia Turuva and Royce Hunt — has created an added buzz that the Tigers’ time dwelling in the NRL cellar are over.
“That’s part of the reason why I came here is to take that (expectation) head on and enjoy that feeling (of success),” Luai said on Wednesday
“A lot of players can be fearful and shy away from that but I’ve been in a lot of big games and I know that has set me up for this moment.
“… the biggest goal for me is to get these guys in a position to compete for a title this year.
“That comes with a lot of hard work and we’re not at round one yet but we will be ready.”
Luai is expected to play halfback for the Tigers after finally being given the chance to step out of Nathan Cleary’s shadow.
The 27-year-old signed a five-year deal but reports last month suggested that the Samoan international has options in his contract that allow him to leave after two seasons if things didn’t work out.
“The way it came out, I was like I haven’t even played a game in the colours yet!” Luai said.
“I’m obviously used to that (speculation) anyway and it doesn’t faze me at all.
“I’ve got a point to prove here not to anyone else but to myself.
“I’m going to see what I can do on the field for these boys.”
After an off-season where several players were disciplined for returning to pre-season training out of shape, Luai — sporting several facial scratches after a gruelling wrestling session — said the Tigers had turned things up a notch.
“The other guy looks worse,” Luai quipped.
“It’s been a really physical pre-season and they don’t get any easier.
“I know what winning looks like and can bring that to this team.
“The first thing I knew was their hard work and how fit the boys are.
“I think to implement any game plan you need to be fit and that’s a big value within this team.
“That’s a big similarity to Penrith as well — hard work and the willingness to work hard for your team.”
