Luai's father puts heat on Tigers with deleted post

Jarome Luai's father, Martin, has sent Wests Tigers fans into a frenzy with a now-deleted social media post shared to his Instagram. Following the Wests Tigers' heavy 64-0 loss to the Storm, Martin took a jab at the team's lacklustre performance. Despite making five fewer errors than their rivals and conceding the same number of penalties, the Tigers struggled to find their rhythm in attack, and their defence was exposed, leaking 11 unanswered tries. In an Instagram story, Martin referenced the get-out clause reportedly included in the five-year deal that Luai signed with the joint venture ahead of the 2025 season. "Get out clause activated," he wrote alongside the sideways eyes and facepalming emojis. The halfback's contract reportedly includes an option that would allow him to hit the open market as early as November 1 this year and potentially depart the club after just two seasons rather than five. Luai will become a free agent following his first season at the Wests Tigers with player options in the final three years of his contract. With Luai permitted to exit if things do not work out with the West Tigers in the way he had hoped, his father's post will do little to lift the spirits of supporters. However, the four-time premiership player has previously pledged to help the team off the bottom of the ladder. Speaking in January, Luai acknowledged the reports about the get-out option but said he was unbothered by the speculation. "When it came out [in the media], I hadn't even played a game in the colours yet, and I'm already getting spoken about. But I'm used to that already and it doesn't faze me at all," he said. "I've got a point to prove here, not to anyone else but to myself, and I want to see what I can do on the field with these boys."