Relief for Tigers fans as Jarome Luai declared fit for 2025

After a recent scare during pre-season training, star recruit Jarome Luai was cleared of a serious injury, providing Wests Tigers fans with a sense of relief.

Scans revealed no significant damage to the playmaker’s quad, and he is expected to be fit for the Tigers’ first trial for the 2025 NRL season.

The injury concern emerged after Luai reportedly picked up the issue during a pre-season training camp in Queensland, where head coach Benji Marshall pushed his squad through a rigorous three-day program with assistance from army personnel.

While the club initially feared a setback for their prized recruit, the results of the scans provided welcome news.

The 28-year-old, a four-time premiership winner with the Panthers, is set to play a key role in the Tigers’ attempt to turn their fortunes around.

Named co-captain for the 2025 NRL season alongside Api Koroisau, Luai brings experience and leadership to a side that has struggled at the bottom of the ladder for three consecutive years.

The Tigers have only managed 14 wins from 72 games in that stretch, but a strong recruitment drive has sparked renewed hope for the future.

The addition of Luai, teenage half Lachlan Galvin, former Roosters prop Terrell May, winger Sunia Turuva, and forward Royce Hunt has transformed the Tigers’ roster ahead of the new season.

Luai and Galvin are expected to form the team’s new halves pairing, and the pre-season trials will be critical in building their on-field chemistry.

The team’s opening trial is scheduled against the Bulldogs at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on February 16, followed by a second match against the Eels at Leichhardt Oval on February 21.

The revamped Tigers lineup will debut in the NRL regular season against the Newcastle Knights at Campbelltown Stadium on March 7, which NRL bookmakers currently have Tigers as the $1.70 favourite.

The team is aiming to break a finals drought that has stretched since 2011, with Neds Bookmaker offering $3.75 for the Tigers to make the top eight.

As the Tigers prepare for the season ahead, Luai’s recovery and integration into the squad will be central to their hopes of a strong start in 2025.

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