Luai backed Tigers push for fellow halfback Reynolds
Scott Bailey |
Jarome Luai has backed Wests Tigers’ ultimately-failed push to sign Adam Reynolds, fine with the belief another halfback would have helped the club’s rebuild.
Reynolds told the Tigers earlier this month he would knock back a deal worth close to $1.5 million over two years, to instead sign a one-year extension at Brisbane.
The veteran Broncos No.7 had been viewed as a strong replacement for Lachlan Galvin in the Tigers halves, after the young gun’s mid-season exit to Canterbury.
But it also raised eyebrows, given the Tigers made Luai their main man and long-term halfback when they pinched him from Penrith.
Luai has made clear his motivation for joining the Tigers was the chance to run his team, describing himself as the Robin to Nathan Cleary’s Batman at Penrith.
Like Cleary, Reynolds has been a game manager for his entire career, having played halfback in all 301 NRL games he has played since his 2012 debut.
But regardless, Luai said he supported the Tigers’ bid to sign the 34-year-old.
“It would have been a great buy for the club. I am all for it,” Luai said.
“I want to play finals and I want to win comps. Someone like that would have helped us.
“Obviously he has re-signed with the Broncos so we will see what opportunities arise for the club next.”
Asked whether he would have moved out of the No.7 jersey and to five-eighth to accommodate Reynolds, the Tigers co-captain offered a straight bat.
“We’ll never know,” Luai responded.
“He didn’t sign with us so I don’t have an answer for that.”
While the majority of headlines will centre around Manly for Friday night’s clash between the two teams, the Tigers are in an equally desperate state.
The joint-venture have lost their last five games to slump to 14th on the ladder, with the majority of those coming in close losses after they had chances to win late.
Luai’s commitment to the Tigers was on show last week when he backed up to play in Friday night’s loss to Canberra just two days after State of Origin II in Perth.
Despite the Tigers’ losing run, Luai said he was thriving on the challenge of wearing the club’s No.7 jersey and attempting to return the joint-venture to the finals for the first time since 2011.
“We’re in a fight to make the top eight still. So it’s my job to be here and perform for this team,” Luai said.
“I am loving it. Obviously we’re not winning games but we’re getting close.
“I’m just loving the responsibility and opportunity to grow my game. These guys believe in me so I will find it. I will be the best I can be for this team.”
AAP
