- The Panthers playmaker has reportedly signed for Wests Tigers
- The deal is not yet official, raising fears of a backflip
- A new business deal with Penrith Mate is fueling that speculation
Jarome Luai has cast fresh doubt over his future with a post announcing the launch of a fashion label with close friend and Penrith teammate Brian To'o.
Luai has reportedly agreed to play with NRL strugglers Wests Tigers from 2025 on a huge five-year, $6 million deal and has also reportedly told his Panthers teammates he is leaving the club.
However, the contract has not yet been made official, prompting speculation that Luai could perform a backflip and remain at the foot of the Blue Mountains, where he won three NRL premierships.
Speculation about a possible backflip has increased with the fashion label's announcement, with both Luai and To'o sharing the news on their respective Instagram stories.
To'o (left) and Luai (right) have won three premierships together with the Penrith Panthers and are now going into business with each other
Luai announces the clothing brand Universe 7even together with To'o on his Instagram stories
The label is called Universe 7 and features anime characters portraying To'o and Luai.
“Do something fun with the broski, run it,” Luai posted with a fire emoji.
'What's up fam! Me and my boy are about to run our clothing brand so follow us and show some love @universe7even_ for more updates big love,” To'o posted with a heart emoji.
The page does not yet have product images, but already has more than 2,000 followers.
It comes after Luai recently announced his engagement to his long-time partner on social media amid swirling speculation about his NRL future.
Luai announced his engagement to Bailey Paris Toleafoa on Instagram on Christmas Day, prompting reactions from several Panthers teammates, including Brian To'o and Sunia Turuva.
The duo are best friends and have also represented New South Wales together several times
'My boys! I couldn't be happier for a deserving couple. Shotgun is the witness,” To'o replied.
News Corp has reported that Luai has not yet finalized his decision, leaving the Tigers in a state of limbo.
Despite the original plan to announce the deal before Christmas, the club remains optimistic that an agreement will be reached and officially unveiled in the coming days.
Luai raised eyebrows when he was absent from Panthers practice last week after requesting a leave of absence.
This fueled speculation that he could leave Penrith earlier than planned to join the Tigers in 2024.
The Panthers had offered Luai a two-year contract worth $850,000 per season, a significantly smaller amount compared to the Tigers' reported deal.