Jarome Luai skipped the Wests Tigers end-of-season awards night. His time with the club ended after the event. Reports portray the situation as a contentious episode. At the ceremony, Wests Tigers players Twal and McGregor won major awards.

Luai has secured a tax-exempt sponsorship deal with PNG-based company Trukai. The fresh deal is estimated at $2.2 million per season. Luai left the club after skipping the awards night. The sponsorship offers him a new arrangement while his Tigers exit has sparked criticism.