Joel Caine warns Wests Tigers over 'risky' Jarome Luai and Addin Fonua-Blake call
The former Wests Tigers player has weighed-in on the drama.
Former Wests Tigers player Joel Caine has claimed the club should chase Jarome Luai instead of Addin Fonua-Blake's signature, which he claims could cost the team down the road. The Wests Tigers and Bulldogs remain favourites to sign Fonua-Blake when he leaves the Warriors at the end of the next season having asked for a release from his contract.
Phil Gould met with Fonua-Blake after the development, while the Tigers appear frontrunners to secure him with room in the salary cap. The Warriors know Fonua-Blake will be leaving in 2024 and are looking at immediate replacements with a potential trade deal.
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If Fonua-Blake were to become a Bulldogs, The Daily Telegraph reports the Warriors are interested in Viliame Kikau’s signature. And the publication also claimed the club would be interested in a trade for Isaiah Papali’i or Stefano Utoikamanu if the Tigers were to be keen.
Caine is skeptical about the potential deal, which would see the Tigers pay up to a reported $1.2 million, which is similar to what the Broncos are paying Payne Haas. “It does make sense (that the Warriors would be interested in Papali’i) probably due to the fact he appears to be the most likely on the list that both parties would agree on,” Caine said on SEN Radio. “At the price and purely at that, I think it’s a risk.
“I’m saying for the Wests Tigers, where they’re at… (Fonua-Blake) has had a terrific career, no doubt about that but he hasn’t had the consistency of say a Payne Haas. You’re paying similar dollars to get him, that’s my only concern. If I’m the Wests Tigers, who can’t make another single error, I wouldn’t do it, as good as he can be.”
Caine admitted he would rather the Tigers go after Luai's signature. “(I’d take) Jarome, every day of the week, every single day of the week,” Caine added. While there is talks the Warriors want a trade deal, Utoikamanu appears an unlikely option.
Utoikamanu is expecting his second child with his partner and may be reluctant to move out of Sydney with a young family. Papali’i played 63 games for the Warriors, before making the switch to the Eels in 2021. He since joined the Tigers in 2023 having played 23 games.
Phil Gould chases Addin Fonua-Blake's signature
The Wests Tigers are reportedly favourites to get Fonua-Blake. However, Bulldogs supremo Gould met with the forward as it appears the club are also entering the race. And recently Gould voiced his interest in the star, despite telling SEN he won't come cheap. "Yeah Addin's a quality player, I have a lot of time for Addin," Gould said. "I spent a little bit of time at the Warriors during COVID as a consultant and got to see Addin first-hand, he's a quality player.
"He's not cheap though and I'd imagine there'd be a lot of interest in Addin. He's got to return home to Australia for family reasons which he's working through with the Warriors ... there'll be a lot of people lining up for his signature that's for sure."
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