Phil Gould says 'clubs are now panicking' after Jarome Luai's blockbuster PNG Chiefs signing

Canterbury Bulldogs football boss Phil Gould has revealed NRL clubs are "panicking" about players coming off contract after Jarome Luai's decision to sign with PNG.

Luai won't join the Chiefs until 2028 but had clauses in his Tigers contract that allowed him to negotiate with the incoming franchise. Other players aren't able to formerly negotiate with rival clubs - including the Chiefs - until November 1.

His deal wasn't one that was speculated on intensely until he was paraded around Port Moresby with Chiefs hierarchy and Papua New Guinea prime minister James Marape.

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Gould said the Chiefs coup has now had a "ripple effect" on the NRL player market.

"Everyone in clubs are now panicking about players coming off contract in 12 months and 18 months' time and trying to get them to re-sign now," he said on Nine's 100% Footy.

"People are going to start taking big risks about re-signing players 18 months in advance.

"It's had a real ripple effect throughout the league and the introduction of these two sides, Perth and PNG, is having an enormous effect on the power of player managers and what clubs are worried about with losing players and who's likely to go."

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The tax-free incentives with the PNG Chiefs are a major lure for players, although living in a Port Moresby compound could be an issue for some.

Sydney Roosters utility Connor Watson spoke on the ABC's NRL Monday, and explained the mindset around players going to PNG has shifted in the wake of Luai's deal.

"When the tax-free dollar thing was (first) floated around there was a lot of guys saying 'oh I'm going to go to PNG' ... but I think Jarome signing makes it a lot more real than it probably seemed at that point," he said.

"You probably thought, when push comes to shove, would these guys actually go and take the leap?"

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Gould added to that point on 100% Footy, explaining the scepticism is now gone.

"Everyone was (saying) 'will people go to PNG?'," he said.

"Jarome Luai signs, now everyone is going to PNG by the sounds of it."