Justin Olam has the chance to revive his NRL career under the mentorship of Benji Marshall at Wests Tigers, as the club finalizes a swap deal with Melbourne, exchanging backrower Shawn Blore.
Commencing their new roles on Monday, Olam’s contract, spanning the last three years, transfers from the Storm to the Tigers. Conversely, Blore, originally set to join the Storm from 2025, will now make the move a year earlier.
Olam’s recruitment by the Tigers comes on the heels of last week’s signing of Penrith superstar five-eighth Jarome Luai and the departure of recruitment boss Scott Fulton.
The esteemed Papua New Guinean player, who secured a title with the Storm and earned the Dally M centre of the year accolade in 2021, experienced a falling out with coach Craig Bellamy during his sixth and final season last year.
Wests Tigers’ new acquisition, Olam, has received praise from mentor Benji Marshall, who emphasized the player’s world-class skills, leadership, and communication as valuable assets for the team.
Expressing enthusiasm for his new journey, Olam acknowledged Marshall’s vision for him at the Tigers and conveyed his eagerness to contribute to the club’s growth.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Penrith junior Blore, who played 33 games over four years at the Tigers, is set to embark on a new chapter after missing the entire 2022 season due to injury.
Reflecting on the player swap, Storm boss Justin Rodski acknowledged the challenges of bidding farewell to contributors like Olam but recognized the opportunity for both Olam and Blore to continue their careers in a fresh setting.
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