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Opinion
Jarome Luai is perhaps the most polarising player in the NRL, both with his off-field antics and on-field value.
Depending on who you listen to, he’s either riding on Nathan Cleary’s coattails and has been lucky to represent NSW in Origin over the past three years or he’s a crucial cog in the Penrith machine which is hurtling towards a third straight premiership.
Brash players like Luai are magnets for criticism.
Back when Rugby League Week was a going concern, their annual players’ poll would ruffle many feathers with it’s “Who is the most over-rated player” question.
Braith Anasta was handed this unwanted “victory” on multiple occasions despite being a premiership-winning five-eighth who had represented his state and country, like Luai.
Jarome Luai. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
He also had a penchant for getting under the skin of opponents during his mostly successful stints at the Bulldogs and Roosters while also receiving plenty of media attention.
Luai is the modern-day equivalent even though there is no magazine poll, or online version, gauging the opinions of the players.
With the RLPA media boycott in full swing, it’s hard to get players to say anything on or off the record.
A change of scenery mid-career could do wonders for Luai, like it did for Anasta when he left the Dogs and showed he could deliver elsewhere by taking a Roosters team from wooden spooners to the Grand Final, not so much at his last forgettable stint at the Wests Tigers.
Luke Brooks has left it until later in his career but he will definitely benefit from a fresh start after his Tigers struggles when he lobs at Manly next year with Daly Cherry-Evans calling the shots
Luai is coming off contract at the end of next year and with Test forward Liam Martin inking his lucrative extension on Thursday and fullback Dylan Edwards set to follow suit, there’s a chance he could be following Spencer Leniu and Stephen Crichton out of Penrith, although it would unlikely to be this coming off-season.
The Panthers have been forced to shed several stars in recent years as the salary cap squeeze has taken its inevitable hold of their stacked roster.
James Tamou and Josh Mansour were jettisoned after their 2020 Grand Final campaign, followed by Kurt Capewell, Matt Burton and Brent Naden after their premiership success 12 months later and then Viliame Kikau, Api Koroisau and Charlie Staines last off-season.
The famed production line in Sydney’s golden west has been able to replenish Ivan Cleary’s side and sitting first with six rounds remaining, Penrith are still raging hot favourites to win this year’s title despite their roster turnover.
Luai is by no means their best player or most influential but he’s not the dud some fans and commentators make him out to be.
When it comes to being a complementary playmaker, he’s elite but don’t get him to take on too much of the organising workload because that can be a major letdown – watch the Origin II replay if you need clarification on that one.
After playing alongside Nathan Cleary since they were skinny teenaged Panthers cubs, it’s no surprise that his ideal role is alongside a game-managing halfback who needs an impact weapon as his partner.
Any club willing to shell out big bucks to get Luai on their books should keep that in mind.
Wests Tigers made this kind of error five years ago when they brought Josh Reynolds over from Canterbury to pair with Brooks. Neither player was a dominant half and the team continued to suffer, particularly as Reynolds struggled to stay on the field due to bad luck with injuries.
Canberra have been touted as a potential suitor for Luai given they have Jack Wighton heading to Souths next year.
He might not like the cold winters in the national capital but the Raiders would be an ideal fit for Luai because they have an organiser already in the No.7 jersey in Jamal Fogarty.
Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
Similarly the Knights should be scrounging around for as many pennies (not the Henny Penny variety) to get Luai heading north if he comes on the market.
Jackson Hastings has improved as the season has worn on as Newcastle’s chief playmaker and after the Kalyn Ponga to five-eighth has been consigned to the dustbin following a second failed switch, a player like Luai would suit their requirements down to the ground.
The Bulldogs have been linked to a potential play for Luai given his relationship with coach Cameron Ciraldo from his days as Penrith’s assistant as well as former Panthers stars Matt Burton and Viliame Kikau already being on the books with Crichton on his way.
Canterbury should be the last place Luai joins. Burton is locked in as their long-term five-eighth and he was less effective when switched to halfback earlier this season.
Whichever jersey they wear, Luai and Burton are too similar to be a formidable halves pairing.
Ivan Cleary has been a staunch defender of Luai and heading into Saturday’s stoush with the Sharks, the Penrith coach said he hoped the five-eighth’s affinity with the club would help convince him to stay.
When a coach goes down that path it’s a tacit admission that they won’t be able to match some of the offers that will be thrown Luai’s way.
Matt Burton launches one of his towering kicks. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
“There’s plenty of stories of people in the past who leave for more money, which is fine by the way, that’s totally OK with me,” said Cleary, who switched clubs three times during his playing career so it would be hypocritical to say otherwise.
“I think your happiness and good culture and winning is pretty cool.”
When asked at his Thursday media conference if he regrets not doing more to convince other Panthers to stay in the past, he replied: “Yeah, I do actually. Experience would tell me that, I don’t know the right answer there but I do respect players having managers and having their own ideas.
“I would never want them to think I just stayed because the coach pushed me in the corner and told me I should.”