Jarome Luai

[GNR4LIFE]

In this whole conversation about his personality and how our supporters might or might not perceive him this here is all i care about.

Weve had 10 years of good blokes. Where has it gotten us?

Talent and ego thanks!

Have we though? Packer almost killed a dude, Cleary had no integrity, People claim Noffa is an ego maniac. Just to name a few examples.

 

[BAGNF05]

Have we though? Packer almost killed a dude, Cleary had no integrity, People claim Noffa is an ego maniac. Just to name a few examples.

It would have been interesting to see how Packer played for us had Cleary stayed. It was reported he loved playing for Cleary but I note Cleary didn’t take him to Panthers. Noffa can play when he feels like it, just doesn’t pack his heart in his kit bag anymore.

 

[earl]

Have we though? Packer almost killed a dude, Cleary had no integrity, People claim Noffa is an ego maniac. Just to name a few examples.

You nailed it. It sounds good but it's not true. What about Joey L and Jimmy Roberts.

I have no problems with Luai and I hope we get him but he is miles off those guys and that is a good thing.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

You nailed it. It sounds good but it's not true. What about Joey L and Jimmy Roberts.

I have no problems with Luai and I hope we get him but he is miles off those guys and that is a good thing.

I didn’t even mention Moses dogging it.

 

[hank37w]

View attachment 8206

I thought we might be a chance to get the watch.

 

[hank37w]

We’ll miss out on both and all the current bootlickers will convert to critics.
I’ve seen this movie before..

All we usually get is the movie re-runs.

 

[Telltails]

I've never had a problem with Luai's percieved ego/ attitude / presence/ behaviour whatever it is that triggers fans. I like the way he plays footy and always have.

 

[tony soprano]

Am I the only one who not that excited by luai

 

[Todd Packer]

Am I the only one who not that excited by luai

Yes, but that's because you never had the makings of a Varsity athlete.

 

[twentyforty]

I've never had a problem with Luai's percieved ego/ attitude / presence/ behaviour whatever it is that triggers fans. I like the way he plays footy and always have.

Ditto. I’m more interested in what he does during the 80min on game day.
We have a good record of talking to high profile players coming off contract, but our record of closing is not so good.

 

[jirskyr]

I can kind of understand the sentiment but I'm sorry, who are you to say quit the personal branding. The average career for a first grader lasts 43 games. Players have every right to hype themselves up in order to secure brand deals and better contracts, and honestly good on them for doing it.

You're are right when you say that 20 years ago nobody cared what you or anyone else did, but that doesn't mean you didn't have any self interest or ego. Remember Michael Jordan? I am sure you do! Well, guess what he was doing 20 years ago? Living off his own personal brand. You know 30 years ago the "Be like Mike" Gatorade advertisement aired as well. It's weird you have turned this into some sort of generational thing when this was even more commonplace in your generation, minus the social media.

For starters I don't buy the "poor footy man" argument.

The average first grader career may indeed by 43 games - but those average first graders aren't securing brand deals. And being a social media presence doesn't enhance your chances of getting a football contract.

So someone like Luai, he's played 5 full seasons. Let's say his average salary so far has been $500K per season. That's already $2.5M paid out to date. He's staring down the barrel of another $1M or so per season, 4 years... he's 26 now, so that will net him $6.5M by the time he's 30.

According to the 2021 census, the average fulltime Australian salary was $94K (median was $78K). This means Luai stands to earn ~70x the national average in the first 9 years of his career.

You use Michael Jordan as an example, but he was the greatest basketballer of his generation and one of the greatest sportspeople of all time.

Of course I recognise that everyone has self-interest and self-ego, but now it just gets publicised 24/7.

And I think it's appropriate to consider it, as we make a big-money play for Luai, exactly what product we are planning to buy. Is he just a good guy doing his best for himself, or will he start to use social media to pressure the club, to make veiled comments online, to vent his issues? He's already doing it at Penrith.

 

[jirskyr]

There's always been flashy athletes though, different ways to today's...

Mohammad Ali, Prince Naseem....
Shannon Sharpe in the NFL.
OJ Simpson...
The Ric Flair swagga.
Being the cover of the wheaties box.

Now it's just intensified because of social media.
Now we get the Connor McGregors and even Dwayne the Rock Johnsons.

Being an athlete isn't just that any more.
It's about being THE BRAND too.
Bigger the star, the bigger the brand, bigger the opportunities ( and $$$$ of course )

Call it whatever you want.... It's not humble, it's cocky, whatever.... it brings some identity to the person, could be all show - could be all legit.

Luai has carved out this little image for himself. Anime super hero, etc etc. There's a reason why there's so many young kids wearing Panthers jerseys these days and the "characters" of the game add a level of excitement to it all.

Mate they wear Penrith jerseys because Penrith have won 3 straight comps. When I was a kid everyone thought they were Raiders and then Broncos supporters.

BTW I am not saying I am against personal brands and branding in general, that's always been around, it's the use of social media to put yourself above everything else, your own brand above your club. Already Luai is posting this Lebron-style stuff in response to his treatment at Penrith. Clearly he is quite a few rungs down the ladder at the Panthers and clearly it affects him.

 

[jirskyr]

I think most of our generation (I believe your around Andrew Large age) feel this way. I've come to be more accepting of it as its the way now. Demps' latest post sums it up well, as do you on the other side of the fence.

Yeah I'm 43.

My point really is Tigers are attempting to make a huge investment on behalf of MY CLUB. I don't support the Luai BRAND, I support the Wests Tigers CLUB. Will he come here and raise the profile of our club, or will he always be firstly focused on his own brand?

 

[tony soprano]

Yes, but that's because you never had the makings of a Varsity athlete.

You Heard About The Chinese Godfather? He Made Them An Offer They Couldn't Understand.

 

[earl]

Yeah I'm 43.

My point really is Tigers are attempting to make a huge investment on behalf of MY CLUB. I don't support the Luai BRAND, I support the Wests Tigers CLUB. Will he come here and raise the profile of our club, or will he always be firstly focused on his own brand?

I care about winning games and the players we have not raping, bashing or killing anyone. If he has a habit of whining on social media I'll do my best to ignore the moron like I ignore a whole bunch of morons.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Mate they wear Penrith jerseys because Penrith have won 3 straight comps. When I was a kid everyone thought they were Raiders and then Broncos supporters.

BTW I am not saying I am against personal brands and branding in general, that's always been around, it's the use of social media to put yourself above everything else, your own brand above your club. Already Luai is posting this Lebron-style stuff in response to his treatment at Penrith. Clearly he is quite a few rungs down the ladder at the Panthers and clearly it affects him.

I think Luai is a good example of how the brash, bravado “look at me” personality that’s the norm in the US, sticks out like a sore thumb. Over there, he’s a dime a dozen. In Australia our culture is completely different. Though, there is a younger generation who are trying to make that the norm here as well. Jarryd Hayne was another who tried to market himself the same way. When he kicked that field goal against us to win the game at Ctown in 2016, he started shouting “this is my house”, and I remember in the press conference after the game, Nathan Friend rolling his eyes when recounting it. He was good about it, but you could tell he was a bit like “wtf”. Anyway, with such a big emphasis on social media these days, the self promotion and the ego boosting is only going to get worse.

 

[Demps]

Mate they wear Penrith jerseys because Penrith have won 3 straight comps. When I was a kid everyone thought they were Raiders and then Broncos supporters.

BTW I am not saying I am against personal brands and branding in general, that's always been around, it's the use of social media to put yourself above everything else, your own brand above your club. Already Luai is posting this Lebron-style stuff in response to his treatment at Penrith. Clearly he is quite a few rungs down the ladder at the Panthers and clearly it affects him.

Yep, Penrith are red hot.
I see so many kids wearing their jerseys & they've probably never been anywhere near Penrith.

They're winning and they have rock star like players in the team like Nathan, Luai, Brian, amongst others.

I remember in 2012 all the kids wanted to be Benny Barba but it's Penrith these days.

Wasn't having a crack at you.
I actually agree....
Big fish in small pond.
Heavy Americanised inspiration.

Time for Tom Brady (Luai) to leave the Patriots and try his luck elsewhere 😉

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Do we secretly have Gus now?

AD of contract 2025 that is 600k straight there to go towards AFB

 

[shifty]

Yep, Penrith are red hot.
I see so many kids wearing their jerseys & they've probably never been anywhere near Penrith.

They're winning and they have rock star like players in the team like Nathan, Luai, Brian, amongst others.

I remember in 2012 all the kids wanted to be Benny Barba but it's Penrith these days.

Wasn't having a crack at you.
I actually agree....
Big fish in small pond.
Heavy Americanised inspiration.

Time for Tom Brady (Luai) to leave the Patriots and try his luck elsewhere 😉

I live in Glenmore Park..all I see are panthers jerseys. I hate the panthers.

 

[rugbygoated]

Some people have said Luai will take it easy if he comes here. Personally think it will be the opposite. AFB just had his best year and will be 30 if he joins us in 2025. Luai had his best season in 2020 individually doing really well on the Dally M Leaderboard (only 8 points behind first) but the last 3 years of the penrith threepeat has been a change of systems that has suited Cleary, Edwards and Yeo. Luai doesn't suit that system, even when Cleary or Yeo are out because Ivan plays the same structure with Cogger for example. You only have to look at Origin the past 2 years to see Yeo killing the attack and passing to the ground or getting too much 1st receiver. Once Murray played lock in game 3 this year and Yeo played prop off the bench the team looked heaps better. At Tigers, we don't have an influential ball playing lock that would restrict Luai's game to a short side and if he's in charge of the team he's going on both sides being dangerous. The man hasn't hit his peak, and the media firing him up will motivate him as it did when Samoa lost by 60 in the first game of the world cup and then made the final, and then getting dropped from origin this year then having a great 2 months following it