OFFICIAL Jarome Luai - #295

I was at the game and witnessed Luais leadership it's just as much about what Luai does off the ball, during the big moments he went up to each player individually and pumped them up with confidence.
When he came onto the field for extra time he ran towards the hill to embrace the crowds energy and the importance of the moment, I could see the look on his face that he genuinely loves the challenge.

He is an incredible player and competitor!
That’s good to hear man, cheers.
 
I was at the game and witnessed Luais leadership it's just as much about what Luai does off the ball, during the big moments he went up to each player individually and pumped them up with confidence.
When he came onto the field for extra time he ran towards the hill to embrace the crowds energy and the importance of the moment, I could see the look on his face that he genuinely loves the challenge.

He is an incredible player and competitor!
I thought that was his best game for us!!

Busy with the ball and unbelievable in defense.

Agree 100% that being at the ground gives you a better understanding of his overall impact on the side.

He is a beast!
 
Laui is not a running 6 anymore like his Panthers days..

He was brought in to run the team and he is also dealing with a 19-year-old who wants the ball on every play..

IMO he is doing an excellent game manager job and what we have clearly missed the last 15 years. Yes I would like to see him run the ball more and have more kicks on try scoring opportunities but it takes time to gel.

He is doing something that people might miss and its accountability and every player knows this and doesn't want to let down there teammates.

I think if we go down the Latu playing you would see him more involved and running..

End of the day folks we are improving, and he has a lot to do with it.

Enjoy the ride
 
I get the angst with Romey's performance in attack with both ball and boot. He isn't the strongest kicker in the game so it is something he definitely needs to work on. With ball in hand though I think he is a biut like Api when he first got here - two steps in front to the support play. In addtion I think he has grown up playing a different style. Let me give you an example of how different it may be for him. We hear this on the forum plenty of times - players need to run into holes, or at spaces not faces etc.

This is not how I think Luai learned to play the game - he is of a different school where you move the faces to create spaces. So for support players from a different background running a line at a player instead of a hole is difficult. It is also difficult because in this case the shoulder you are running off, inside or outside, is dictated by the ball carrier not the "hole runner". It also causes timing issues as the support players need to provide enough depth for the ball player to shift the defender to create the hole. The Bula missed pass that led to a penalty in the first half is an example of the ball runner not being where he was expected to be. Had Bula taken that ball it could have been anything.

It is certainly not rocket science but when Luai switches between shoveling it off, to a big left step to a subtle change of pace and or direction the support player needs to be in the right place in time and space to benefit from his work. This happened regularly at the Riff so it isn't like he can't do it well - the problem is just as likely to be that the support players can't read him well. It is improving though.

While most of the credit for the first try on Sunday went to Galvin credit needs to be given to the pass prior from Luai, digging into the line and playing behind May with Galvin on the sweep into the gap between Hynes and Ramien. The rest was pretty simple football Galvin catch the ball drawing Hynes and Ramien - Sam F into a clear backfield.

I think Sam Fs improvement over the last few weeks can be attributed to his adjustment to Luai's style. The same can't be said on the other edge where Galvin's coordination with Seyfarth is much less potent; having said that Star is relishing his digs into the line.

What I would like to see him do is run more; however, that could well be under Benji's instruction.

I'm confident it will continue to develop and by round 27 we will see a completely different Tigers than we are seeing now.
 
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i haven't noticed Jarome being vocal in the game ,most direction seems to come from Api . I did like today J L slide across to galvins preferred side to put a few better placed kicks in then precious would have ,considering how tight the game was late in the day
If you have watched him live, he is very vocal not only during the game but before and after. He’s leading the team and not quite at his best yet for us, but one main reason we are competitive and winning games
 
It’s tough to put your finger on it. Despite his energy and defence the teams looks uncoordinated in attack, and that comes down to Luai and to a lesser extent Api in organising the shape and running plays.

That said though, every time I watch a highlight of something we do good, I see the skill and ability that Luai demonstrates in creating space through his deception and crisp passing game.

This is obviously missed by the naked eye.

In terms of kicking, yes he does not find the glass, but he kicks a contestable kick in a square box of about 10 in 10 or 20 out from the try line nearly every time.

Another point, sure he had a decent stint last year running the team off the back of the Panthers go forward and drilled shape. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he is going to look exactly the same at the Tigers.

He showed that form in a 5 time grand finalist side not a 3 time wooden spoon side, albeit some personal changes have occured in both teams since both examples but last year he was directing a team that had been coached, drilled and skilled to be at the top of their game for 5 seasons straight. That is not the Tigers even with our new recruits.

Finally, our shape is completely different to Penrith and even the Tigers Benji was once staring in.
We play a very flat shape, even with our block plays being played at very accute angles (see the Sam Fainu try).
This is affecting Luai’s time and space with the ball but in conjunction it is getting our receivers over the Avantage line and playing with a lot of momentum at the line not behind the line.

Luai is not Benji, as much as you want it to be the case, he has still nailed excellent kicks in goal, contestable mid to end field kicks and passes so slick that Galvin looks like he is walking on water once he receives the ball.

I’m not worried.
 
I get the angst witn Romey's performance in attack with both ball and boot. He isn't the strongest kicker in the game so it is something he definitely needs to work on. With ball in hand though I think he is a biut like Api when he first got here - two steps in front to the support play. In addtion I think he has grown up playing a different style. Let me give you an example of how different it may be for him. We hear is on the forum plenty of times - players need to run into holes, ot at spaces not faces etc.

This is not how I think Luai leaned to play the game - he is of a different school where you move the faces to create spaces. So for support players from a different background running a line at a player instaed of a hole is difficult. It is also difficult because in this case the should you are running off, inside or outside, is dictated by the ball carrier not the "hole runner". It also causes timing issues as the support players need to provide enough depth for the ball player to shift the defender to create the hole. The Bula missed pass that led to a penalty in the first half is an example of the ball runner not bing where he was expected to be. Had Bula taken that ball it could have been anything.

It is certainly not rocket science but when Luai switches between shoveling it off, to a big left step to a subtle change of pace and or direction the support player needs to be in the right place in time and space to benefit from his work. This happened regularly at the Riff so it isn't like he can't do it well - the problem is just as likely to be that the support players can't read him well. It is improving though.

While most of the credit for the first try on Sunday went to Galvin but credit needs to be given to the pass prior from Luia, digging into the line to and playing behind May with Galvin on the sweep into the gap between Hynes and Ramien. The rest was pretty simple football Galvin catch the ball drawing Hyes and Ramien - Sam F into a clear backfield.

I think Sam Fs improvement over the last few weeks can be attributed to his adjustment to Luai's style. The same can't be said on the other edge where Galvin's coordination with Seyfarth is much less potent; having said that Star is relishing his digs into the line.

What I would like to see him do is run more; however, that could well be under Benji's instruction.

I'm confident it will continue to develop and by round 27 we will see a completely different Tigers than we are seeing now.
Benji is trying to turn Sam F into a gap runner out wide just as we used Garner and how the raiders use Hudson Young...early days but if he has the speed and smarts could be a weapon
 
Richo mentioned they arranged some off field deals for Galvin, within his deal.

Wonder if the same was made for Luai, as he seems to promote a lot.

Binge ad with the Tiger and the Hydreau Drink. Decent ways to make money, outside of the cap..

Smart business.
I’d say for sure D, his face has been popping up all over the place .
 
Was listening to the Bloke in a bar podcast, the guys there made a great point about Luai I never even thought of tbh. They were discussing origin halves and looked at Luais stats for this season so far and compared to his previous years they're below bog average, but they said it's no accident the Tigers now have defensive resolve, are always in games baring the Broncs game, have the ability to fight back. They said even though his stats don't show it, it's the intangible things he brings to a team, he's a winner, he just knows winning. They were saying that it's the intensity he makes the guys around him train with, it's getting into their ears when the opposition has scored, he just fights. They said you can't really measure those things. It's the things off the ball that atm his value is for the Tigers, they said its no coincidence the Tigers have found some starch since Luai got in the joint. They also had massive wraps on May. But they said without Luai they wernt sur if we would be 4 - 4 atm.
 
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