OFFICIAL Jarome Luai - #295

[liltiger]

I might be going crazy but Luai could be the best defensive half I've ever seen since Andrew Johns.

Something else I heard is that at Penrith they had a culture of putting positive reinforcement on the players and not abusing each other. They'd tell you if you did something wrong sure but in a constructive manner and more for education's sake, not as an emotional response. Anyone remember how David Nofoaluma used to react when something went wrong? Luai is totally not a toxic personality like that. The opposite in fact.

Last week I said that Luai lost his NSW jumper to Moses. But now that I think about it, it's actually Cleary who should be left out considering the form of Penrith. Moses/Luai is the incumbent winning combo and should be given the first crack.

They spoke about origin halves, basically guru was saying Cleary, Moses. But did say any of the 3 could get it done. I just kind of thought when he came across he would be that carefree vocal Luai from the Panthers. Looking back now, he came to be a leader so common sense should have told me he would be much more reserved and incisive with his play which would affect his numbers. Looking at it from that perspective and everything else he has brought to the club. If we had made all the other signings, but not Luai, no way we are where we are. Only game without him is the only game we had no fight in us against Brisbane. His 1.25 million imo is a bargain. For 1.25 million it's completely transformed our club. Other teams have to pay 2 - 3 million on 3 - 4 players to get the same result in terms of club culture, standards and competitiveness. We got a bargain.

 

[BAGNF05]

Much better if he misses origin. We don't need the disruption.

Luai needs to take on the line sometimes - he's a little predictable. The hop skip and jump stuff should probably get filed away also - it doesn't work

Too many slow play the balls in their red area. Not many players can unlock a fully set defensive line in the NRL.

 

[Needaname]

In my opinion Luai is the best possible signing a club can make to redirect a clubs standing in the past decade, maybe even the NRL era. This is Ben Kennedy to Manly like or Roy Assotasi to the Bunnies. Can anyone think of other monumental signings in the past that altered a clubs outlook?

 

[mtd#2]

I kind of knew he would make a difference but underestimated how much, even though his game day stats are down, they were basically saying just having him in the walls of the club has turned it into a place where they're now willing to grind out a win at all costs because he's just a natural winner. There is also the thought of the new guys we brought in aswell, but Luais biggest asset atm for us is the way he's so full on and intense at training, sets a standard for everyone to keep up with which inturn improves the guys here who won 3 wooden spoons prior. I never thought one player could have such influence, whether the team brought in or not. He's just like I'm going and if you want you follow.

Its alot like stephen crichton at the dogs, his numbers arent always amazing but he's a leader and gets the team up.
It shows how important he was at Penrith given they are now running last.

 

[BAGNF05]

In my opinion Luai is the best possible signing a club can make to redirect a clubs standing in the past decade, maybe even the NRL era. This is Ben Kennedy to Manly like or Roy Assotasi to the Bunnies. Can anyone think of other monumental signings in the past that altered a clubs outlook?

Combined with May it’s right up there as one of the great recruiting seasons. Some of the other signings weren’t as astute but coming off as well.

 

[BAGNF05]

Its alot like stephen crichton at the dogs, his numbers arent always amazing but he's a leader and gets the team up.
It shows how important he was at Penrith given they are now running last.

Good comparison

 

[liltiger]

Its alot like stephen crichton at the dogs, his numbers arent always amazing but he's a leader and gets the team up.
It shows how important he was at Penrith given they are now running last.

Yeah you look at our defence and you look at theirs this year and it's completly swung. They used to be so resilient and able to absorb pressure and we were so brittle. Now Penrith are brittle and we are finally able to absorb pressure and show resilience. It's crazy one player could have such an impact. We still leak points, but a third of the way through the season were like 5th best defence. It's mind blowing.

 

[Tucker]

Combined with May it’s right up there as one of the great recruiting seasons. Some of the other signings weren’t as astute but coming off as well.

Yeah I think Luai and Api are getting the squad prepared and up for the game and Terrell is the onfield leader saying “follow me”.
May has had an enormous start to the year in a side that’s lost half of its games.

 

[BAGNF05]

Yeah I think Luai and Api are getting the squad prepared and up for the game and Terrell is the onfield leader saying “follow me”.
May has had an enormous start to the year in a side that’s lost half of its games.

That performance on the weekend gets better the more I think about it, May was everywhere. Would have been an injustice if we lost after his GP error.

 

[Tucker]

That performance on the weekend gets better the more I think about it, May was everywhere. Would have been an injustice if we lost after his GP error.

Ha I actually forgot about that..yes I thought we were gone when that happened and felt sorry for him as well.
The pressure on that FG attempt from Seyfarth and Bula was excellent cover for a mate’s mistake.

 

[BAGNF05]

Ha I actually forgot about that..yes I thought we were gone when that happened and felt sorry for him as well.
The pressure on that FG attempt from Seyfarth and Bula was excellent cover for a mate’s mistake.

I think that sort of scramble and will to win becomes part of a team’s make up and could result in other wins later in the year. Good week to be a fan.

 

[mtd#2]

Yeah you look at our defence and you look at theirs this year and it's completly swung. They used to be so resilient and able to absorb pressure and we were so brittle. Now Penrith are brittle and we are finally able to absorb pressure and show resilience. It's crazy one player could have such an impact. We still leak points, but a third of the way through the season were like 5th best defence. It's mind blowing.

Fisher Harris is another one..

I was listening to bloke in a bar podcast and they mentioned "the heart" has been tipped out of Penrith over the years... They have the brains... But not that other driving force that you need to be competitive...

Honestly I think "the heart" is the only thing stopping the sharks from winning a comp again anytime soon. You put Luai in that side and they win the comp imo.

 

[innsaneink]

In my opinion Luai is the best possible signing a club can make to redirect a clubs standing in the past decade, maybe even the NRL era. This is Ben Kennedy to Manly like or Roy Assotasi to the Bunnies. Can anyone think of other monumental signings in the past that altered a clubs outlook?

Yeah i said this laast night...couldnt rememeber asotasis name.
JWH ...darren smith ...loved how he slowed the game to his personal pace.
Wade graham luke lewis...even ellis for us albeit he wasnt here long...blokes that brought a professional outlook and.positive culture to their new clubs

 

[The Chad]

Safe to say that Luai, Api, Turuva, May & to some extent Bird have given not only the team some belief but the fans too.

These guys 'get it'. And they in turn make guys like Twal, Seyfarth, Doueihi etc bring their best game as well.

It's creates an energy & momentum in the squad that the next guy wants to join in on. To'a, Hunt, Da Silva, Galvin, Bula...everyone is 'in' trying to make it work.

Fonua Pole & Sione Fainu have improved out of sight so far- mostly defensively.

We are closer than we thought we were.

 

[Needaname]

Safe to say that Luai, Api, Turuva, May & to some extent Bird have given not only the team some belief but the fans too.

These guys 'get it'. And they in turn make guys like Twal, Seyfarth, Doueihi etc bring their best game as well.

It's creates an energy & momentum in the squad that the next guy wants to join in on. To'a, Hunt, Da Silva, Galvin, Bula...everyone is 'in' trying to make it work.

Fonua Pole & Sione Fainu have improved out of sight so far- mostly defensively.

We are closer than we thought we were.

3 out of the 4 recent recruits are premiership winners. At a pinch you could include May for winning the NSWCup with the Bears.
Along with Api that is a whole lot of winners in one side.

 

[Needaname]

3 out of the 4 recent recruits are premiership winners. At a pinch you could include May for winning the NSWCup with the Bears.
Along with Api that is a whole lot of winners in one side.

Not to mention this off-season we saw 4 players leave our club that all featured in teams that were runners up but not winning one themselves.
I wonder if that is an important factor?

 

[Flippedy]

I disagree that he seldom does something that really impacts a game.
The guy was a match winner on many, many occasions for Penrith.
And did you see Origin last year?

Having said that, I don’t think he has done any one particular match winning thing for us this year, but he’ll get there and meanwhile his influence and leadership is massive, offensively and defensively.

And I disagree that he wasn’t the reason Penrith were succcesful. He was definitely part of that. Watch Penrith without him, in any of the last few years, or this year. They are simply not as good without him.

Summed it up beautifully bigsiro! We need to have some patience with Luai’s playmaking, it will come. Right now though he has come into this club with the sole purpose of changing our long standing losing culture into a winning one. He is succeeding where NO ONE has ever been able to succeed in over a decade.

Of course it’s not all Luai, others have a part to play, but you can tell he is the main instigator of the change in this team this year, and the others are following. You only have listen to him speak and see his actions on the field to realise the difference he is making all round. He has brought the leadership and confidence we have lacked for a long, long time.

I am so thankful for this bloke, I honestly thought this club would never shed its losing culture.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Going a bit overboard there.
Luai is getting better for us but he’s not owning the team as he said he wanted to. I hope he misses out on Origin and keeps working with us.

Losing players to origin is OK when you are enjoying the top of the table, for us it would be a great honour to represent but it will weaken our side too much.
As it is we need close to full strength to win games taking out origin level players from our side adds up to loses for me.

This may sound selfish but I hope no one gets picked, sorry if this offends.

 

[Needaname]

Losing players to origin is OK when you are enjoying the top of the table, for us it would be a great honour to represent but it will weaken our side too much.
As it is we need close to full strength to win games taking out origin level players from our side adds up to loses for me.

This may sound selfish but I hope no one gets picked, sorry if this offends.

No it doesn’t offend, but your not understanding the influence on the selection, how that changes the perception of the club for recruits and even players within.
2nd to that, the game experience is a huge *step up for anybody, they say once you’ve played origin at that pace the regular season games slow down for you. Another one of those intangible things. I used to think it was great to recruit international players that aren’t eligible for origin as your side stays competitive throughout. But there is no argument in the class and quality difference in an origin player and a non Australian international player.
Having May and Luai and possibly Api all selected would be enormous for us.

 

[Tucker]

No it doesn’t offend, but your not understanding the influence on the selection, how that changes the perception of the club for recruits and even players within.
2nd to that, the game experience is a huge *step up for anybody, they say once you’ve played origin at that pace the regular season games slow down for you. Another one of those intangible things. I used to think it was great to recruit international players that aren’t eligible for origin as your side stays competitive throughout. But there is no argument in the class and quality difference in an origin player and a non Australian international player.
Having May and Luai and possibly Api all selected would be enormous for us.

Yes, it would be beneficial on the training paddock and with big game prep tips etc, but man...without those 3, we are looking at 50 pointers against every time.