Panthers in crisis as Jarome Luai truth laid bare amid latest Penrith horror show against the Rabbitohs
For the first time in more than six years Penrith have lost three straight games as Ivan Cleary is left to deal with a brutal Jarome Luai truth.Ben Talintyre
March 27, 2025 - 10:30PM
The past few seasons Penrith have lost several big names but defied the odds and remained the team to beat in the NRL.
However, in 2025 they find themselves with just a single win in four matches after going down 28-18 against the Rabbitohs on Thursday night.
It is the first time Penrith have lost three games straight since 2019 and they have now conceded more points than they did across the opening 13 rounds in 2021, the year their premiership reign began.
And while the defeat can be in part put down to the absence of star halfback Nathan Cleary it is being abundantly clear that the Panthers have lost a lot of their bite without Jarome Luai.
Luai has become an immediate success at the Tigers, helping them to a 2-1 start, helping the perennial wooden spooners become a legitimate chance of playing finals footy.
While at the foot of the mountain, his former side are desperately missing his leadership and talk in both defence and attack.
Time and time again we have seen Penrith lose star players and replace them effortlessly but this time it seems different.
Ivan Cleary's Panthers have struggled without Jarome Luai.
Jack Cole and Brad Schneider continue to do a job in the halves but they lack Luai’s creative spark.
While new recruit Blaize Talagi – who was touted as Luai’s replacement – couldn’t make the 17 even with Cleary out as he recovers from a concussion as Ivan Cleary reportedly holds major concerns over his defensive capabilities.
And in the end Thursday’s 28-18 loss masked what was a horror first-half showing as the four-time premiers.
Such was their shocking opening 40 minutes they were booed by fans off the pitch at half time as they only completed 50 per cent of their sets.
And as another Penrith horror performance is in the books for 2025, it appears Brent Read may have been on the money pre-season, with the veteran journalist saying before Penrith’s round one match there is “no way” anyone should consider them premiership favourites.
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Happy that Romey is here, The Tigers are getting better with every game
