OFFICIAL Jarome Luai - #295

Most of those things he hasn't ticked off are individual awards. He's a backup role player at penrith and is coached by Ivan to play that way, perhaps now he wants some individual recognition? As we have seen with Nicho Hynes and Jack Wighton, you can win a Dally M in a team where not many players take points off you and with less good players around you. At Tigers the only two I could see taking Dally M points off Luai if he were to succeeed would be Koroisau or Bula. Forwards don't get many points unless their name is Haas or Fisher-Harris. I thought he was very unlucky to not get the Golden Boot award last year. Manu got it because of that 400 metre game in the middle of the year when Luai played origin. Luai was essentially the best player of the world cup along with Addo-Carr. Based on all of that. I'd say he is less likely to win individual awards at Penrith. He is not important to penrith. I'd have in order of importance to Penrith: 1. Cleary, 2. Edwards, 3. Yeo, 4. JFH, 5. To'o, 6. Leota, 7. Martin, 8. Luai
Will he score more Dally M points here? Maybe.
Will we make him a better player? Maybe.
One thing is for sure though. We make the semis and he'll get the credit for it....the same has rarely ever been said at Penrith.
 
Will he score more Dally M points here? Maybe.
Will we make him a better player? Maybe.
One thing is for sure though. We make the semis and he'll get the credit for it....the same has rarely is ever been said at Penrith.
Yeah I agree with you. That was my point actually if I didn't express it clearly. If he does get us to finals of course it won't be just him. We need to create an environment for him to succeed. And motivate him. He is a player that thrives off of haters. Media, fans, his coach motivates him. But we won't make finals without the million dollar man firing. It can't be a Ben Hunt situation where he's trying hard every week but doesn't have the talent. Or Nicho Hynes who fails in big games largely because of his forwards not playing well enough and the coach playing too attacking and less defensive
 
Most of those things he hasn't ticked off are individual awards. He's a backup role player at penrith and is coached by Ivan to play that way, perhaps now he wants some individual recognition? As we have seen with Nicho Hynes and Jack Wighton, you can win a Dally M in a team where not many players take points off you and with less good players around you. At Tigers the only two I could see taking Dally M points off Luai if he were to succeeed would be Koroisau or Bula. Forwards don't get many points unless their name is Haas or Fisher-Harris. I thought he was very unlucky to not get the Golden Boot award last year. Manu got it because of that 400 metre game in the middle of the year when Luai played origin. Luai was essentially the best player of the world cup along with Addo-Carr. Based on all of that. I'd say he is less likely to win individual awards at Penrith. He is not important to penrith. I'd have in order of importance to Penrith: 1. Cleary, 2. Edwards, 3. Yeo, 4. JFH, 5. To'o, 6. Leota, 7. Martin, 8. Luai

Most want to win comps & play rep footy.
They don’t care about individual awards.
Luai is a very very good team man.

The reality is for him to choose us it will be 80% cash & length the cash runs for v opportunity.

People are looking way too much into the legacy & prove himself rubbish because us fans are desperate and want winners/quality here. Luai has proven himself regardless what he does next.
 
Most want to win comps & play rep footy.
They don’t care about individual awards.
Luai is a very very good team man.

The reality is for him to choose us it will be 80% cash & length the cash runs for v opportunity.

People are looking way too much into the legacy & prove himself rubbish because us fans are desperate and want winners/quality here. Luai has proven himself regardless what he does next.
I've heard Luai actually say once (not to quote) something along the lines of "individual awards are overrated", I care more about the team. It reflects in the way he plays. He's the backup guy, the guy who picks up the crums, the guy who is looked at to create something from nothing when the system doesn't work (which it rarely does work). At Tigers, he has no choice but to change drastically
 
Penrith is spurning any bold optimism that Jarome Luai will re-sign after hard man James Fisher-Harris revealed the entire club would be “at peace” if the star five-eighth left for big-money rival offers.
And Penrith group chief executive Brian Fletcher added to the intrigue by declaring: “If he does decide to go, and he does very well financially, and it sets up his family, how good is that? It’s a great result, either way.”

Luai continues to ponder his future while mulling over a massive offer from Wests Tigers and interest from Canterbury.

While hopeful the NSW star would be retained, the Panthers are being coy as Luai prepared to make his big decision, possibly as early as Friday.

“I’m at peace with whatever he wants to do. It’s all up to him and his family and I’m all for it, brother,” Fisher-Harris said. “He’s my bro and I love him and his family and I’ve ‘got him’ whatever he wants to do.

“If he wants to stay, he stays, and if he wants to go he can go and I’m at peace with it - I think we all are at Penrith. It’s not all about football, bro.

“We have known each other for a long time, our kids are close, and our partners are close. We have known each other for so long and football is just a part of the journey.”

Fisher-Harris said he hadn’t attempted to persuade Luai into re-signing.

“At the end of the day, it will come down to him,” Fisher-Harris said.

“I bet you there will be a lot of people in his ear but he has to do what is right for him and his family

“And the challenges he wants. You know what I mean?” Whatever he wants to do, I’m all for it.”

Fletcher stressed his club could feel flattered if Luai accepted the $1.1m to $1.2m a year being offered by Wests Tigers.

“It’s nice to be in the situation we’re in,” Fletcher said.

“We’d love to keep him, he’s such a great player, but it would be great to see if he has a great financial win out of ability as well.

“It’s a great result, either way. If he does decide to go, and he does very financially, and it sets up his family, how good is that? It’s great for the system that you can develop a player and get them to that level.

“Penrith has developed a system where you know every year you’re going to lose a million dollars’ worth of player in the salary cap.

“Jarome said he would make a decision prior to coming back to (off-season) training. He’s got all the information from us and he’s got his management team.”

Luai met with Wests Tigers and Canterbury last week.

The Tigers remain confident of luring the running playmaker to Concord while few would discount the power of Bulldogs general manager of football, Phil Gould.


Penrith back to saving face. i reckon he’s on his way out
 
Penrith is spurning any bold optimism that Jarome Luai will re-sign after hard man James Fisher-Harris revealed the entire club would be “at peace” if the star five-eighth left for big-money rival offers.
And Penrith group chief executive Brian Fletcher added to the intrigue by declaring: “If he does decide to go, and he does very well financially, and it sets up his family, how good is that? It’s a great result, either way.”

Luai continues to ponder his future while mulling over a massive offer from Wests Tigers and interest from Canterbury.

While hopeful the NSW star would be retained, the Panthers are being coy as Luai prepared to make his big decision, possibly as early as Friday.

“I’m at peace with whatever he wants to do. It’s all up to him and his family and I’m all for it, brother,” Fisher-Harris said. “He’s my bro and I love him and his family and I’ve ‘got him’ whatever he wants to do.

“If he wants to stay, he stays, and if he wants to go he can go and I’m at peace with it - I think we all are at Penrith. It’s not all about football, bro.

“We have known each other for a long time, our kids are close, and our partners are close. We have known each other for so long and football is just a part of the journey.”

Fisher-Harris said he hadn’t attempted to persuade Luai into re-signing.

“At the end of the day, it will come down to him,” Fisher-Harris said.

“I bet you there will be a lot of people in his ear but he has to do what is right for him and his family

“And the challenges he wants. You know what I mean?” Whatever he wants to do, I’m all for it.”

Fletcher stressed his club could feel flattered if Luai accepted the $1.1m to $1.2m a year being offered by Wests Tigers.

“It’s nice to be in the situation we’re in,” Fletcher said.

“We’d love to keep him, he’s such a great player, but it would be great to see if he has a great financial win out of ability as well.

“It’s a great result, either way. If he does decide to go, and he does very financially, and it sets up his family, how good is that? It’s great for the system that you can develop a player and get them to that level.

“Penrith has developed a system where you know every year you’re going to lose a million dollars’ worth of player in the salary cap.

“Jarome said he would make a decision prior to coming back to (off-season) training. He’s got all the information from us and he’s got his management team.”

Luai met with Wests Tigers and Canterbury last week.

The Tigers remain confident of luring the running playmaker to Concord while few would discount the power of Bulldogs general manager of football, Phil Gould.


Penrith back to saving face. i reckon he’s on his way out

Yeah, this pretty much confirms it. Tiger '25
 

Former Wests Tigers player Joel Caine has claimed the club should chase Jarome Luai instead of Addin Fonua-Blake's signature, which he claims could cost the team down the road. The Wests Tigers and Bulldogs remain favourites to sign Fonua-Blake when he leaves the Warriors at the end of the next season having asked for a release from his contract.

Phil Gould met with Fonua-Blake after the development, while the Tigers appear frontrunners to secure him with room in the salary cap. The Warriors know Fonua-Blake will be leaving in 2024 and are looking at immediate replacements with a potential trade deal.

If Fonua-Blake were to become a Bulldogs, The Daily Telegraph reports the Warriors are interested in Viliame Kikau’s signature. And the publication also claimed the club would be interested in a trade for Isaiah Papali’i or Stefano Utoikamanu if the Tigers were to be keen.

Caine is skeptical about the potential deal, which would see the Tigers pay up to a reported $1.2 million, which is similar to what the Broncos are paying Payne Haas. “It does make sense (that the Warriors would be interested in Papali’i) probably due to the fact he appears to be the most likely on the list that both parties would agree on,” Caine said on SEN Radio. “At the price and purely at that, I think it’s a risk.

“I’m saying for the Wests Tigers, where they’re at… (Fonua-Blake) has had a terrific career, no doubt about that but he hasn’t had the consistency of say a Payne Haas. You’re paying similar dollars to get him, that’s my only concern. If I’m the Wests Tigers, who can’t make another single error, I wouldn’t do it, as good as he can be.”

Caine admitted he would rather the Tigers go after Luai's signature. “(I’d take) Jarome, every day of the week, every single day of the week,” Caine added. While there is talks the Warriors want a trade deal, Utoikamanu appears an unlikely option.

Utoikamanu is expecting his second child with his partner and may be reluctant to move out of Sydney with a young family. Papali’i played 63 games for the Warriors, before making the switch to the Eels in 2021. He since joined the Tigers in 2023 having played 23 games.

Phil Gould chases Addin Fonua-Blake's signature​

The Wests Tigers are reportedly favourites to get Fonua-Blake. However, Bulldogs supremo Gould met with the forward as it appears the club are also entering the race. And recently Gould voiced his interest in the star, despite telling SEN he won't come cheap. "Yeah Addin's a quality player, I have a lot of time for Addin," Gould said. "I spent a little bit of time at the Warriors during COVID as a consultant and got to see Addin first-hand, he's a quality player.

"He's not cheap though and I'd imagine there'd be a lot of interest in Addin. He's got to return home to Australia for family reasons which he's working through with the Warriors ... there'll be a lot of people lining up for his signature that's for sure."
 
not entirely sure if any of that confirms it, but Penrith are doing the same PR exercise as they did before Stephen Crichton signed with Canterbury. what's clear to me is that a decision is imminent, which we can all be thankful for.

Yeah junior, same exact spin 2 soften the
blow. Seems that he has 1 foot out the door.
I suspected he agreed to terms & went
back to Penrith last week — they came up
with 1 extra year. Think we got our man.
Either way, we'll find out soon thankfully
 
I've heard Luai actually say once (not to quote) something along the lines of "individual awards are overrated", I care more about the team. It reflects in the way he plays. He's the backup guy, the guy who picks up the crums, the guy who is looked at to create something from nothing when the system doesn't work (which it rarely does work). At Tigers, he has no choice but to change drastically

He isn’t the backup guy he is the team first guy that just does his job.
 
He isn’t the backup guy he is the team first guy that just does his job.
Forgot to include that. He is both. He has many roles but being the main man is not one of them at penrith. When Cleary is injured, Luai doesn't take control, Cogger or O'Sullivan did. This is part of the Ivan Cleary system. For Samoa he had a lot more freedom.
 

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