OFFICIAL Jarome Luai - #295

[stevied]

He's not even remotely close to being our best player. He's been awful in 2 out of 3 games. We lost to a team missing arguably their 4 best, or 4 of their best 5 players amongst others. We totally dominated field position and our "best" player was pathetic with a platform that most halves would dream of.

Part of the problem with Jarome and why people get frustrated with him is that he's getting 1.2 mil which is best player money. To be fair, I don't think he's getting paid merely for his on field performances. It's for his voice, experience and winning attitude. Having said that, he was virtually invisible v Broncos and actually cost us with his grubber in goal and setting for field goal stuff ups. I'm willing to cut him some slack first game back. Maybe he was aware of the team's improved cohesion with Madden and tried to be too careful, letting Douehi run the show.

 

[HUNT 101]

If you can only be judged on your last game then every team would change significantly each week. The notion you can only be judged on your last game doesn't make any sense at all.

Again I'm not saying drop Jerome I'm simply saying based off his last game,or judge off his last game he played average and we should have started with Jock since he has done a great job and Jerome could benefit from coming off the bench, your talking about how good he played in round 2 .!!!
Team first best 100,% injury free 13 on the field . maybe he was 80%

 

[Tom Shines]

Agreed. Easy to see the tactic from Broncos to just give away 6 agains if need be as long as they didn't let us get any momentum with a speedy play the ball. Worked in stifling our attack for the most part and made Luai ineffective.

In that 1st half, I don't know how there wasn't a binning for repeated infringements.

If it’s a tactic that works … expect every team to utilise it then … it’s a copycat league …

The opposition isn’t going to allow Luai to play a style he is comfortable with … he needs to play better than he has in this game and the Souths game .. he has been ordinary if we are being honest

 

[king_sirro]

Again I'm not saying drop Jerome I'm simply saying based off his last game,or judge off his last game he played average and we should have started with Jock since he has done a great job and Jerome could benefit from coming off the bench, your talking about how good he played in round 2 .!!!
Team first best 100,% injury free 13 on the field . maybe he was 80%

Dropping him is exactly what you are saying.

 

[Lukic]

Part of the problem with Jarome and why people get frustrated with him is that he's getting 1.2 mil which is best player money. To be fair, I don't think he's getting paid merely for his on field performances. It's for his voice, experience and winning attitude. Having said that, he was virtually invisible v Broncos and actually cost us with his grubber in goal and setting for field goal stuff ups. I'm willing to cut him some slack first game back. Maybe he was aware of the team's improved cohesion with Madden and tried to be too careful, letting Douehi run the show.

Yeah, I think too many people conflate his on-field with his off-field impact.

Off the field he's no doubt had an enormous, positive impact. Whether it's from recruitment, to fan engagement, to helping build a positive team culture. I'm less convinced of the winning attitude, given it's become overwhelmingly apparent he was a passenger rather than one of the drivers of the Penrith bus, but nonetheless he is a 4x premiership winner.

If we're talking about his on field impact, the contract has been awful. Yes you have to overpay for players in their prime when you're a bottom dweller, but his form of the past season and this year so far is more reflective of a $500k rather than 1.2m player.

 

[Flippedy]

Hardly notice Jerome was playing, that's a problem ,he was nothing special ,Jock is by no means a better player,but his style works, Jerome can be a very scattered player ,I Reckon Jerome should have started off the bench after a few weeks off, given Jock the first 20 instead of the last.. At least we didn't get flogged, can't win em all good...Bring on Canberra, we'll see if there's any changes!!

Great post, exactly how it should’ve gone down, imo. Jarome even offered to come off the bench, by all accounts, but Benji wouldn’t hear of it. Probably something to do with his big price tag! If Luai himself could see how much better Madden steered the team at half, then I think Benji needs to listen.

 

[bythebeardofzeus]

I think the lads know Madden will be coming into the mix. The same reason he came on last night.

7-Madden
6-Luai
5-Turuva
4-Douhei
3-Herbert
2-May
1-Bula

Ugly truth is Makasini cost us the game. 4 momentum changing errors.

- The dropped pass from Bula
- The dropped kick with no one around him
- Not dropping back for Reynolds to kick to Mariner
- Not making the decision to throw the ball back inside and getting tackled out by Staggs (gun player by the way).

Luai is being used as the scapegoat but surely everyone agrees on the above cold hard facts.

Tito.

Not a bad shout this

 

[stevied]

Yeah, I think too many people conflate his on-field with his off-field impact.

Off the field he's no doubt had an enormous, positive impact. Whether it's from recruitment, to fan engagement, to helping build a positive team culture. I'm less convinced of the winning attitude, given it's become overwhelmingly apparent he was a passenger rather than one of the drivers of the Penrith bus, but nonetheless he is a 4x premiership winner.

If we're talking about his on field impact, the contract has been awful. Yes you have to overpay for players in their prime when you're a bottom dweller, but his form of the past season and this year so far is more reflective of a $500k rather than 1.2m player.

I agree, his on field performance, when correlated with his wage, has been underwhelming overall.

 

[crazycat]

Dropping him is exactly what you are saying.

I don't think he is.

If Jerome is 80% he is still 80%.

The problem is ultimately this:
we have 3 halves in Jerome, AD and Madden.

Madden plays a true 7 game. We need him playing 7 and playing 7 all game.
Look at our stats from the Broncos game. Sure we gave a few more penalities, but otherwise we were dominant.

Wests Tigers v Broncos

Wests Tigers versus Brisbane Broncos match centre includes live scores and updates. Includes official live player and team stats. Run metres, fantasy points scoring.

www.nrl.com

One stat that stands out was our kicking meters were around 400 while the Donkey's were over 600.

Madden would have improved that stat. Now, lets be honest:

Madden is less then average for a NRL halfback. I say Bula is "good, not Great" for a NRL fullback.
Bula is kinda better then Madden. The difference is Madden can be our Dunlop Vollies halfback.


Get it yet?
WE NEED A HALFBACK!

2011 was the last time we made the finals from memory and it was because a dude named Robert Lui wore the 7.

This means Jerome can't be Batman.
He can be Captain and he better outperform AD or else it's bench for him. But we have to end this swapping of 7 to try and fit Luai/AD/Madden into the halves.
Personally I think the solution is to put Luai or AD at center. Surely Herbert could go bench.

 

[HUNT 101]

Dropping him is exactly what you are saying.

Hahaha is it... Righto good on ya buddy, your interpretation of my post is way off. I've explained my view twice but so people struggle to understand that cool .
Good chat 🤪

 

[king_sirro]

I don't think he is.

If Jerome is 80% he is still 80%.

The problem is ultimately this:
we have 3 halves in Jerome, AD and Madden.

Madden plays a true 7 game. We need him playing 7 and playing 7 all game.
Look at our stats from the Broncos game. Sure we gave a few more penalities, but otherwise we were dominant.

Wests Tigers v Broncos

Wests Tigers versus Brisbane Broncos match centre includes live scores and updates. Includes official live player and team stats. Run metres, fantasy points scoring.

www.nrl.com

One stat that stands out was our kicking meters were around 400 while the Donkey's were over 600.

Madden would have improved that stat. Now, lets be honest:

Madden is less then average for a NRL halfback. I say Bula is "good, not Great" for a NRL fullback.
Bula is kinda better then Madden. The difference is Madden can be our Dunlop Vollies halfback.


Get it yet?
WE NEED A HALFBACK!

2011 was the last time we made the finals from memory and it was because a dude named Robert Lui wore the 7.

This means Jerome can't be Batman.
He can be Captain and he better outperform AD or else it's bench for him. But we have to end this swapping of 7 to try and fit Luai/AD/Madden into the halves.
Personally I think the solution is to put Luai or AD at center. Surely Herbert could go bench.

He said twice he would put him on the bench...thats dropping him

 

[king_sirro]

Hahaha is it... Righto good on ya buddy, your interpretation of my post is way off. I've explained my view twice but so people struggle to understand that cool .
Good chat 🤪

Twice you said you would put Luai on the bench, then claim you wouldn't drop him. Im sorry, but putting our captain on the bench is dropping him

 

[happy_tiger]

I get it, you’re used to losing and panicking. Luai was man of the match round 2 which was the last time he played 80 minutes.

We lost to the premiers by 1, let’s see how they go over the next few weeks before we sack our best player.

Not our best player .....just our most expensive player

 

[Bellend]

I don't think he is.

If Jerome is 80% he is still 80%.

The problem is ultimately this:
we have 3 halves in Jerome, AD and Madden.

Madden plays a true 7 game. We need him playing 7 and playing 7 all game.
Look at our stats from the Broncos game. Sure we gave a few more penalities, but otherwise we were dominant.

Wests Tigers v Broncos

Wests Tigers versus Brisbane Broncos match centre includes live scores and updates. Includes official live player and team stats. Run metres, fantasy points scoring.

www.nrl.com

One stat that stands out was our kicking meters were around 400 while the Donkey's were over 600.

Madden would have improved that stat. Now, lets be honest:

Madden is less then average for a NRL halfback. I say Bula is "good, not Great" for a NRL fullback.
Bula is kinda better then Madden. The difference is Madden can be our Dunlop Vollies halfback.


Get it yet?
WE NEED A HALFBACK!

2011 was the last time we made the finals from memory and it was because a dude named Robert Lui wore the 7.

This means Jerome can't be Batman.
He can be Captain and he better outperform AD or else it's bench for him. But we have to end this swapping of 7 to try and fit Luai/AD/Madden into the halves.
Personally I think the solution is to put Luai or AD at center. Surely Herbert could go bench.

Madden plays a true 7 game. We need him playing 7 and playing 7 all game. If we played straighter and kicked better we would have won last night

 

[Lestronge]

Haha is this nonsense still going on ? The inmates trying to run the asylum. Talk about what have you done for me lately …
People are so fickle . He’s literally the reason the club has turned around , whether through effort areas , club moral , residual recruitment or helping with gameplans … his round 2 game was better than any half wearing a tigers jersey has put in since Benji was in his prime .
I’ve said it before , if you actually want to know what never ending block plays look like go watch the stgeorge dragons this year . The reason they’re shit is because it’s super predictable .. the shape you people are craving for. It does not work in 2026, unless tou mix it with other alternate shapes and attacking structures.
If you think madden with his block plays , are the antidote for rushing up and in defence , the you’ve got rocks in your head / do not understand what you’re watching . It’s the individuals and what they do in that shape that makes it dangerous .
Latu was doing it when he came on , and it got the edges and had to be turned back in . AD tried looping it , but that didn’t work either . The only way you counter it is kicks behind , or getting the defenders to miss / create second phase .

 

[hank37w]

Part of the problem with Jarome and why people get frustrated with him is that he's getting 1.2 mil which is best player money. To be fair, I don't think he's getting paid merely for his on field performances. It's for his voice, experience and winning attitude. Having said that, he was virtually invisible v Broncos and actually cost us with his grubber in goal and setting for field goal stuff ups. I'm willing to cut him some slack first game back. Maybe he was aware of the team's improved cohesion with Madden and tried to be too careful, letting Douehi run the show.

Unfortunately he did the same thing most of the time that Galvin was around last season.

 

[rex2ce]

AD & JL in the halves have looked clunky 2/3 matches and resulted in two L’s. The Cows game was a pass mark.

Jock straightens us up and needs to come in. His long kicking game also helps us build pressure.

People can argue over who should be playing six but it’s obvious we need Jock steering the ship.

Next week, Madden 7, AD 6, Luai centre

 

[Funnel Webb]

Luai doesn't know how to run anything and he never will. Koroisau should be our captain with Madden steering the ship at 7.

 

[TigerNeddyK]

Haha is this nonsense still going on ? The inmates trying to run the asylum. Talk about what have you done for me lately …
People are so fickle . He’s literally the reason the club has turned around , whether through effort areas , club moral , residual recruitment or helping with gameplans … his round 2 game was better than any half wearing a tigers jersey has put in since Benji was in his prime .
I’ve said it before , if you actually want to know what never ending block plays look like go watch the stgeorge dragons this year . The reason they’re shit is because it’s super predictable .. the shape you people are craving for. It does not work in 2026, unless tou mix it with other alternate shapes and attacking structures.
If you think madden with his block plays , are the antidote for rushing up and in defence , the you’ve got rocks in your head / do not understand what you’re watching . It’s the individuals and what they do in that shape that makes it dangerous .
Latu was doing it when he came on , and it got the edges and had to be turned back in . AD tried looping it , but that didn’t work either . The only way you counter it is kicks behind , or getting the defenders to miss / create second phase .

Thai is exactly the point , Jerome is our most influential player , our energy leader our drive.. we are competitive because of the belief the team has bring on the field with him .. Benji knows this , that is why he is here.. no way on earth this team wins a semi final without Luai being in the team leading the way.. the team lift with him beside them , he is their standard

 

[Lukic]

I must have dreamt the past 3 weeks.

We flogged two teams in the top 8 and won a tense Easter Monday games.

The way some of you blokes carry on is deadset like we got thumped 3 times and Luai is god on earth coming to save us.