OFFICIAL Jarome Luai - #295

[TIGERS]

So. Which Gold Coast team was better?

The one with Wally or the one without?

the one with Scott Sattler hahaha

 

[Halbrowne61]

But if the NRL players leave China might invade?

Chinese idea of invasion is more subtle than ours, they won’t be sailing into Port Moresby harbour in warships with all guns blazing.
They’ll start on infiltrating the infrastructure and slowly build their presence.This is happening already right across the Pacific, their philosophy, win the war without weapons.
They also know that cash is a very worthwhile weapon,especially with struggling, corrupt officials, as our Mr Magoo has found up north !!!

 

[Bellend]

Chinese idea of invasion is more subtle than ours, they won’t be sailing into Port Moresby harbour in warships with all guns blazing.
They’ll start on infiltrating the infrastructure and slowly build their presence.This is happening already right across the Pacific, their philosophy, win the war without weapons.
They also know that cash is a very worthwhile weapon,especially with struggling, corrupt officials, as our Mr Magoo has found up north !!!

Thought China was building a Fishing process plant in PNG??

 

[Halbrowne61]

Thought China was building a Fishing process plant in PNG??

I rest my case !

 

[TheEnz]

Chinese idea of invasion is more subtle than ours, they won’t be sailing into Port Moresby harbour in warships with all guns blazing.
They’ll start on infiltrating the infrastructure and slowly build their presence.This is happening already right across the Pacific, their philosophy, win the war without weapons.
They also know that cash is a very worthwhile weapon,especially with struggling, corrupt officials, as our Mr Magoo has found up north !!!

China plays the long game...just look at the way they are handling Taiwan and the global belt and road initiative. Investing in ports and infrastructure across the globe with either an ownership model or a financing model, either way they gain control and influence. $600m to nail down PNG's loyalty is peanuts in the scheme of things.

 

[Halbrowne61]

China plays the long game...just look at the way they are handling Taiwan and the global belt and road initiative. Investing in ports and infrastructure across the globe with either an ownership model or a financing model, either way they gain control and influence. $600m to nail down PNG's loyalty is peanuts in the scheme of things.

Totally correct, Chinese philosophy says ;
“ Wait long , move fast “.

 

[magpies forever]

Luai will probably move his family to Brissie or Cairns and commute down there from PMO when free time. I do think his form is starting to fall but will also give some leeway as our team has been cruelled by injury and suspension of key players in the last month. Still reckon next season is iffy here for him.

 

[Halbrowne61]

Luai will probably move his family to Brissie or Cairns and commute down there from PMO when free time. I do think his form is starting to fall but will also give some leeway as our team has been cruelled by injury and suspension of key players in the last month. Still reckon next season is iffy here for him.

Cairns is only 1.5 hrs from POM and a decent place to live. POM is a shocker as anyone who’s spent time there will tell you.
I remember attending a Test match there many years ago and the Australian team arrived on a mini bus from their hotel and ran straight onto the field and at full time exited the same way. Fulton was coach and no PR in those days.

 

[Furious1]

Luai will probably move his family to Brissie or Cairns and commute down there from PMO when free time. I do think his form is starting to fall but will also give some leeway as our team has been cruelled by injury and suspension of key players in the last month. Still reckon next season is iffy here for him.

Rumour has been Luai himself is still injured, not been training and only continuing to play because 3/4 spine were already out.

 

[magpies forever]

Cairns is only 1.5 hrs from POM and a decent place to live. POM is a shocker as anyone who’s spent time there will tell you.
I remember attending a Test match there many years ago and the Australian team arrived on a mini bus from their hotel and ran straight onto the field and at full time exited the same way. Fulton was coach and no PR in those days.

I lived in PMO for 3 years (yep, in a compound) and found it not overly dangerous but certainly somewhere you had to always be aware of your surroundings. I still loved it when the first shopping mall inc cinema opened there and the front of cinema had sign 'no knives, guns or hand grenades allowed'. It caused chuckles in the Aust expat community. Apart from Mount Hagen, the rest of PNG places were so much easier and less problems. Yes, taking break to Cairns and Brissie was good in allowing you to relax and drive around without locking doors.

 

[Flippedy]

So. Which Gold Coast team was better?

The one with Wally or the one without?

They’ve all been crap.

 

[Telltails]

Rumour has been Luai himself is still injured, not been training and only continuing to play because 3/4 spine were already out.

Its a no win situation for players who play with injury. By trying to do the right thing by the coach they risk ridicule and further injury.

 

[tig_prmz]

You have said this a couple of times now … it’s at odds with what the PNG Govt and the NRL have been saying to date with the players at least expected to live and train in Port Moresby .,,I would expect at least some to have family in tow

The temperature and humidity in Port Moresby is relatively consistent throughout the year..,, yes it will he difficult .,. But NRL players play games there every year already now wit the Prime Ministers XIII and some test matches .. it’s going to be familiar already to a lot

I didn't realize I've said that before.

I think it's different being there for one game or one week compared to doing an entire 2 months of gruelling pre-seaaon in the summer there especially for mostly Aussie players who aren't used to it.

It will be a good sports science challenge, but quite u proven to figure out what loads they can manage.

Maybe I'm wrong, I just feel like the logistics of it will not be as simple as live your whole 2-3 years out of a compound. The PM and stuff may say to keep the public happy, but I'm doubtful.

 

[Tom Shines]

I didn't realize I've said that before.

I think it's different being there for one game or one week compared to doing an entire 2 months of gruelling pre-seaaon in the summer there especially for mostly Aussie players who aren't used to it.

It will be a good sports science challenge, but quite u proven to figure out what loads they can manage.

Maybe I'm wrong, I just feel like the logistics of it will not be as simple as live your whole 2-3 years out of a compound. The PM and stuff may say to keep the public happy, but I'm doubtful.

There is a couple of issues we are touching on here ..

Playing a season of games at NRL level is an unknown … and it’s gunna be a challenge … the temperature and humidity is similar to Townsville during the footy season … the Cowboys though play a lot of games at night …I have never seen a night game played in PM ..not sure if that’s an option …

I would suggest though the players should train there in the preseason to gain an advantage over the visiting teams they play throughout the year ..

The second issue is around players and their families living and playing there ..it seems a sensitive one for the PNG Govt who are the ones behind this whole thing and is the only reason the team exists to begin with …they want the team to be based there which means the team living and training there during the footy season anyway which runs about 10 months of the year including off season training ..

I don’t know what will happen with the families …I assume some will go and some won’t …the players though are getting paid double the money and it’s because they have to live there ..i don’t see how they can take the double tax free money and then say they don’t want to live there ..

 

[tig_prmz]

There is a couple of issues we are touching on here ..

Playing a season of games at NRL level is an unknown … and it’s gunna be a challenge … the temperature and humidity is similar to Townsville during the footy season … the Cowboys though play a lot of games at night …I have never seen a night game played in PM ..not sure if that’s an option …

I would suggest though the players should train there in the preseason to gain an advantage over the visiting teams they play throughout the year ..

The second issue is around players and their families living and playing there ..it seems a sensitive one for the PNG Govt who are the ones behind this whole thing and is the only reason the team exists to begin with …they want the team to be based there which means the team living and training there during the footy season anyway which runs about 10 months of the year including off season training ..

I don’t know what will happen with the families …I assume some will go and some won’t …the players though are getting paid double the money and it’s because they have to live there ..i don’t see how they can take the double tax free money and then say they don’t want to live there ..

Good points. I guess I'm being negative because of the unknown.

It's a 3 hour flight from Brissie to Port Moresby, they'll have free transportation to/from the compound. I doubt any family will be forced to live somewhere they don't want to. If I was a player/ staff member, I'd have my family live in Brisbane and I'd FIFO every month or so.

The WAGs will still be working, kids going to school etc. I think the whole compound idea is sold more for the PNG public than us. It's their tax money going to pay these players too..

 

[rugbygoated]

I'm ready to be ridiculed, but why don't we consider starting Luai at 7 while AD is out?

I feel like that could settle the team a bit more. Not that it's the best tactically but the situation becomes a bit different without Api. I trust Madden with a proper 9 but not without. Everyone thought Madden was the next Cooper Cronk for minute there but he's so not is he. We are too easy to read with what we have now.

honestly think it's the best option. It will force him to not sit back like he did on the weekend. He also seems like he can't do much running because he's injured. I think because of style Benji always opts for Latu 7 Luai 6 but why hasn't he tried luai 7 and latu 6 in a running role? Latu 7 and luai 6 doesn't seem to work. With AD out another 2-3 weeks and madden/luai not working and madden hamstrung I think it's the right option. Even if they have the same numbers on their back

 

[rugbygoated]

I'm ready to be ridiculed, but why don't we consider starting Luai at 7 while AD is out?

I feel like that could settle the team a bit more. Not that it's the best tactically but the situation becomes a bit different without Api. I trust Madden with a proper 9 but not without. Everyone thought Madden was the next Cooper Cronk for minute there but he's so not is he. We are too easy to read with what we have now.

If we look at luai at this club so far in the halves. He had a preseason with Galvin 24/25 and it was clear the plan from Benji was to have galvin remain the dominant half for the combination to work and luai to play a style he isn't used to. To be fair to galvin he didn't win us many games himself but the start to 2025 he was in good form but still had his high risk footy which would take away from games that should be won. Luai/Galvin were 5/3 together at round 10 before the storm 64-0 flogging. Galvin leaves after souths game week after and then the season spirals. Luai plays a few weeks at 7 with heath mason at 6 which is to date Luai's last chance at 7 and while losing all 3 games they play well vs Penrith. After that period luai plays 6 the remainder of 2025 with latu and AD playing 7. So the question is has luai played enough 7 to try to justify the dollars? He hasn't done much on the field at 6 or 7 for us. While playing halfback, the first 10 games of 2025 were adhering to Galvin's unique dominant 6 style and then changing to the opposite with heath mason who can't kick and isn't much of a threat for 3 games.