With his eyes locked on Simon Mannering and Shaun Johnson, a fresh-faced Jarome Luai kept the Warriors defence sliding before he exploded.
All it took was one sudden step to the right and an even more sudden burst of speed for Luai to split the defence, going over next to the posts for his first try in the NRL.
On that Friday night, playing in front of just over 10,000 fans and in the middle of the State of Origin period, the 21-year-old announced himself as a star of the future.
Watch the best coverage of the 2024 NRL finals, with expert analysis and every game until the Grand Final LIVE with no ad-breaks during play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >
IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD BE BUYING INSTEAD. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
Cleary rejects injury concerns for GF | 02:30
“It’s right up there,” Luai said of that game.
“I was in a position where I was jumping at the bullet and I was ready to play. I thought I had done the work and that I’ll just unleash that night and it was a big night for my family.
“That was my first opportunity to start in that role and without the Origin guys there was no real pressure… no one gave us a chance to win… probably to this day, that’s one of my best games over there.
“It was a good night and one I’ll never forget.”
There have been plenty of other nights like it over the next six years for Luai, who scored another try, set up a third and added try two linebreaks along with 10 tackle breaks in the 36-4 win.
He went on to play four more NRL games that year, stuck behind State of Origin halves Nathan Cleary and James Maloney at that point.
Although it was only a matter of time before Luai shared the field with Cleary again, having first combined with him at SG Ball level in 2015.
And when that moment came, there was always a sense that something special was about to happen.
Like five-straight grand final appearances and, potentially, four premierships in a row?
Well, that definitely would’ve been a stretch, although Luai and Cleary had the benefit of what Penrith’s pathways manager Lee Hopkins described as a “sixth sense” in an interview with foxsports.com.auin 2022.
“They just know,” he said. “It’s one of those things you can’t explain. I don’t know if they can explain it.”
But even if it can’t be explained, the numbers speak for themselves — specifically, Luai and Cleary’s 87.5 per cent winning percentage (77 from 88 games) as a halves combination since entering the NRL.
Now, as Luai prepares for a new chapter in his career, this final one from his time at Penrith remains unwritten.
But regardless of what happens, whether he gets the fairytale finish like so many other teammates in recent years or not, Luai leaves the Panthers a changed player — and person.
Because forget rugby league for a second. To see how much Luai has really changed, you don’t even need to watch him on the field.
‘Panthers by ten!’ Spud predicts GF | 03:23
Instead, just keep an eye out for him before games. He may be hard to spot at times, perhaps hidden behind a goalpost, depending which side of the field you are seated on.
But he will likely be there, sitting down and with headphones on, although often there won’t even be music playing.
For a moment, it’s paused as everything else around him — the bright lights, the noise of the crowd and the gravity of what is about to happen — fades into the background.
If you can’t spot Luai in that quiet moment to himself, the chances are you were too late, because sometimes he’ll be out there on the ground long before the stands start to fill up.
But you’ll likely have another opportunity to spot him going through a similar routine after the game too, which is why if you are after a selfie with the Penrith five-eighth, you may just have to wait.
“I’ve been doing that quite a bit after every game,” he said.
“I know fans and that are screaming for photos and things like that, but I think I’m able to sit there for a couple minutes with my babies and just sort of soak it up and understand the team I’m playing in and how special of a bond (it is).
“A bit of emotions running through when I’m sitting there alone and just soaking it all up.”
But the self-reflection doesn’t stop there. Luai also has his own diary, a “little brown book”.
He has been writing in the journal for a “few years” but really leaned into it this season, even if it came as a surprise to him, admitting: “I never thought I’d be doing that”.
“It was a bit of a challenge I think after Origin because it was sort of coming pretty fast for me,” added Luai.
“But I think being able to sort of talk about it and address it and how I was feeling and just understanding that I’ve still got a job to do, putting the emotions aside and putting the worker’s hat on… making sure I’m being a good teammate to the boys.
“… I think it’ll be pretty cool to look back down the road. Just little conversations with the boys that are leaving and also conversations with my partner, just making sure I’m staying present.”
Which is exactly what Luai did when he fronted the media in early January to confirm he would be finishing up with the Panthers at the end of the season and joining the Tigers on a five-year deal.
“What was really special was that he made his announcement and had his decision which the group completely understood at the time and… it was just like a flick of a switch,” Panthers teammate Scott Sorensen told foxsports.com.au.
“He was straight back into Panther mode, straight back into our team and our system and didn’t dwell on anything.”
It showed on the field too.
Before Luai signed on with the Tigers, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary poured cold water over the idea that a rival team should pay the off-contract five-eighth more than $1 million a season to be their chief playmaker.
In fact, he said it would be a “risk”.
“Could he do it? I’m sure he could do it,” Cleary said at the time.
“Has he done it? No he hasn’t.”
The 27-year-old responded on social media with the simple caption ‘know your worth’ in a far from subtle swipe at his coach, although it later became clear it was a simple case of Cleary trying do whatever he could to keep rival clubs at bay and Luai at the foot of the mountains.
Nonetheless, there was an element of truth to what Cleary said. Outside of playing for Samoa, Luai hadn’t proved himself capable of being the primary option at NRL level.
He had actually played halfback coming through the grades and was the more highly-rated of the two, at least early on before he teamed up with Cleary in the juniors.
How vulnerable is Cleary ahead of GF? | 02:34
But once he got to the NRL, Luai had largely played second fiddle to Cleary and when the superstar halfback was sidelined — either through injury or State of Origin duties — either Sean O’Sullivan or Jack Cogger deputised as the primary option.
This year, however, Luai had to take on more responsibility alongside either the still developing Jack Cole or inconsistent Brad Schneider.
The result has been a far more composed Luai, at least in contrast to the energetic — and at times erratic — version of years past, forcing the second-most (16) dropouts in the league.
“When Nathan got injured he did take a step up in terms of leadership and taking control of our team,” second rower Luke Garner told foxsports.com.au.
“Not to say that it wasn’t doing that before but he did have the seven on his back, so he did have a bit more responsibility and he handled that well. Just him realising that it’s his last year at the club, he’s really going hard.”
“He’s always led by his actions and the way he’s playing his footy,” added Sorensen.
“But I just feel like his voice as well has really stepped up and taken on so much more responsibility.”
For Luai though, nothing much has changed. He always knew he had this kind of season in him. It was just about getting the opportunity to prove it. He had it this year and he will definitely have it for the years to come too.
“I think a lot of people looked at it that way,” Luai said, referencing the idea that he had something to prove this season.
“I think I’d be playing the same way if I wasn’t going to the Tigers next year. People sort of said that I’ve evolved and picked up something that I haven’t had in my game before. But I’ve never really had to play this role.
“Back in a junior days, I was a seven and sort of knew myself if I needed to step into this role, I’d be sweet because it’s already there for me, it sort of comes naturally.”
As does that connection with Cleary, or the “sixth sense” as Hopkins called it.
The sixth sense which means that on Sunday night even if the game is on the line and Cleary’s call is barely audible among the wall of deafening sound, Luai knows what to do and where to be.
He also knows that if the play breaks down or the Panthers find themselves trailing, like they were last year against Brisbane, there is always a chance when he has No.7 alongside him.
‘Should be favourites’: Riccio on Storm | 01:22
“He beings this aura and this type of feeling that if the game goes down to the wire we’re a big chance of winning still because he’s there,” Luai said.
“It’s that type of aura. If we’re behind on the scoreboard in any type of situation, we’re always going to be in the game. That’s what he brings to this team. That’s a pretty cool superpower to have, that’s what he brings to this team — the belief.”
Luai clearly believes in himself too, believes he can live up to the expectations of being the new face of a franchise and the pressure of his $6 million price tag.
His final year at the Panthers has prepared him for it and if that isn’t already enough to draw from, he can also think back to his first-ever game at Penrith Park and his first-ever try.
A few things will be different, starting with the fact that this time around there will be pressure.
But as was the case that night, it will be backs against the wall. Until Luai, still using his eyes and the art of deception to toy with the defence and create space, bursts through it.
Discussion about this post