‘Can’t imagine him in another jersey’: Nathan Cleary opens up about Jarome Luai saga

Penrith star Nathan Cleary returned from his off-season to mounting speculation around the future of his halves partner Jarome Luai. He’s yet to try persuade him into staying.

Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary. Credit: NRL Images.

They’ve proven themselves to be a real NRL power couple, but Nathan Cleary believes Jarome Luai can achieve what he has yet to in rugby league and be a No.1 playmaker.

Not that Cleary will personally admit it to him.

As the NRL world waits on whether Luai will leave Penrith for the Wests Tigers or Canterbury, Cleary has no doubt his childhood mate can be flourish on his own team.

In his first interview since returning from his off-season following his grand final heroics, Cleary said his halves partner has already proven his ability to lead a side.

Asked whether Luai could be a chief playmaker, Cleary said: “Yeah, he could.

“He’s shown that for Samoa on the world stage. He did it there.”

But Cleary has so far refrained from reminding him that.

Nathan Cleary visited Nepean Hospital to deliver Christmas presents. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Since Luai joined Cleary in first grade in 2016, the pair have won a remarkable 68 of 77 NRL games as a halves combination - including the past three grand finals.

The 88 per cent winning record is easily the highest in the State of Origin era.

But for all their personal history - the pair also won an under-20s title at Penrith in 2015 - Cleary has avoided trying to persuade Luai into remaining at the foot of the mountains.

“’Romey’ came back the same day as me (last week). I hadn’t seen him in a bit so it’s good to see him again. He’s still the same old Romey,” he said.

“Sometimes you get caught up in (the contract stuff) and I didn’t really want to reach out and ask him about it or anything like that. He had too many people doing that.

“A lot of people were asking me, and all the other boys, what he was doing. So I can only imagine what he was going through. So I’ve given him space to make his own decision.

“At the end of the day it is his decision.

Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai celebrate their 2023 grand final win. Picture: NRL Images.

“I’d love to have him stay. But we’ll see what happens.”

Entering his final year of his current deal at Penrith, the 26-year-old Luai is understood to have a three-year extension worth $2.55m on the table to stay.

The Tigers’ are believed to have offered $4.5m over four years, while the Bulldogs are rumoured to have come in hot with a five-year deal tipping $5m.

Cleary couldn’t envision Luai playing for a rival club.

“I try not to, it’d obviously be pretty weird,” he said.

“I’ve played alongside him for a long time. We’ve been able to share a lot of success together as well, and some great memories. So I try not to think about the negative too much.

“It’s be interesting. I couldn’t imagine him in another jersey.

“But we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Penrith Panthers NRL players visited Nepean Hospital. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Cleary, as well as teammates Luke Garner, Sunia Turuva, Mavrik Geyer, Tyrone Peachey, Soni Luke and Luke Garner, delivered Christmas gifts at Nepean hospital this week.

“It’s really cool to be in a position where we can give back, especially to the kids that are struggling,” he said.

“It’s rewarding for us too. It makes you feel good to be able to be in a position where you can give back. It’s important that we do that.

“We’re in a very blessed position and there’s people that are a lot worse off at the moment, especially coming into Christmas time and just trying to put smiles on faces as we can.”

Originally published as ‘Can’t imagine him in another jersey’: Nathan Cleary opens up about Jarome Luai saga