Jarome Luai on report twice as fans fume over ‘deliberate’ act

Panthers five-eighth Jarome Luai may just have rekindled the NRL villain tag after landing in hot water twice in the first half against the Eels.

If Jarome Luai wants to shed his villain tag before he links up with the Wests Tigers in 2024, he’s not started in the right fashion.

In yet another close regular season clash which saw the Penrith Panthers shake off their bogey team the Parramatta Eels 26-18 at BlueBet Stadium, it was the visitors that took an 18-16 lead to the break.

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But Luai was living dangerously after being put on report twice in the opening half.

In just the second minute of the match, Luai was reported after a swinging arm on Eels back Bailey Simonsson, who left the field for a head injury assessment, a test he subsequently failed.

“Whooska, right across the chin,” Dan Ginnane said on Fox League.

Simonsson was ruled out of the match after this. Photo: Fox Sports

It put the Eels on the attack and they opened the scoring as hooker Joey Lussick burrowed over in what Andrew Johns called “under-10s stuff” on Channel 9.

The Panthers responded with two tries of their own to take a 12-6 lead but Luai found himself on the wrong side of the referee again in the 21st minute when Penrith’s five-eighth missed a tackle and tripped Mitchell Moses.

On Channel 9, Mat Thompson called it “a quintessential trip”.

“He better get the chequebook ready at least in the match review panel gets ahold of him,” Thompson said.

Jarome Luai was living dangerously. Photo: Fox Sports

Fans were quick to take aim at three-time premiership winning half.

One fan wrote: “Some game from Luai so far. Hits a player high to end his night and goes for a trip on Moses.”

Another argued: “@NRL Intentional trip for Luai, why did he not go to the sin bin?”

Another commented: “Luai looks like he wants a holiday.”

Another added: “Luai incredibly lucky not to end up in the sin bin for a deliberate trip.”

Speaking on Channel 9, Andrew Johns said: “In the good old days, or the bad old days, back in the 70s and 80s, this was an automatic send off.”

He added “there was nothing in it”, but it didn’t change the fact it would have been a straight send off in past eras.

On Channel 9, Paul Gallen said Luai would likely get a fine or a week for the swinging arm on Simonsson, while he “should’ve got 10” for the trip.

“We heard the boys say 10-20 years ago it was a send off straight away, not even thinking about it, just get sent,” Gallen said.

“Some of the things blokes are getting sent for 10 for these days are pretty crazy. There’s not a lot in it. It was a trip at the end of the day.

“I think he’ll get charged for both to be honest, I think he’ll miss a week or two.”

And the Eels got their own back, making the most of the territory advantage from the penalties from Luai and scoring twice as Shaun Lane ran onto a short ball from Dylan Brown to score under the posts.

In fact the third try, which saw J’maine Hopgood barge over, came after a six again triggered by Luai.

Luai, who is set to move to the Wests Tigers next season on a five-year deal believed to be worth $6m, is beloved at Penrith but has rubbed opposition fans the wrong way in recent years.

Luai was put on report twice in the first half. Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images

The 27-year-old is an often controversial figure having been savaged over social media posts, standover tactics in matches and the infamous best man speech at Brian To’o’s wedding.

Before the grand final last year, Luai hit back at the “villain” tag, telling the SMH: “I don’t even know what this villain role means I thought a villain was a guy who killed people.

“I’m not a murderer. I haven’t broken any rules.

“I do what I need to do for my team to win. I create that energy and if that’s what it is, then that’s me in a nutshell – a villain.”

The Panthers overcame the half-time deficit to claim the 10-point win after Sunia Turuva scored when Isaah Yeo kicked across field for the winger.

Izack Tago also celebrated his $3m contract extension, scoring what was the final try to go with his five line breaks as he tore up the Eels’ left side which was exposed in the absence of Simonsson.

Originally published as Jarome Luai on report twice as fans fume over ‘deliberate’ act