NRL 2024: Penrith Panthers teammates reveal memories of Jarome Luai as he prepares to play final game for club

If Nathan Cleary has been the spirit of the Panthers dynasty, Jarome Luai has been the soul. Ahead of his final game for Penrith, Jarome Luai’s teammates dispel some mistruths and reveal some cherished anecdotes and insights of their departing five-eighth.

There have been few moments in his almost decade-long Penrith career where Jarome Luai opened his mouth and had nothing left to say.

One of those moments was six weeks ago.

Mavrik Geyer had the basketball and stood opposite the Panthers star, a hardwood tragic who had always talked the talk - and walked the walk.

“It was 6-7, we were up, and it was the game-winning shot for us,” Geyer recalls.

“He was defending me. I went one way, he went the other. He fell over. I snapped his ankles. I hit the shot and about 20 of the boys go nuts.

“He hates that moment.”

It’s not often Jarome Luai is silenced. Pictured is him celebrating in the 2015 U20's Holden Cup Grand Final. Picture: Renee McKay/Getty Images

Those moments have been few and far between for Luai.

When the clock strikes 10pm on Sunday night, it’ll draw the curtains on a remarkable seven years at a club Luai has been synonymous with since breaking onto the NRL scene.

He’ll bow out with three premierships, and possibly a fourth, depending on how the fairytale finishes for yet another departing Panthers star.

But this one feels different for the western Sydney dynasty.

In previous years they’ve said goodbye to a Dally M Centre of the Year (Matt Burton), Hooker of the Year (Apisai Koroisau), and Second-rower of the Year (Viliame Kikau).

Then there were the developed juniors at the top of their game in Stephen Crichton and Spencer Leniu, as well as future stars in J’Maine Hopgood and Isaiya Katoa.

But none were as foundational as Luai.

If Nathan Cleary is the spirit of the team, Luai has been the soul.

Where critics saw classless arrogance and unnecessary sportsmanship on the surface during their reign, his teammates saw an authentic fire and proud toughness.

“It’s been his ability to give the group energy with him just being himself. He’s not faking it, it’s all him,” co-captain Isaah Yeo says.

Jarome Luai has never shied from expressing himself on the footy field. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

“He’s got the ability, whenever he feels that energy is needed in the group, to be that spark. Ivan (Cleary has) called him the circuit breaker on the field.

“You can see how much the community loves him. Obviously everyone’s got an opinion of certain players and people, he can be niggly so you can see how that might happen.

“But you get to know him and you see how much he loves his community for one, how much he’s a family man he is, and how much he loves his club.”

Panthers hooker Mitch Kenny reckons there was one instance where Luai was all bluster.

The Samoan international had dislocated his shoulder two weeks out from the finals and lasted just an hour in their preliminary final win over Melbourne.

There were serious fears he’d miss out.

“I know deep down he wouldn’t have been as confident as he seemed. But he came into training just with this energy that wasn’t going to let anything stop him,” Kenny recalled.

“Whether that confidence and energy he was bringing was fake, the way he stood up over those few weeks and instilled confidence in everyone else that he was going to play.

“He might not have finished that game, but just the fact that he got out there was incredible.”

Second-rower Scott Sorensen describes a teammate who doesn’t always trash others with his talk, but one whose vocal leadership commands respect.

One last ride for Jarome Luai with the Panthers on Sunday. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Penrith’s quest for a three-peat looked dead in the water in April last year when they were upset by a Wests Tigers side that ended up with spoon.

It left the two-time premiers in 10th spot - the lowest they’ve been in their past five years.

“After it we had a bus ride home and one of the things that really stood out for me was he pulled me aside, we had a conversation,” Sorensen says.

“He said, ‘We need to be better. That wasn’t good enough. I need to take more responsibility. I need to lead the left edge, I need to get my hands on the ball more and be more of an attacking threat. Our connection needs to be build and we need to be better’.

“That lit a fire in my belly. For him to do that and own that, and speak about himself wanting to be better, wanting to be a better playmaker, leader on the edge, that was inspiring.

“For me, I had so much more respect for him. He understood he needed to be more responsible and more of a leader, for that I take my hat off to him.”

Luai, who seemingly has a way with words, knew exactly how his teammates would portray him.

“A competitor, loud and non-stop. That pretty much describes me. I just come in every day, not to be a pest or anything like that, but I’m full of energy every day,” he said.

Originally published as NRL 2024: Penrith Panthers teammates reveal memories of Jarome Luai as he prepares to play final game for club