Young cub Jarome Luai stars as Panthers belt Warriors 36-4 without rep stars

IN one of the most stunning starting debuts seen by a young half in the NRL in a long, long time, 21-year-old Jarome Luai inspired Penrith to a shock 36-4 flogging of a near full-strength Warriors.

Jarome Luai was inmpressive in just his second NRL game. Picture: Getty.

IT’S a good thing next Wednesday’s State of Origin is the third and last of the series.

No question, Nathan Cleary is the hottest young halfback in the NRL right now.

But even so, Cleary wouldn’t want to give Jarome Luai too many more chances to show what he’s capable of.

In one of the most stunning starting debuts seen by a young NRL half in a long, long time, the 21-year-old local junior scored two cracking solo tries and for one he beat five defenders, while he helped set up two more and kicked six goals in Penrith’s shock and thunderous 36-4 flogging of a near full-strength Warriors.

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Jarome Luai was inmpressive in just his second NRL game. Picture: Getty.

With Cleary along with halves partner James Maloney and Tyrone Peachey in NSW camp preparing for the big game in Brisbane, Luai stole the show in what was an outstanding team win that has to rank right up with the Panthers’ best of the season.

All over the field it was a super impressive performance for a side coming off back-to-back losses and with the youngest and most inexperienced squad fielded in the NRL this year.

And right in the thick of it was a young halfback who was described within the club as a better talent than Cleary coming through the grades.

Anthony Griffin quipped after the game: “He was good, wasn’t he?

“We have a couple of halves in the Blues a bit nervous about when they are coming back.

“No, he was really good.

“I was so pleased for both Jarome and Tyrone (May) that they were able to enjoy that game and play on the front foot.

“But I think that was a credit to our forwards as well.

“They did a good job.”

The young Panthers were stunning without their rep stars. Picture: Getty.

Luai’s only previous NRL appearance was 20 minutes off the bench against Newcastle but such was his performance on Friday night that Peter Sterling likened him to Canterbury’s 1991 Rothmans Medal winning halfback Ewen McGrady in Channel Nine commentary.

“It was really important that he got that 20 or 25 minutes up at Newcastle,” Griffin added.

“We always knew he was going to have to do the job here.

“Just the fact that he played and experienced that helped him tonight not being his first game.”

The Warriors were disappointing. Picture: Getty.

Hardly anyone gave the Panthers a hope going into the game given their Origin outs and huge injury toll, but after charging to a 12-0 lead at the break the floodgates opened in the second half.

Plenty has been said about the Panthers’ amazing production line of talent and it was on full show on Friday night, with the forwards putting on a brutal and barnstorming performance against one of the NRL’s most feared and biggest packs.

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Tearaway lock James Fisher-Harris was outstanding while Trent Merrin and James Tamou did a great job up front and off the bench Moses Leota and Jack Hetherington never took a backward step.

Throw in a powerful performance from the edge back rowers Viliame Kikau, Isaah Yeo and Corey Harawira-Naera.

Hooker Sione Katoa was also terrific from dummy half with his crisp and clever service proving a constant threat.

Penrith silenced their critics after a few poor weeks. Picture: AAP.

Luai crossed for a second try late in the game. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

While Griffin was only joking about Cleary and Maloney being nervous about getting their spots back, there is every chance they will be rested next Friday night when they take on Cronulla given the short turnaround after Origin.

“If we have to for the benefit of the long term part of the season we will,” Griffin said.

As poor as the Warriors were, Steve Kearney bristled at suggestions his team was heading for a late season collapse after dropping to seventh on the NRL ladder and with a tough finish to the season coming up starting with the Broncos in Brisbane next Sunday.

“I am sorry to disappoint you but from our point of view, I think people have been waiting for us to collapse all year to be honest,” Kearney said.

“But for us the focus is about preparing well and taking our best performance to Suncorp Stadium.”

PENRITH 36 (J Luai 2 W Blake C Harawira-Naera V Kikau T Phillips tries J Luai 6 goals) bt NZ WARRIORS 4 (K Maumalo try) at Panthers Stadium. Referee: Ben Cummins, Chris Sutton. Crowd: 12,167.

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Originally published as Young cub Jarome Luai stars as Panthers belt Warriors 36-4 without rep stars