NRL grand final: Jarome Luai reveals what it would take to be best mates with Reece Walsh

Ahead of the grand final, Penrith Panthers star Jarome Luai concedes that he and Brisbane Broncos sensation Reece Walsh may have been best mates

Penrith star Jarome Luai concedes that he and Brisbane Broncos sensation Reece Walsh may have been best mates had they played at the same club.

“In a way, we’re very similar,” Luai said.

“Payne Haas said that as well about us. Who knows, maybe if we were in the same team we would probably be best mates but that is not how it goes.

“We have 80 minutes to go standing in the way of glory so we are going to do what we can to win.”

Luai and Walsh have quite literally butted heads already this year.

Their stoush in the second State of Origin game culminated in Walsh being sent off and later sending a text message of support to Luai after the Panthers and NSW No. 6 was the subject of death threats on social media.

Walsh spoke about the message earlier this week, revealing his respect for Luai as a fellow father and competitor. The respect is mutual, although there will be no love lost on Sunday night at Accor Stadium as the Panthers look to put the clamps on Brisbane’s flying fullback.

Jarome Luai of the Panthers says he could be best mates with Reece Walsh. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

“Once he sent the message after Origin – I saw that he spoke about that – that was a pretty cool message to send,” Luai said.

“We spoke about what happens on the field, stays on the field type of thing which is what it is about. Everyone has that competitor in them which is why they are on the NRL stage.

“That is what got them there. We have that fire in our belly, we love to win and we love our team. So it’s going to be a good one on Sunday.”

Walsh will be prominent in Penrith’s planning given the season he has had for the Broncos. His speed has the premiers on high alert as they look to create history by becoming the first team in the NRL era to win three premierships in succession.

“Had such an incredible year,” back rower Liam Martin said.

“He has been a key to their success. He’ll be a key target. Look, we will have to do a job on him. We don’t want to go out of way to over-compensate but we will certainly have to do a job on him.

Reece Walsh signs autographs and takes selfies. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

“He is certainly an exciting player and has a lot of x-factor. When he does have those opportunities we just have to keep turning up for one another.

“We just can’t switch off the whole 80 – we’re going to have to concentrate and have everyone do their role. We will try our best to limit him.

“He will probably have an opportunity that we will have to adjust for I guess.”

As dangerous as Walsh is for Brisbane, the Broncos will need to have a plan in place for Luai as well. The Penrith playmaker made his return from a shoulder injury – he quipped it was 97 percent on Tuesday – in the preliminary final and showed no signs of any lingering issues.

He stood up to everything the Storm threw at him and now has his sights set on stopping the Broncos and Walsh.

“I think he worries every team,” Luai said.

“With what he brings, the speed he plays the game at, he is dangerous, he is not a one-man job. He is a 17-man job.

“So we need to be on our A game.”

Third instalment of Luai v Walsh

—Peter Badel

Reece Walsh has blasted suggestions Jarome Luai could unsettle the Broncos superstar as skipper Adam Reynolds warned the Panthers pivot will attempt to bait Brisbane in Sunday night’s NRL grand final.

Walsh and Luai will come face-to-face in the NRL decider for the first time since their explosive State of Origin altercation in which the pair were sent-off for headbutting each other in Game Two at Suncorp Stadium.

The Suncorp stoush continued their running battle, with Luai lashing out at Walsh after the Maroons fullback flyer pulled his Penrith and NSW rival’s hair in the series opener in Adelaide.

Now Walsh and Luai are on a collision course for Round 3 and the Broncos are wary of the serial niggler relishing his role as Penrith’s psychological pest as the Panthers look to break Brisbane’s heart in the biggest game of the season.

While Walsh has genuine respect for Luai’s record as a two-time premiership winner, the Broncos sensation says he will fight fire with fire as Brisbane look to snap a 17-year title drought at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

“Does he get under my skin? No he doesn’t,” Walsh said of Luai.

“He is an exciting player to watch and he is fun to go up against in those battles but I wouldn’t say he gets under my skin.

Jarome Luai and Reece Walsh clash during Origin. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“He is exciting to watch. I think he draws attention to the game. I think he has got the right to do it (niggle the opposition).

“He has won the last two comps. It is interesting. He puts bums on seats and gets people out watching the game.

“(Luai) plays with his heart on his sleeve.

“They are the people you want to play with and you want to go out to war with them. You know they are going to give you their all.

“You want to go up against the best and play against the best ... it always makes the game interesting when there is a bit of fire and heat in the game.”

Luai took a shoulder injury into last week’s preliminary final against the Storm, but showed no ill-effects as he helped Penrith to a 38-4 romp to book a grand-final showdown with the Broncos.

The Panthers pivot is one of the most polarising figures in the code.

Luai’s high-octane try celebrations and willingness to trade verbal barbs with opponents are major reasons why the Panthers have been pilloried as an arrogant football team, but for all his talk, the 26-year-old has walked the walk.

Brisbane halfback champion Reynolds is mindful of Luai’s aggressive style and the skipper urged his Broncos teammates not to have their premiership dream derailed by the pivot’s mind games.

Reece Walsh sent off by referee Ashley Klein for head butting Jarome Luai. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“That’s his strength,” Reynolds said of Luai’s niggle.

“He does it really well and you have to acknowledge that and applaud that.

“He is great at what he does and I respect that.

“We know what’s coming. You either buy into it or you don’t. You have to respect him, he’s a great player.”

Walsh revealed he reached out to Luai after their confrontation in Origin II and says he won’t be daunted by playing his first grand final against the Penrith juggernaut.

“I sent him a message after Game Two to see how he is going and to wish him all the best with everything,” Walsh said, also acknowledging the abuse Luai has copped on social media.

“He was good. He is an awesome bloke off the field. He is a young dad and has kids.

“I obviously have a lot of respect for him.

“I think people forget sometimes that we are normal people as well. We have got young families to go home to.

“I just know that when I leave here and go back to my daughter she doesn’t know what game I have lost. She doesn’t care about that. She just cares about if she is getting chicken nuggets.

“Like myself, I wear my heart on my sleeve, too.

“Each time I go out on the field I treat it as if it’s my last game. I want to do anything for the team. Luai is an awesome player, but these games are the ones you want to be a part of going up against the best.

“He is playing with injury at the moment. That is pretty courageous. I am going to focus on my job and try and be the best player I can on Sunday.”