Penrith fan day attracts massive crowd keen to celebrate fourth consecutive premiership
Jarome Luai cleaned out his locker at Penrith for the last time, but the four-time premiership winner says his name will live on at the club through his brother and son when they build their own dynasties at the foot of the mountains.
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Jarome Luai cleaned out his locker at Penrith for the last time on Wednesday morning, the same locker the four-time premiership winner believes will one day carry the Luai name through his brother and son.
Thousands of Penrith supporters packed the Panthers Leagues Club to get a glimpse of their grand final heroes at yesterday’s official fan day.
Speaking to the adoring crowd, Luai, a St Marys local junior, thanked fans for their support during his time at the club over the past 10 years.
“I think that’s the most important thing, the brotherhood we have. It means that much to us. I’ve to thank Iv (Ivan Cleary) and the coaches that have come before, whoever has had a hand in my career so far. It has been a crazy journey, man,” Luai said.
“My life after Penrith is a bit unknown for me but I’ve loved every minute here.”
Luai is headed for Concord in 2025 after signing a lucrative $6 million deal with the Wests Tigers but the champion five-eighth said the next chapter in Penrith’s dynasty is already in the making.
Luai revealed his Panthers teammates, including best friend Brian To’o have already pledged that their young sons would carry on the legacy of this history-making outfit by one day donning the same Panthers jumper that has now been etched into rugby league folklore.
While Luai’s son Israel is still only six, and To’o’s son Atreus turns one later this month, his younger brother Calvary, 15, will join Penrith’s illustrious junior representative pathways as part of the Harold Matthews under-17s squad next year.
“Hopefully he can keep it running,” Luai said.
“I’ve got a son as well who loves footy. I was talking to Bizza (To’o) about this before, a lot of us have a few sons in this team and it would be pretty cool if they can all come through and start something up again, that’s the dream.”
Basking in the glory of Penrith’s grand final victory over Melbourne, Luai had declared no other team would match the Panthers’ feat of four straight titles.
But Luai said the record could be broken by none other than the sons of the current title champions in the future.
“I think those (kids) will be the one to break what we’ve done, the record, so good luck to those boys,” Luai laughed.
True to form, Brian To’o is clutching onto a bottle of Coke Zero at Penrith’a grand final celebrations on Wednesday morning! He has six Coke Zeros every game day… plus two brekkie burgers, a bowl of chips and a caramel latte with extra syrup 🫠@telegraph_sportpic.twitter.com/Cb6cZgFUaL
— Fatima Kdouh (@FatimaKdouh_) October 9, 2024
Despite spending the last three days soaking in yet another Penrith title win, Luai admitted the reality of his exit from Penrith hit him hard yesterday morning.
“It’s more of a sad day for me, cleaning out my locker … taking all my boots out and chucking them in my car. I’ve cleaned it out. It’s a bittersweet day for me today but I’m grateful I get to leave on a high,” Luai said.
“I might (come back) do some gym in the off-season because I live down the road but in terms of being with the whole team, that’s it for me.”
The loudest cheers at the fan day were reserved for Luai and fellow departing star James Fisher-Harris, who will join the New Zealand Warriors.
True to form, To’o was spotted clutching a bottle of Coke Zero as he took to the stage. In the lead-up to the grand final, To’o revealed his game day breakfast feast consisted of six Coke Zeros as well as two brekkie burgers, a bowl of chips with aioli and caramel latte with extra syrup.
‘BRING BACK MARY’: CLEARY RETENTION PLAN
Panthers boss Brian Fletcher has signalled the club’s intention to re-sign Nathan and Ivan Cleary beyond 2027 - and possibly bring Mary Fowler home in the process.
Three days after claiming their fourth straight premiership, about 2000 fans squeezed into the backyard of the Panthers Leagues Club on Wednesday to celebrate with the team.
And Fletcher whipped the crowd into a frenzy by talking up their chances of not only extending their historic reign, but tying down the father-son duo beyond their current deals.
“Last year on radio I said if we win in ‘23, we’ll definitely win in ‘24 and ‘25. So don’t be afraid of next year,” Fletcher said.
“We’ve also got ‘26 and ‘27 to go.
“And why I say that is, Ivan Cleary and Nathan Cleary are signed until the end of ‘27. It’s my job and the CEO of Football, Matt Cameron, to extend that as far as we can.
“Matt’s job also is he’s got to bring Mary back to Australia.”
As jovial as Fletcher’s final sentence may be, the prospect of keeping the successful Cleary combination will be serious business.
Departing Penrith star Jarome Luai thanks fans for their support over the years @dailytelegraph@telegraph_sport@codesportsaupic.twitter.com/sxKYLfS72y
— Fatima Kdouh (@FatimaKdouh_) October 8, 2024
Not quite last year’s final 20min but it’ll do for these fans. pic.twitter.com/2CDLokHh7o
— matt (@mattencarnacion) October 8, 2024
The Penrith co-captain will be 29 when he current contract finishes up at the end of 2027.
After days of celebrating their recent triumph, Cleary was noticeably quiet during Wednesday’s festivities as he prepares to head to England to reunite with his girlfriend.
The star halfback, who played the entire finals series with an injured shoulder, has been forced to delay surgery due to the club’s surgeon being away on holidays.
That has opened the door for Cleary to jet off to Europe, where Fowler has club games for Manchester City over the next fortnight before heading into Matildas camp in late October.
The Matildas have away games against Switzerland on October 26 and Germany three days later.
CLEARY TAKES A POT SHOT AT RAY PRICE
Cleary has taken a cheeky jab at Parramatta legends on social media.
Eels greats including Ray Price and Peter Wynn, who won three premierships in a row between 1981-83, told this masthead that Parramatta’s outfit from the 80s was still superior to the Panthers despite Penrith becoming the first team in almost 60 years to win four straight titles.
Cleary took to Instagram posting a “curious” face on alongside the story, seemingly taking a dig at the claim the Parramatta’s premiers from the 80s could topple Penrith’s four-peat.
It comes after coach Ivan Cleary revealed the star halfback would be delaying surgery on his shoulder, an injury he carried through the final series, for a number of weeks.
It’s understood, the surgeon who will perform the produce is currently overseas, which is the main reason for the delay.
FANS BUILT DYNASTY
Coach Ivan Cleary also took to the stage at the Provan-Summons Trophy presentation, telling the huge horde of fans that the Penrith community was at the cornerstone of the club’s premiership dynasty.
“The game on Sunday was an epic performance from our boys, all the work they put in … they just never say die,” Cleary said.
“They just play for each other and they play for you guys.
“Your support means so much to us, we feel it and essentially we do it all for you.”
A NEW HOME
Fans had to wait more than two days to celebrate with players as Bluebet Stadium, where celebrations in the past have been held immediately after the grand final, is now under construction as part of the venue’s $300 million renovation.
“We apologise that we couldn’t have the fan day straight after the grand final due to ground being decommissioned with the sewerage and (construction) works going on over there,” Penrith Group CEO Brian Fletcher said.
The Panthers will move their home games into enemy territory next year, sharing Parramatta’s home ground CommBank Stadium while Bluebet Stadium is being redeveloped.
The redevelopment is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026 but Fletcher revealed to the crowd that the club has requested the NRL give Penrith three home games at the refurbished ground in the final rounds of that season.
“Hopefully we are going to be back here at the end of season 2026 to play the last three games, that’s going to be difficult,” Fletcher said.
“We are going to need a lot of good weather while rebuilding the stadium. We are hopeful of knocking down the eastern side in January and then the western side.
“We’re hoping the NRL will give us three games away at the start of the season in 2026 and three games at home to finish, so we can open the stadium then.”
The powerhouse club is expected to take a financial hit by the temporary move to Parramatta and Fletcher urged fans to keep showing up at Penrith games in the next two years.
“We need you to stick with us for the next few years, we’ve got a difficult few years financially by moving to Parramatta,” Fletcher said.
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