State of Origin 2024: Jarome Luai rescued from wave pool at Blues media opportunity

NSW playmaker Jarome Luai joked that his “life flashed before his eyes” as he was rescued from a wave pool in Sydney’s west. LATEST BLUES NEWS

You can take the boy out of Penrith but not Penrith out of the boy.

Jarome Luai will be key to saving the Origin series next week but it was the NSW five-eighth that had to be rescued on Tuesday morning.

Luai and his Blues teammates spent the morning at a recovery session at URBNSURF, a wave pool at Homebush.

The Panthers playmaker was the first player to brave the waves, but was barely in the water before the ocean pool quickly became out of his depth.

The momentary scare evoked memories of the ill-fated NSW camp back in 1999 when forward Robbie Kearns fell off a horse and broke his arm.

Thankfully for Luai, the worst of it will be the ribbing he receives from Blues teammates, who were left in hysterics at the rescue.

Jarome Luai is rescued from the water. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Luai was dared to enter the water first. Picture: Rohan Kelly

“Cowabunga dude, I think my life flashed before my eyes,“ Luai laughed.

“I almost died out there, I’m grateful to be alive.

“Thanks to the lifeguard out there, he had to drag me in. I think I owe him one.

“I attacked it, it was a bit of a dare from the boys … it was a good laugh aye.

“I just wanted to attack it head on.

“I’m scarred for life.”

An URBNSURF lifeguard was the first to help Luai back to the edge of the pool, before another had to jump in and finish the rescue.

“I was embarrassed, man. It was a good laugh for the boys. It was pretty cool,” Luai said.

A lifesaver finished the rescue. Picture: Rohan Kelly

“There are no beaches at Penrith, we don’t get much practice out there. But I thought I tried my luck anyway, it didn’t go too well.” Luai admitted he could swim but surfing might have been a stretch too far.

Jarome Luai hilariously ‘rescued’ by lifeguard

State of Origin: Blues star Jarome Luai needed a bit of help from the lifeguard after having some fun on a boogie board at a wave pool, during a New South Wales event.

“I can swim, I can float, I guess that’s enough.

“All of us brown boys were (nervous), a bit hesitant. But I just attacked it. The boys dared me to do it.”

Players did a safety briefing before entering the water and the morning’s recovery session was supervised by multiple URBNSURF lifeguards, surf guides and surf coaches, who were in the water with the players.

Blues utility Connor Watson, who spent most of his childhood surfing Avoca Beach, took to the surfboard with ease.

“I don’t know what he was up to, I didn’t even know what he was doing that all of a sudden I turned around and he was getting rescued. I’m glad he survived.”

Luai said his attitude to taking on this morning’s surf lesson was exactly how he was going to approach Wednesday’s decider, with no fear.

“Yeah, something like that, that’s a good way to put it,” Luai said.

To Watson, that response from the three-time premiership winner is exactly what he and his Blues teammates want to hear heading into the decider.

“I love it, I love where his head is at,” Watson said.

“He’s massive for us, I think he’s been doing such a great job for Penrith really stepping up in that halfback role and he’s bringing that to this team as well. His leadership and the energy he brings to games, training... the intensity it’s pretty cool to see.” Others like Cameron Murray and Zac Lomax also managed to stand on their boards.

Back-up forward Haumole Olakau’atu was uncertain about getting into the water on Tuesday morning.

“Ah yeah, I don’t want to talk about it,” Olakau’atu laughed when asked how he fared.

Michael Maguire and his men swapped the rough waters of the wave pool for more the more serene surrounds of the Blue Mountains on Tuesday afternoon, where the side will continue preparations before heading into enemy territory on Sunday.