The Tackle: Coach killers return to Wests Tigers as spotlight zeros in on Jarome Luai

Jarome Luai’s every move in the Tigers No.7 jumper will be scrutinised, and these two moments have put him firmly under the spotlight ahead of his clash against Penrith in Round 14. THE TACKLE

Fatima Kdouh reveals her likes and dislikes from Round 13 of the NRL season, highlighting the coach-killers creeping back into Wests Tigers’ game.

ROUND 13 DISLIKES

TIGERS CAGED

The Tigers put on a spirited comeback on Saturday night but the ill-discipline that had dogged the side in recent seasons reared its ugly head.

The Tigers piled on 22 points to just fall short of a miracle win against the Cowboys.

But Benji Marshall’s men should never have been in that position.

Sin-bins to Jarome Luai and Adam Doueihi left the Tigers with 12 men for 20 minutes, and the Cowboys capitalised with four tries in that period.

Luai was binned for holding down multiple times in the ruck, a tactic no doubt to help his defensive line reset and ward off the Cowboys.

Jarome Luai was sin-binned in Wests Tigers loss to the Cowboys. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

“That’s three ruck (infringements) in the same set of possession, it’s a mandatory sin bin,” referee Gerard Sutton told Luai. Sutton’s decision not only set a precedent for other referees but has inadvertently put Luai further under the spotlight.

So did the stern words Luai had with Jack Bird after a mix-up in attack in the first half.

If anyone should be keeping this side accountable it’s Luai but as a Tigers halfback, fans will be the first to do the same to him.

Luai’s every move in the Tigers No.7 jumper will be scrutinised, just as his sin-binning led to a barrage of online criticism.

Jarome Luai sprays Jack Bird.

Lachlan Galvin’s exit leaves Luai with nowhere to hide as the main man to drag the Tigers off the bottom of the ladder and into greener pastures.

That spotlight will be at its brightest this week when Luai takes on Penrith for the first time since departing the club to run his own team.

Luai will have a point to prove to Ivan Cleary, who questioned his credentials as a general playmaker, and to Tigers fans who are banking on his ability to live up to his halfback ambitions.

Luckily, not too much fazes the four-time premiership winner.

BRONCOS GIVING HAAS REASON TO QUIT

Why should Payne Haas not quit the Brisbane Broncos? That’s got to be the question on his and his management’s mind right now.

As the Broncos spiral, their NRL rivals are licking their lips.

Haas is off-contract in just five months and will be the hottest prospect on the open market if he opts to test his value.

The 25-year old isn’t only Brisbane’s best player but a generational talent. According to Code Sports stats, Haas is leading the NRL for props in run metres, tackle busts and linebreaks.

Haas cannot only name his price but his club.

He’s been linked to Canterbury in the past and we’ve seen in recent days with the Lachlan Galvin saga that Phil Gould can get his man.

Payne Haas gave his all in a losing Broncos side on Saturday night. Picture: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images

Parramatta are toying with the idea of replacing Dylan Brown in the halves with rookie Joash Papalii, freeing up the kind of cash needed to make a play for someone of Haas’ calibre.

Shane Flanagan has been open about the club’s need for another prop forward, and the newest franchise the Bears already have Haas on their hit list.

When a player like Haas hits the market, you clear the decks.

Three days after a huge performance for NSW last Wednesday night, Haas produced another workhorse-like performance that put his faltering Broncos teammates to shame.

Haas left nothing out on the field, like he does every week for Brisbane, in the side’s 34-6 loss to the Sea Eagles on Saturday night.

Payne Haas' defensive effort

Fox League commentator Andrew Voss mused how Haas’ linebreak, a big man barrelling down the sidelines in the second half, should be on a Las Vegas sizzle reel selling the game to the Americans.

It should also be on Michael Maguire’s video review. Where were his support players?

Payne Haas rallying for the Broncos

The attacking Manly raid Haas scuttled with four minutes left on clock, which left him out on his haunches, should be on that video review too.

If the Broncos need reminding of what intent, effort and spirit, all they need to do is take a good hard look at Haas.

Should Payne Haas leave the Broncos? Picture: Brett Hemmings/Getty Images

Brisbane are now in serious danger of crashing out of the finals race for a second year running.

For Haas, it’s more than a bad case of deja vu.

He is carrying the Broncos once again like he did when Brisbane were anchored at the bottom of the ladder in 2020 and 2021.

The impact and inspiration a big man like Haas can have on a side cannot be understated.

Four-time premiership winners Penrith are simply not the same outfit without inspirational enforcer James Fisher-Harris to set the tone on and off the field for the Panthers.

The Broncos should be heeding Penrith’s experience.

Put simply, Brisbane can’t afford to lose Haas.

If things are bad now for Brisbane, it will be rock bottom if Haas quits the club.

INJURY SPEED DIAL

Warriors hardman Mitch Barnett will be sent for scans on Monday after the Blues prop injured a knee on Sunday against South Sydney.

If Terrell May is waiting for the right time to pick up the phone and ring Blues coach Laurie Daley, that time might be now.

Daley overlooked May for the Origin opener, opting for Canterbury workhorse Max King on the bench in game one.

May said a controversial comment during a gaming live stream, in which he told a friend to put the Blues jersey he purchased for him in the bin, might have ruined his selection chances.

Daley insisted that wasn’t the case but the two have not officially spoken.

May was given Daley’s phone number by Code Sports columnist Phil Rothfield last week. There’s not a better time to get dialling.

If Barnett is ruled out of game two, Daley has other options in Stefano Utoikamanu and South Sydney’s Keaon Koloamatangi, who delivered another huge performance against the Warriors, scoring a try, running for 186m and a line break and seven tackle busts.

HASLER’S ANXIOUS WAIT

Titans coach Des Hasler will test the NRL’s edict against making negative comments on match officials and key refereeing decisions.

Hasler called out Kasey Badger for her decision to deny Sam Verrills a try when the Titans were trailing Melbourne 22-10 in the second half.

With two Storm players laying in the ruck, Verrills had burrowed over the line through Tino Fa’asuamaleaui after the skipper had played the ball close to the line.

Badger ruled Fa’asuamaleaui had interfered with Ryan Papenhuyzen’s ability to make a tackle on Verrills.

Hasler definitely has a case to make. But his comments declaring, “Kasey got it wrong, again”, suggesting Badger has a history of poor calls in the bunker will likely come under scrutiny on Monday.

Will Des Hasler be hearing from the NRL on Monday?

ROUND 13 LIKES

HALVES DUEL

Father Time was supposed to have caught up with Daly Cherry-Evans.

After a lacklustre performance in Origin, there were calls for Queensland to hand the No. 7 jumper to Tom Dearden.

But the Manly skipper backed up with a captain’s knock against the Broncos, reminding Maroons coach Billy Slater that, at 36 years of age, he has plenty to give.

Not only did he set up three tries in the 34-6 win, his kicking game suffocated Brisbane out of the game.

It should keep him in the Origin selection conversation, too. But Dearden might have the final say after the Cowboy starred against Wests Tigers on Saturday.

BELLAMY’S PROMISE

Brisbane players, who are rumoured to have an issue with Michael Maguire’s training methods, would hate to see Craig Bellamy coming.

So will Bellamy’s own players in Melbourne this week.

Despite Melbourne’s win against the Titans, Bellamy was still not satisfied with the fact his side has not managed back-to-back wins since early April.

Known for his uncompromising and gruelling training regimes, Bellamy conceded he had let some of his standards – which turned the Storm into an NRL powerhouse – slip in recent weeks.

“To be honest, I probably haven’t been hard enough on our consistency,’’ he said. “That’s got to stiffen up a bit with our training and preparations.’’

It’s an ominous warning for Friday night’s opponents, the Cowboys, and the rest of the competition.

A bad week to be a Storm player.

KING GUTHO

Fox League analyst Greg Alexander reckons Dragons fullback Clint Gutherson’s purple patch of form is a “bit of an up yours, Parramatta”.

Alexander is on the money.

Eels coach Jason Ryles wanted to go in a different direction at fullback and put boom rookie Isaiah Iongi in the No.1 jumper.

It opened the door for the Dragons to swoop but it’s a call that has, ironically, rejuvenated Gutherson, 30, and made him a red- hot contender for buy of the year.

Gutherson’s work ethic and competitive nature have been a shot in the arm to the Red V’s finals hopes during a year in which few gave Shane Flanagan’s men any hope.

He was instrumental, again, in the Dragons’ win over the Knights on Friday night.

Originally published as The Tackle: Coach killers return to Wests Tigers as spotlight zeros in on Jarome Luai