‘That’s the best thing for him’: Stephen Crichton weighs in on potential Jarome Luai move

Stephen Crichton and Jarome Luai are best mates, but don’t expect their relationship to play a part in the five-eighth’s decision about his future.

Stephen Crichton hasn’t tried to lure Jarome Luai to the Bulldogs as he tries to work out where he’ll play next year. Picture: Bulldogs Digital

Stephen Crichton has told former Panthers teammate Jarome Luai to do what’s best for him and his family as the Penrith five-eighth weighs up huge offers from rival clubs to leave the team he’s won three premierships with.

Crichton knows exactly what his former teammate is experiencing given he was being courted by rivals clubs 12 months ago before he eventually signed a four-year deal with Canterbury back in January.

It would be easy for him to tell his best mate to head to Belmore where there are plenty of familiar faces on the field and in the coaching staff, but Crichton says there are more important people for Luai to listen to before he makes the biggest call of his career to stay at Penrith or to take the money and go elsewhere.

Jarome Luai is the biggest free agent in the NRL right now. Picture: Panthers Digital

“I haven’t really spoken to him ever since I left (Penrith), which was a few weeks ago the last time I saw him,” Crichton said at Belmore on Wednesday.

“The last time I did speak to him, I told him to do whatever makes him and his family happy, and I’ll be happy.

“He’s kind of my best mate as well, so wherever he goes or stays, I’m happy with wherever he goes.

“I’d probably sit down with my parents and see what the best solution is to put him and his family in the right position.

“I’d tell him to not listen to the outside noise because I had that as well last year when I was moving. As long as he knows that his family is happy wherever he goes, that’s the best thing for him.”

Jaeman Salmon also left Penrith to join the Bulldogs this season and he says the representative five-eighth would fit in perfectly at the Bulldogs.

The Panthers want to keep Luai but won’t be able to offer him as much money as some of their rivals. Picture: NRL Photos

“I’d love Romey to come to the Bulldogs,” the utility said.

“He’s obviously a competitor and a winner.

“He trains how he plays and his record speaks for itself with three premierships and Origin.

“We’d all love to have him, but he has contract stuff to sort out.”

While Luai’s future for 2025 will dominate the news for the next few weeks, there’s plenty of intrigue as to where Crichton will play next year.

It was assumed that he moved to Canterbury to play fullback, but the club has also signed Blake Taaffe and Connor Tracey, with Crichton revealing he has no idea what position he’ll play in round 1.

Stephen Crichton hasn’t spoken with Cameron Ciraldo about where he’ll play next year. Picture: Supplied

“I think my main goal in this pre-season is to get as fit as I can and the best I can get myself for wherever I’m playing in round 1,” he said.

“I don’t really have a position just yet and I haven’t really spoken to Ciraldo about that stuff yet.

“I don’t mind. I’m just putting my best foot forward and showing what I have to offer.

“I like playing fullback, I like playing centre and I like playing wing, but I think training the best I can … when Ciraldo picks his team, he can pick the best team he can think of to put on the field.

“Wherever I play, I’ll be happy with that.”

One of the reasons Crichton left Penrith was because Dylan Edwards had a mortgage on the fullback role, but he says he’s learnt plenty from the 2022 Clive Churchill Medal winner.

“I’m more experienced now than the first time I played (there),” said Crichton, who played six NRL games at fullback in 2021.

“Learning how to play the position properly (helped) last year under one of the best fullbacks, Dylan Edwards, so I picked his brains how to become a good player.

“I used that last year at Penrith to learn as much off Dyl to bring it to wherever I play here.”