Panthers get the Blues after loss

His premiership dreams were quashed but Jarome Luai has become a shock inclusion alongside three Panthers teammates in the NSW squad

Jarome Luai tackles Brenko Lee during the grand final. Both players have been called up for Origin duty Picture: Getty Images

His premiership dreams were quashed but Jarome Luai has become a shock inclusion alongside three Panthers teammates in the NSW squad announced on Sunday night.

Penrith’s Nathan Cleary as well as potential debutants Luai, Stephen Crichton and Isaah Yeo plus Melbourne trio Dale Finucane, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Josh Addo-Carr were all selected in the Blues extended squad.

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Penrith backrower Liam Martin was unlucky to miss out after pushing for selection. Luai’s selection is the biggest surprise given Cody Walker, Jack Wighton and Luke Keary are already in the 27-man squad. Keary has been under a fitness doubt after he suffered a head knock in the Roosters’ finals loss to Canberra. However, it is understood he trained with the squad on Friday.

Luai has played for the junior Kiwis and recently expressed little desire to play for NSW, with a preference to play for Samoa. He can still play for NSW and Samoa.

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said the selections were “cold comfort”.

“I’m really happy for them,” Cleary said. “They thoroughly deserve it. Individuals can sit back and say they deserved their spot. It’s only going to help our team and shows all our young boys that they’ve made some incredible strides this year.”

Blues selectors picked Crichton after South Sydney’s Campbell Graham failed a fitness test on his groin after receiving a cortisone injection last week.

The new players will join the rest of the squad in camp on the Central Coast on Wednesday. They will train with the squad for the first time on Thursday.

Papenhuyzen has capped a dream season with his Origin selection off the back of a Clive Churchill Medal win on Sunday night. He will be pushing for a utility spot on the bench.

“This is unbelievable,” Papenhuyzen said after picking up his medal. “I’m speechless. I was emotional after the game. It’s been a bloody tough year.”

NSW coach Brad Fittler confirmed in commentary during Channel 9’s coverage of the grand final that Papenhuyzen would be selected after the fullback scored a runaway try.

“It was an incredible moment in a grand final,” Fittler said after the match.

“That try is going to be shown for an awful long time.”

Six players from the grand final were added to the Queensland squad. Melbourne Storm players Brenko Lee, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Cameron Munster, Christian Welch and Felise Kaufusi were picked, along with Panthers utility Kurt Capewell.

Lee, Fa’asuamaleaui and Capewell have yet to play for Queensland in Origin.

The series starts in Adelaide on November 4 before matches in Sydney and Brisbane.

The Daily Telegraph