State of Origin 2023: Jarome Luai opens up on Selwyn Cobbo ‘grub’ sledge, touch judge controversy

Penrith star Jarome Luai has called out Selwyn Cobbo after the Queensland star called him a grub and opened up about the referee incident that almost cost him his Origin jumper.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 13: Selwyn Cobbo of the Maroons is attended to by Dane Gagai of the Maroons after a tackle during game three of the State of Origin Series between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues at Suncorp Stadium on July 13, 2022, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

NSW Blues star Jarome Luai wasted no time in lighting the fuse ahead of Origin game one, calling out Queensland’s Selwyn Cobbo for labelling him a ‘grub’ over a fiery incident in last year’s decider.

Luai almost never got the chance to throw down the challenge to Cobbo after he was cited for pushing touch judge Chris Sutton in Penrith’s 15-4 win against Brisbane last Thursday.

The five-eighth revealed on Monday he feared the NRL’s match review committee would bow to the heat he copped on social media over the incident and whack him with a ban that would have ruled him out of the series opener in Adelaide on May 31.

Instead, Luai copped a $1800 fine, paving the way for the playmaker to take the field on Wednesday week, with Cobbo in his sights.

The Maroons winger called Luai ‘a grub’ earlier this year for taunting him while lying on the ground after a heavy knock in Origin.

“If he’s genuine about me (being a grub) then he is going to have to do something about it next Wednesday,” Luai said.

“I can’t wait to get out there and compete and go to battle with my brothers.”

Luai maintains he didn’t realise Cobbo was concussed at the time, but has pledged not tone down his competitive nature.

Jarome Luai and the Maroons come together after Selwyn Cobbo was knocked out. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“I don’t focus on doing it. It’s just what I’m like when I’m out there,” Luai said.

“I just want to be myself. I know when I’m at my best and that’s probably when I’m at my best.”

But what Luai won’t do again is get close enough to make contact with a match official.

The 26-year-old reveled the 12 hours between the incident and charge sheet being handed down were a roller coaster of emotions.

“When it happened I wasn’t worried as I did it and after the game because apparently the referees didn’t complain about it. We left that game on good terms,” Luai said.

“Then I saw all the media around it and I was like ‘Oh shit, maybe it’s an issue’.

“I was just hoping they could see my intentions there. But yeah, I won’t be touching referees ever again.”

Luai said he was trying to move Sutton out of the way, not realising it was a referee, to celebrate Sunia Turuva’s try.

Jarome Luai says he won’t be touching match officials again.

“I knew he wasn’t part of our team, but I didn’t think it was the referee and I was rushing trying to get somewhere fast, you just want to get people out of the way and he was in the way but it didn’t register it was a referee. Obviously, I regret it now.”

“We joked about it that if it was Bizza (Brian To’o) that did it no one would have noticed because everyone loves him.”

A stellar performance against Brisbane helped Luai beat Nicho Hynes to the Blues’ No.6 spot after the Cronulla star threatened to usurp the incumbent five-eighth.

Luai welcomed Hynes’ addition at utility, knowing the Dally M medallist could replace him at any time during the series if he failed to deliver.

“There is always that pressure that someone is going to take your spot especially in a representative side and the way Nicho has been playing and he won the Dally M,” Luai said.

“But I try not to see it as added pressure because it’s a privilege to be here.

“I’m always going to what to go out there and play my best and do my best for my brothers. That’s my mindset right now.”