Jarome Luai (born 16 January 1997) is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth or halfback for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL.. Luai, 23, spent two seasons as Maloney's understudy at the Panthers before the veteran playmaker's move to the Super League last year. "I think I would represent either Samoa or New Zealand. Five-eighth Jarome Luai has gone from questions being asked over his spot in the halves at Penrith to one of their best in the past two wins. "He took his first steps recently which is pretty early for eight months, he was only crawling like two weeks before," Luai said.Luai joked that, with a mother who plays basketball and a father who plays rugby league, Israel already has options building for a future sporting career. Luai represented Samoa at the 2017 World Cup Background.

PANTHERS He’s at the top of my list of GOAT mountain, as we call it, Benji Marshall.“I spoke to Benji once or twice and I was star-struck. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty ImagesNaden will play for his people in Wellington when he runs out for Penrith against Manly at Lottoland on Saturday night.He is expecting the Sea Eagles to come after the competition-leading Panthers, especially at Fortress Brookvale.“We have a target on our back now, so every team is going to come for us,” he said.“We know that week in and week out from now on, so we have to aim up.”Naden says halfback Nathan Cleary has evolved as a leader to prevent the Panthers from getting a big head.He also credits five-eighth Jarome Luai for providing the lighter moments as the man to replace James Maloney in the team clown stakes. Aussie dad's trick with leftover sandwich crusts is being labelled 'genius' It's easy to forget that Jarome Luai has only played 25 NRL games. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty ImagesPenrith flyer Brent Naden can’t travel home to Wellington in NSW’s Central West due to the NRL’s COVID-19 restrictions, but his thoughts are always with the town that helped him live out his first-grade dreams. I became a passionate Tigers supporter after that. "I experienced the best of both worlds," a refreshed-looking Luai laughed when NRL.com asked him to reflect on the tumultuous fortnight. Jarome Luai has done a really good job alongside Nathan Cleary. Hopefully somewhere down the track I get that opportunity. he laughed.Luai was back on his feet by the start of pre-season and is now feeling confident and comfortable physically.He also re-signed with the squad, despite the fact that as a promising young half he'd have had options elsewhere to cement a first-grade spot sooner than where he is, biding time behind Nathan Cleary and James Maloney. "Penrith's my home so I'm living the childhood dream, playing for my local club and getting to do it with the boys I came through the grades with," Luai said. I didn’t say much.”Luai must now find his voice at Penrith as he prepares to replace the game’s ultimate chatterbox, James Maloney. "That week I had a pretty good performance, probably the highlight of my career. I loved Benji.“I based my game on him, tried to play like him a bit. "That's the best thing about our squad, we've got a lot of depth. “Jarome is the biggest pest,” he grinned.

And that just a month ago, there were questions over whether he should hold his spot in Penrith's halves, with Matt Burton pushing for selection. The young boys are keeping me and Nathan on our toes and we have to be at our best. In 2015, the good friends and halves partners won the under-20s premiership for Penrith and the following year Cleary played just one game of reserve grade before making his NRL debut. Subscribe to the DT NRL Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Brent Naden of the Panthers gestures to the crowd during the round eight NRL match between Penrith and the Wests Tigers. Once regarded as the premier teenage half in Penrith ahead of Nathan Cleary in his younger days, Luai is now starting to look comfortable in the NRL. He was a big idol of mine.

"He's a local junior, he gets along really well with the group that we've got and we're really lucky to have him. You have skipped the navigation, tab for page content "Slater: In-form Cleary could lead Panthers to title'Pretty dumb' black mark won't leave stain on Charlie's resumeCoach clearly enjoying what his Panthers are producing

“Until then, I’ll look after mum and dad, they are No.1 for me.”Like Marshall early in his career, Luai is a livewire with ball in hand. "Fatherhood, a lot of us in the squad are experiencing it. People think we’re a long way from it now, but one big year and it’s all in front of you.”Luai may have supported the Tigers in his youth, but he is very much a Panther these days. "I hadn't even played an NRL game yet - to then chuck on a Samoa jersey with the NRL players was a real good opportunity for me. And that just a month ago, there were questions over whether he should hold his spot in Penrith's halves, with Matt Burton pushing for selection. Jarome Luai; Personal information. Nath controls the side and I play what is in front of us, try to create an opportunity for myself or the boys.“We’re very different players and that’s a good thing.”Adrian Proszenko is the Chief Rugby League Reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald.The inspiration driving Luai to become Penrith's long-term No.6Like his idol Benji Marshall, Jarome Luai has all the tricks,