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Jarome Luai's telling revelation about Nathan Cleary amid NRL injury fallout for Penrith

Luai will once again be forced to step up in the absence of the superstar No.7.

andrew reid
·4-min read

Jarome Luai has vowed to step up again for Penrith in the absence of Nathan Cleary, following news the injured halfback will be sidelined until the NRL finals. The Panthers received positive news on the Cleary injury situation on Friday, with the three-time premiership winner avoiding the need for surgery in a massive boost to the club's hopes of winning a fourth straight grand final in 2024.

Cleary's season looked in serious danger when he was forced to leave the field in the second half of Thursday night's 24-22 loss to the Melbourne Storm, and his father and coach Ivan Cleary admitted that it didn't look good for the 26-year-old. But scans on Friday confirmed that the damage to Cleary's shoulder was only minor and that he's likely to return in time for Penrith's finals assault.

With Cleary sidelined for a large chunk of this season due to a hamstring injury, Luai has filled in superbly in the halfback role for the Panthers. The 27-year-old has found a new dimension to his game and his organisational play and kicking has gone to another level in Cleary's absence. The Panthers will once again need Luai to take on the bulk of the playmaking responsibility as they look to sew up a top-two spot before Cleary returns for the finals.

And Luai admits his own experience with a shoulder injury before last year's finals series puts him in a unique position to be able to help Cleary through his current predicament. Luai pushed back shoulder surgery until after last season ended so he could help the Panthers win their third straight premiership in 2023, and says he's ready to hold down the fort at Penrith until Cleary returns.

"It's sort of weird how the world works. Timing-wise, last year I was in his shoes," Luai said. "I think I've given him that positive mindset if it is a similar injury he knows he can make it back. I'll hold it down, I'll do a good job until he comes back and then we'll get the ball rolling again."

Luai says despite Thursday night's loss to Melbourne that has seen the Storm all but wrap up the minor premiership, he's confident that he and Cleary can combine to flip the script during the finals series. "We didn't get the start right and a few last plays, we just stopped moving and missed the moment," he said. "But (there's) a lot of lessons out of this game tonight and I think the timing is perfect for us to learn these heading into the finals."

Even after Cleary left the field in the second half of Thursday night's game and the signs did not look great for the playmaker, Luai said he always believed that he would play alongside his halves partner again in 2024, before departing for the Tigers at the end of the season. "I think I said, 'I'll see you next week out there'," Luai revealed after making a B-line for his devastated teammate in the sheds after the game. "That's sort of what I bring to this team, just positive energy. I know it will help him. It's one of my traits I think. In bad times, I'm always trying to find the positive. I think it just helps me in tough situations."

While Penrith's chances of winning a fourth straight premiership have been boosted by the positive injury update on Cleary, NRL great Johnathan Thurston has warned the superstar No.7 to expect opposition defences to target him when he does return to action. The Cowboys legend says anyone carrying a shoulder issue becomes an easy target in the defensive line and NRL rivals would be looking to go after him.

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"Shoulders are difficult to play with when they're busted ... you can't be playing with a busted shoulder in that position," Thurston told Nine. "You get targeted. Every side will be sending their back rowers, and their forwards at him to test it. That's just the nature of the beast when you're playing, (and he's) the best player in the comp. When you are carrying that slight injury, if you're back for the prelim or one of those finals games, they will be coming after him."

with AAP