Wests Tigers will likely be without star signing Jarome Luai for the start of pre-season, with the four-time premiership-winning playmaker set to captain Samoa on their tour of England in October and November.
Luai’s choice to play the two Tests for Samoa would delay his start at the Tigers until the new year, weeks after most of his teammates return for pre-season training.
Samoan international Jarome Luai.Credit: Getty
Luai will be leading a Samoan side that includes Penrith teammate Izack Tago, with the likes of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Terrell May, Jeremiah Nanai, Deine Mariner and Blaize Talagi.
“I think some boys pulled out already [from Samoa team] due to various reasons, but for myself, I’ll be ready to play and put my best foot forward for them,” Luai said.
It’s no rest for Luai, though, with new club the Tigers at the forefront of his mind when he gets back from the tour.
“Pretty quickly [start thinking about Tigers], and that was part of the reason why I was tossing up about [playing for] Samoa. It might set back my return date and stuff, a bit, but I can deal with that when it comes up,” Luai said.
“I haven’t spoken to anyone about it, but they [the Tigers] know that I want to play.”
Jarome Luai has made a bold prediction about Penrith’s future.Credit: Rhett Wyman
Luai was still letting the Panther’s latest achievement sink in at title celebrations on Wednesday and predicted the club’s record of four straight premierships wouldn’t be broken until the sons of the current Panthers play the game.
“Hopefully he can keep it running,” Luai said in a nod to his 15-year-old-brother Calvary, who is in the Panthers system.
“I have a son as well who loves footy. I was talking to Bizza [Brian To’o] about this before – a lot of us have a few sons in this team. It would be pretty cool if they come through and start something up again. That’s the dream.”
Asked if the next generation could do something similar, Luai said: “One hundred per cent. Those guys will be the ones to break what we’ve done, the record and that. Good luck to those boys.”
Panthers captains Isaah Yeo and Nathan Cleary at team celebrations on Wednesday.Credit: Rhett Wyman
As NRL champions, the Panthers were poised to play in the World Club Championship, against the winner of the Super League grand final between Wigan and Hull KR. However, Penrith have been forced to pull out due to the toll of internationals, the upcoming trip to Las Vegas and the need to give the players a mandated break.
Even if the English side was prepared to travel to Australia, the schedule wouldn’t allow the Panthers enough recovery time.
“No, the coach is adamant the players won’t be ready to play,” Panthers chief executive Brian Fletcher said. “The players having surgery as well, that’s another two weeks earlier you need to get them ready by, which they wouldn’t be. It’s about the welfare of the players, we don’t have enough time to get a pre-season into them.”
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