Jarome Luai was given an early rest by Penrith after his remarkable return from injury as Ivan Cleary’s side moved to within 80 minutes of a third straight title.
If you’re a diehard or desperate at an NRL venue about two hours before a match, you would know it’s customary for players to wander onto the ground. They might share a joke with the rivals they’re about to play or skylark with a footy alongside teammates.
Among it all, Jarome Luai sits on the ground, leaning against the goalpost, meditating. Matthew Hayden used to sit at one end of a pitch the day before a Test match and visualise swatting bowlers to all parts. Four weeks after Luai’s season appeared over when he dislocated his shoulder in the penultimate match of the regular season, Penrith’s superstar crouched so low in each tackle it was enough to have teeth gnashing in the stands.
Like Cooper Cronk in the 2018 grand final, the Storm never really found a way to attack a half with a dodgy wing. And with the Panthers running riot at 30-4, Ivan Cleary had seen enough and dragged Luai for his own preservation with 20 minutes to go. The way it was heading, there was more chance of him re-injuring his shoulder in one of those stacks-on try celebrations than a meaningful Melbourne run.
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