General Warriors Preseason 2024

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enterthewarrior said:
Luai is not a dominant/organising half like Cleary and SJ. We all know Cleary carried Penrith and Luai was just a passenger. I dont think he can steer a team around the field.
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Surely the Tigers improve...they have a few decent forwards in Ice, Bateman, Klem, and Utoikamanu, some decent backs in Nofo and future hall of famer Starford Toa, and their spine is looking okay with Bula, Api, Sullivan, Luai, Sezer and Douihi all fairly decent....

If they unearth 1 or 2 decent juniors this year, they should be looking okay for next year
 
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enterthewarrior said:
Luai is not a dominant/organising half like Cleary and SJ. We all know Cleary carried Penrith and Luai was just a passenger. I dont think he can steer a team around the field.
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He can be an A grade dick at times but i think its a mistake not to rate him as a player.

Of course Cleary is the dominant force but Luai has been more than just a passenger and has definitely contributed over their 3 year reign. Can remember games where he's single handedly torn us a new one. In fact (and perhaps some Train spotter can confirm) i think Penriths record when Cleary doesnt play is pretty bloody good.....they tend not to miss a beat.

Probably more a testament to Penriths systems and that will be the real test for Luai (and it will be for Crichton as well)......how will he go out of that system......and as we've seen with Api, Burton.....they've struggled to make an impact.

But i can understand the Tigers going for him, he's a quality rep player and a successful one at that.....and perhaps a drawcard for other quality recruitments.....and in a position there's limited quality in (altho i agree a big question mark wether he can be an organising half particulary in a team that'll probably struggle to lay platforms).

Ill be interested to see tho.
 
Boats n Hoes said:
He can be an A grade dick at times but i think its a mistake not to rate him as a player.

Of course Cleary is the dominant force but Luai has been more than just a passenger and has definitely contributed over their 3 year reign. Can remember games where he's single handedly torn us a new one. In fact (and perhaps some Train spotter can confirm) i think Penriths record when Cleary doesnt play is pretty bloody good.....they tend not to miss a beat.

Probably more a testament to Penriths systems and that will be the real test for Luai (and it will be for Crichton as well)......how will he go out of that system......and as we've seen with Api, Burton.....they've struggled to make an impact.

But i can understand the Tigers going for him, he's a quality rep player and a successful one at that.....and perhaps a drawcard for other quality recruitments.....and in a position there's limited quality in (altho i agree a big question mark wether he can be an organising half particulary in a team that'll probably struggle to lay platforms).

Ill be interested to see tho.
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I think he will add a lot of energy and comradeship, he's a bit of a hype man. And he most probably isn't used to losing ....
 
Boats n Hoes said:
He can be an A grade dick at times but i think its a mistake not to rate him as a player.

Of course Cleary is the dominant force but Luai has been more than just a passenger and has definitely contributed over their 3 year reign. Can remember games where he's single handedly torn us a new one. In fact (and perhaps some Train spotter can confirm) i think Penriths record when Cleary doesnt play is pretty bloody good.....they tend not to miss a beat.

Probably more a testament to Penriths systems and that will be the real test for Luai (and it will be for Crichton as well)......how will he go out of that system......and as we've seen with Api, Burton.....they've struggled to make an impact.

But i can understand the Tigers going for him, he's a quality rep player and a successful one at that.....and perhaps a drawcard for other quality recruitments.....and in a position there's limited quality in (altho i agree a big question mark wether he can be an organising half particulary in a team that'll probably struggle to lay platforms).

Ill be interested to see tho.
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Could go either way but its going to be very entertaining to watch, I think everyone feels sorry for their fans after all these years of torment and wants to see them get some success. It'd be handy for the Kiwis if Benji suddenly turns into a mastercoach too.
 
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Boats n Hoes said:
He can be an A grade dick at times but i think its a mistake not to rate him as a player.

Of course Cleary is the dominant force but Luai has been more than just a passenger and has definitely contributed over their 3 year reign. Can remember games where he's single handedly torn us a new one. In fact (and perhaps some Train spotter can confirm) i think Penriths record when Cleary doesnt play is pretty bloody good.....they tend not to miss a beat.

Probably more a testament to Penriths systems and that will be the real test for Luai (and it will be for Crichton as well)......how will he go out of that system......and as we've seen with Api, Burton.....they've struggled to make an impact.

But i can understand the Tigers going for him, he's a quality rep player and a successful one at that.....and perhaps a drawcard for other quality recruitments.....and in a position there's limited quality in (altho i agree a big question mark wether he can be an organising half particulary in a team that'll probably struggle to lay platforms).

Ill be interested to see tho.
Click to expand...
If we were two years in a row wooden spooners, only winning a handful of games each season and we signed a 6 who is a triple premiership winning, state of origin and international rep, I think we would be very happy. He will need someone to steer the team around but should make the Tigers more competitive. Whether he is worth as much as they paid for him is debatable but when you are in the position the tigers are.....
 
Boats n Hoes said:
He can be an A grade dick at times but i think its a mistake not to rate him as a player.

Of course Cleary is the dominant force but Luai has been more than just a passenger and has definitely contributed over their 3 year reign. Can remember games where he's single handedly torn us a new one. In fact (and perhaps some Train spotter can confirm) i think Penriths record when Cleary doesnt play is pretty bloody good.....they tend not to miss a beat.

Probably more a testament to Penriths systems and that will be the real test for Luai (and it will be for Crichton as well)......how will he go out of that system......and as we've seen with Api, Burton.....they've struggled to make an impact.

But i can understand the Tigers going for him, he's a quality rep player and a successful one at that.....and perhaps a drawcard for other quality recruitments.....and in a position there's limited quality in (altho i agree a big question mark wether he can be an organising half particulary in a team that'll probably struggle to lay platforms).

Ill be interested to see tho.
Click to expand...

Interesting read and the tone very much mirrors the theory about ex Melbourne players when they left the 'System'.

If I am honest I would go as far as saying Luai is overrated.

He is gifted, no doubt, he is the point of difference with his instinctual play in a highly structured system, but he is no young Shaun Johnson, Ben Barber, Benji Marshall, young Sam Tomkins the halfback version, nor is he even as quick or lethal as Stacey.

I would not even put him above Henry Paul (mind you tbf he was the greatest NZ stand off to have never played NRL).

Don't get me wrong Luai is good and I am not a hater, but Samoas WC exposed how Luai is crap when his side is lacking cohesion (Sa vs England game one) and he is good when his side has the structure in place (Sa vs England game 2).

I guess what I am trying to say is he will be okay in any team but in some teams he will be nothing more than okay (which in of itself is good enough reason to sign him if it does not wreck your cap).
 
Original Photoshop

New Photoshop

Jarome Luai got two big things right on Wednesday.

The first was that he fronted up and took ownership of his decision.

For too long, players have hidden behind carefully crafted press releases without genuinely taking responsibility for actions that can change their lives, transform clubs and bring joy or despair for fans.

Here was Luai, wearing a backwards Houston Astros baseball cap and white T-shirt, answering anything that came his way during the snap press conference at a hotel in Sydney’s CBD on Wednesday.

He didn’t hide from the fact that the money on the table from the Tigers was too good to refuse. Nor should he.

The Panthers were largely unaware the press conference was going to happen until late on Wednesday morning.

Canterbury – the other club in talks with Luai for 2025 – didn’t know either.

The Panthers could feel aggrieved that Luai was happily talking about joining a rival club.

But they shouldn’t. He did them a favour.

Had Luai gone down the traditional press release route, the circus would have continued for not only the next couple of days, but weeks and even months until he spoke.

There would be camera crews and journalists chasing him at Penrith training on Thursday, trying to get him to explain his decision.

He has ended all that. Now, when asked about the Tigers, he can politely indicate that he has addressed all that and he won’t speak about his future club until his commitments with the Panthers has ended.

Which he and his Penrith teammates hope will be after grand final night on September 29.

Rather than hinder them, Luai’s press conference on Wednesday will help the Panthers on their path to that fourth straight premiership.

The Tigers did their best to inflame tensions between the already bitter rivals when they posted a mocked photo of Luai in his new club’s kit.

Penrith were not impressed by a doctored image which was posted on the Tigers’ social media accounts, and on their website, on Wednesday. It lasted a few hours before it was replaced.

Luai joining the Tigers is also a massive win for the competition.

Tigers fans can have some genuine hope, even if things don’t turn around instantly in 2024. A spine consisting of Luai, Apisai Koroisau and Jahream Bula is enough to get even the most jaded Tigers fan interested again.

This move will define Luai’s career. He will either join a long list of highly paid players who have failed to deliver at the Tigers.

Or he could become a modern great.

He joked that he wanted five premiership rings in as many seasons at the Tigers.

Should he deliver one, he will step out of Nathan Cleary’s imposing shadow.

The Tigers faithful once thought they would jag a Panthers half.

Back then it was Cleary/Cleary combination.

But now it is the Luai/Marshall show
 
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sup42 said:
Interesting read and the tone very much mirrors the theory about ex Melbourne players when they left the 'System'.

If I am honest I would go as far as saying Luai is overrated.

He is gifted, no doubt, he is the point of difference with his instinctual play in a highly structured system, but he is no young Shaun Johnson, Ben Barber, Benji Marshall, young Sam Tomkins the halfback version, nor is he even as quick or lethal as Stacey.

I would not even put him above Henry Paul (mind you tbf he was the greatest NZ stand off to have never played NRL).

Don't get me wrong Luai is good and I am not a hater, but Samoas WC exposed how Luai is crap when his side is lacking cohesion (Sa vs England game one) and he is good when his side has the structure in place (Sa vs England game 2).

I guess what I am trying to say is he will be okay in any team but in some teams he will be nothing more than okay (which in of itself is good enough reason to sign him if it does not wreck your cap).
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Dont disagree too much with that assessment altho ive never considered him a SJ, Barba, Benji type runner. Plays far more direct than they did in their will of the wisp days, and takes the line on more being strong in the contact. Just feel many dont rate him purely on his dickheadedness, look past that and theres skill and positives there.......put it this way if peeps can take the Warrior blinkers off as a 6 he's better than any of ours - TMM, Metcalf, and CHT (doesnt mean id take him tho).

Also certainly dont expect immediate changes to Tigers fortunes with him, their systems need to improve across the park which is the challenge for Benji.....and as others have pointed out at this point at time what he's shown so far doesnt suggest game manager qualities the Tigers deperately need.

Then again it wasnt that long ago on these very boards many many here thought the same thing about SJ.......not that long ago at all.
 
The Luai signing has train crash written all over it. At best a hot start before it falls in a heap, most likely not even that.

He is more distraction than on field influencer or instigator of game winning outcomes.

His impact at Origin has been more slanted towards firing up the opposition and little towards NSW success.

His time in the International jersey is extremely underwhelming and I think Penrith play a level higher without him - GF outcome the best example.

I think Penrith made a decent enough effort to appear to try and retain him and I think that was to appease his mates and fellow Mt Druid clan.

Won’t see out his 5yrs and Benji will experience additional pressure from this signing.

Don’t hate the Tigers so this will be a sad one to watch.
 
He’ll start hot, the Tigers will improve then he’ll fade……more drama for the Tigers and Jerome will become a distant memory. I wonder how much say Benji had in this…..he doesn’t suffer fools so I’m surprised at this.
 
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The Tigers will need to continue recruiting to get players around him. Also hope the players they have coming through are of a high quality.

If he sees out the 5 years and they go well it would have an upside in that we should have a Kiwi coach plying his trade in the NRL.

There will likely be some ups and downs. If it doesn't work out there is a good chance neither Luai or Marshall will be there in 5 years. Or they will have a falling out and Marshall will be sacrificed for their new star who needs a more experienced coach or some other excuse.

He may surprise as a game manager. The thing will be as the season wears on and as they come under pressure. Does he go missing or keep his team grinding away.
 
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