NSW Origin

[PANTHERMIKE]

Sims should miss out, and Martin takes his place.

Sims was massive... One of the best on ground..

 

[The Realist]

How good are NSW when they select Penrith Players?
Congrates to Capewell for scoring 80% of QLDs points.

Aghh...you mean 66.66...% ?

 

[The Realist]

Crazy to think Luai went from fringe FG to Top 5 in the comp in 18 months

Even crazier that we basically arrested his development for 1-2 years to import an over the hill has been. Imagine Luai in the GF with an extra years experience under his belt? May have been a different game...

 

[betcats]

Even crazier that we basically arrested his development for 1-2 years to import an over the hill has been. Imagine Luai in the GF with an extra years experience under his belt? May have been a different game...

You could argue that was good for his development though, Luai himself has said that. Cleary and Luai playing together at 20/21 in the NRL could've worked out much differently then it has the last year and a half.

If he become a starter and 20 do you really think he would be the best 6 in the game 18 months later? Confidence is such an important aspect especially for a young half, Maloney gave Luai time to really develop physically into his body as well as learn and perfect his craft and it gave him the motivation to keep working.

 

[The Realist]

You could argue that was good for his development though, Luai himself has said that. Cleary and Luai playing together at 20/21 in the NRL could've worked out much differently then it has the last year and a half.

If he become a starter and 20 do you really think he would be the best 6 in the game 18 months later? Confidence is such an important aspect especially for a young half, Maloney gave Luai time to really develop physically into his body as well as learn and perfect his craft and it gave him the motivation to keep working.

Of course Luai is going to give a diplomatic answer! It doesn't mean that it is the Truth or that is really how he felt. Lets not forget that we seriously risked him leaving. Also lets not forget how Maloney's and Cleary's styles clashed and that Nathans development also stalled next to Jimmy.

Yes there were positives - they learned a few things off him and developed a little more but they were outweighed by the negatives. It is clear from this season and last season that Jerome was NRL ready. It was not like we hadn't seen him play well in 18/19 he was basically MotM in his 2nd game in 2018.

 

[betcats]

Of course Luai is going to give a diplomatic answer! It doesn't mean that it is the Truth or that is really how he felt. Lets not forget that we seriously risked him leaving. Also lets not forget how Maloney's and Cleary's styles clashed and that Nathans development also stalled next to Jimmy.

Yes there were positives - they learned a few things off him and developed a little more but they were outweighed by the negatives. It is clear from this season and last season that Jerome was NRL ready. It was not like we hadn't seen him play well in 18/19 he was basically MotM in his 2nd game in 2018.

Ok well I am not just going assume he is lying because it suits your argument, if he felt like his wasnt progressing or developing he probably wouldve left when he had the chance but he was happy to stay because he could se the value. He had average NRL games during that period when Jimmy was here also and he wasnt exactly dominating the NSW cup competition. His form in 20 and 21 proves he was NRL ready in 2020 and 2021, you could easily argue those extra years playing reserve grade and learning from Jimmy were a big part of why he has hit the ground running and not looked back. Plenty of gun halves struggle with regular first grade early in their careers, Jerome was a skinny kid ive got no doubt those years benefited him.

 

[franklin2323]

Even crazier that we basically arrested his development for 1-2 years to import an over the hill has been. Imagine Luai in the GF with an extra years experience under his belt? May have been a different game...

I don't know he does though.

People under estimate Api's worth the the development of side. Throw in Edwards being rawer not sure we had to side for him to develop back then

 

[franklin2323]

https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2021/06/09/the-163-try-involvements-behind-blues-halves/

The 163 try involvements behind Blues halves​

AuthorDan WalshNRL.com ReporterTimestampWed 9 Jun 2021, 09:01 AM

​

Penrith recruitment guru Jim Jones still can't help but chuckle at those early Harold Matthews team sheets.
There on an extended bench, numbers 18-20, in scrawled handwriting, the dubbed reserve dummy-half.
N.Cleary.
In their formative years, as anyone in the Panthers system will tell you, Jarome Luai was the star No.7 coming through.

Cleary, the famous coach's kid who had lobbed from New Zealand, just couldn't get a look-in.
By the age of 17 though, Cleary was playing alongside Luai, who duly shuffled to the same No.6 he will don in his NSW debut on Wednesday night.
The Blues newest halves pairing have played together at various schoolboy and junior rep levels as far back as 2012, but from Cleary's rise to the No.7 jersey comes an eye-watering winning record and playmaking prowess that now enters the Origin arena.
NRL Stats reveal that since combining at SG Ball level in 2015, a Cleary-Luai scrumbase duo has won 80 per cent of the games they line up in.

Across the course of those 66 games – which only saw Luai catch up to Cleary on a regular NRL basis last year – the pair have been involved in 163 Penrith tries at SG Ball, under 20s and first grade level, either scoring themselves or setting up teammates.
"It's the weirdest progression when you think about it," Luai laughed this week.
"I remember watching Nath for the first time in a school game for St Doms, he'd just come over from NZ and the chat was 'this is some head coach's son'.
"I didn't know he was a Cleary though. And he just starts killing it, best player on the park.
"I'm watching it thinking 'I might be losing those rep spots, that was nice while it lasted'.
"You're right though, he started out coming off the bench at hooker.
"That didn't last long either. To be here after all those years, it's crazy."

In not too dissimilar scenes, NSW coach Brad Fittler still remembers the first time he laid eyes on a "skinny, flighty and chatty" Luai when he was coaching at under 18s and 16s level.
"Nothing's changed since," Fittler told NRL.com.
"I knew Nathan through Ivan so I was watching with a bit of interest when this other Penrith kid turned up, he made a bit of an impression."

What is your series prediction?

What is your series prediction?
For all their dominance at junior level in crack Penrith under-age sides, the Cleary-Luai combination has truly come of age only in the past 18 months.
Playing in a winning side obviously helps. Since the start of 2020, Luai, Cleary and the rest of Penrith's powerhouse outfit boast 29 wins for just two losses.
Across that period, the playmakers have racked up a stunning haul of stats, including:

• 63 try-assists (Luai 36, Cleary 27)
• 52 line break assists (Luai 34, Cleary 18)
• 19 tries (Cleary 12, Luai 7)
• 22 line breaks (Cleary 13, Luai 9)

Translating that from their well-worn Penrith stomping ground to Queensland Country Bank Stadium is of course the great unknown.
Cleary especially has worn criticism leading into Origin I that he is still yet to truly dominate at the game's highest level, having lost last year's grand final and Origin series in the space of two months.
Remarkably, the 24-year-old told NRL.com earlier this week that an Origin partnership with Luai – however unlikely it must have seemed – came up in conversation as kids.
"It was a dream back then," Cleary said.
"We spoke about it and you watch Wednesday night's Origin with your mates but now to be doing it together, it's a dream come true and you have to pinch yourself that it's actually going to happen.

Jarome Luai's journey to a Blues jersey

Jarome Luai's journey to a Blues jersey
"It's easier said than done but [Luai] just needs to be himself. I think that's something he does so well. He's never really been overawed by any occasion.
"Even last year was his first full year in first grade and he killed it. He brings that energy and that x-factor and it's something we're going to need from him on Wednesday."
Off the paddock introverted Cleary and loud and proud Luai present as rugby league's odd couple.
On it Blues advisor and Panthers great Greg Alexander sees Cleary and Luai cherry-picking from each other's strengths to bolster their own individual weaknesses, making for one hell of a well-rounded combination.

"I think they borrow a bit from each other over recent years," Alexander said.
"Jarome has always been great on his feet and been the dominant, more attacking player with real flare.
"But Nathan's developed an attacking game now with his running game and strength, he can break a tackle.
"And Jarome's developed a bit of Nathan to his game where he's controlling a game, kicking well and taking on the solid aspects of Nathan's game into his own.

New venue, same rivalry: Origin hostilities head north

New venue, same rivalry: Origin hostilities head north
"It's something that only really happens over time, there's no real substitute for it or way to fast-track it.
"They know each other's games so well, it can only help in Origin.
"That familiarity of where someone is and what they're going to do in a certain situation, it's certainly a help.
"Front foot, back foot you know how your partner is going to handle a situation."

There is 3 GF losses in that lot. Would be huge stats without it

 

[BxTom]

Of course Luai is going to give a diplomatic answer! It doesn't mean that it is the Truth or that is really how he felt. Lets not forget that we seriously risked him leaving. Also lets not forget how Maloney's and Cleary's styles clashed and that Nathans development also stalled next to Jimmy.

Yes there were positives - they learned a few things off him and developed a little more but they were outweighed by the negatives. It is clear from this season and last season that Jerome was NRL ready. It was not like we hadn't seen him play well in 18/19 he was basically MotM in his 2nd game in 2018.

Luai has said that his father wanted him to leave when/because Maloney was here. He also stated that he wanted to stay here and that he benefited from Maloney's presence. I'll take Luai's (and his father's) word over your opinion every time.

 

[Fangs]

Sims was fantastic. Very Phil Gould selection that one.

 

[Whino]

Typical performance from a Paul Green coached side. Woeful.

 

[Original Name]

Quote by Fitler.

“We had a lot of Penrith players. The real key was without a doubt having Nathan and Isaah,” Fittler said.
“Isaah Yeo did an incredible job for us just organising everything around the middle and everything just comes off the back of their talk and them getting the team into position.
“There were a lot of people that went unnoticed last night. A lot of people talk about the back five, who were absolutely exceptional, but there were a lot of really good players in amongst that who did a lot right for them to shine.”

Backs up a lot of my thoughts about how important the ball work and organisation the guys in the middle of the park do for Penrith. Also in a team stacked full of talent it's massive wrap to say Yeo is one of the real keys. Obviously everyone knows Nathan is and every team tries their best to pressure him because of that but even at this level for Yeo to be one of the most important players in the coaches eyes speaks volumes. Rated Yeo as my favourite player for awhile now so I'm wrapped that he's finally getting these accolades. Hopefully this means Yeo's NSW spot NSW spot at 13 will be locked up for a few years.

 

[betcats]

Yeo will be in the team for the next few years for sure. I still remember when we got laughed at for saying Yeo will play origin one day, now he is a key player one of the unsung heroes from game 1, his series last year was good also, dare I say he is made for origin. Nathan will be NSW Captain after Teddy also, I think he is vice captain now. Luai just just had the best halves debut for NSW since I dont even know when, at least a decade. From a Panthers perspective we couldnt have asked for a better game than wednesday night.

 

[franklin2323]

Yeo will be in the team for the next few years for sure. I still remember when we got laughed at for saying Yeo will play origin one day, now he is a key player one of the unsung heroes from game 1, his series last year was good also, dare I say he is made for origin. Nathan will be NSW Captain after Teddy also, I think he is vice captain now. Luai just just had the best halves debut for NSW since I dont even know when, at least a decade. From a Panthers perspective we couldnt have asked for a better game than wednesday night.

Luai especially is only an injury away from not being in the side. He was good and all but when Latrell and Tom Turbo are in form like that. Wouldn't matter who is in the 6 NSW win

 

[MugaB]

Luai especially is only an injury away from not being in the side. He was good and all but when Latrell and Tom Turbo are in form like that. Wouldn't matter who is in the 6 NSW win

Geez thats a bit of a bold call, he shared a good chunk of the end of set kicks, kept the pressure building thus eased it on most of the side in tandem with nathan, i very much doubt, keary, wighton or walker would be doing any of that along side nathan.. its something Maloney in origin did well, where those ive previously mentioned failed or didnt bother to, and left everything upto nathan to do

 

[WestyLife]

 

[Kilkenny]

Luai especially is only an injury away from not being in the side. He was good and all but when Latrell and Tom Turbo are in form like that. Wouldn't matter who is in the 6 NSW win

At the same time it really was Cleary, Laui and Yeo who provided the direction and everything that goes with it.

Its still only one game, two to go, given our record at Suncorp let’s hope the performance is just as good in game two and the series is sealed.

 

[franklin2323]

At the same time it really was Cleary, Laui and Yeo who provided the direction and everything that goes with it.

Its still only one game, two to go, given our record at Suncorp let’s hope the performance is just as good in game two and the series is sealed.

I agree but NSW doesn't stick the course. Soon enough there is a new flavour of the week

 

[Kilkenny]

It was interesting watching NRL 360 with there panel suggesting Liam Martin May hold his spot and Freddie resist the temptation to automatically bring in Angus C. Purely on the basis of you don’t change a winning side. It would be a tough call on Liam Martin but there is no sentiment in these big games and I couldn’t argue if Freddie brought in Angus C.

The Blues need to ensure they put the series to bed in game two and not give the Maroons a sniff so Freddie has to go with his best available side.

 

[mxlegend99]

It was interesting watching NRL 360 with there panel suggesting Liam Martin May hold his spot and Freddie resist the temptation to automatically bring in Angus C. Purely on the basis of you don’t change a winning side. It would be a tough call on Liam Martin but there is no sentiment in these big games and I couldn’t argue if Freddie brought in Angus C.

The Blues need to ensure they put the series to bed in game two and not give the Maroons a sniff so Freddie has to go with his best available side.

No one deserves to be dropped. But Crichton was our best forward last year so you couldn't argue if he came in either. Great position to be in.