NRL: Panthers to start Cleary, Luai for first time since May
For the first time since round 10 of the NRL, Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai will star together for the Penrith Panthers this weekend.
The halves combination, which has led Penrith to three premierships in a row, has not featured since Cleary was injured back in May.
While the superstar halfback returned last week, Luai was out of action due to State of Origin duties.
Now, they have seven games remaining in the regular season to fine-tune their partnership.
Last chance for Cleary and Luai to cement their legacy
Cleary and Luai will be focused on winning this Sunday, with the Panthers paying $1.25 with BetOnline to defeat the St George Illawarra Dragons on the road.
However, there is more on the line over the coming months for the pair.
This is Luai’s final season with Penrith, as the stand-off heads to the Wests Tigers next season.
If they are to become only the second halves pairing to win four premierships, they will need to do it in 2024.
“It’s the last ride for a very long combination,” said Panthers coach Ivan Cleary on Wednesday.
“To be able to get those guys together with ‘Romey’ (Luai) playing so well, I think that’ll be really exciting.
“This is the time of the year where you can get some combinations and work out what is best for you.”
Coach Cleary wants more from Penrith
Cleary is confident about how his side is performing, with the Panthers sitting in second place on 30 points.
He still feels the club has more to give, though, and believes his charges must take their game up a gear heading into the finals in September.
“We’re sitting OK. We’ve got a lot more to give, and we’re going to need to,” Cleary said.
“The nice thing is we have that experience to know how it is going to look and feel. We’ve just got to work towards that.”
The Panthers are $3 favourites with rugby league bookmakers to claim their fourth-straight title in the NRL.