Brutal Jarome Luai truth the Penrith Panthers won’t admit amid premiership hangover
A startling truth about Jarome Luai has finally become clear to all NRL fans – but don’t expect the Panthers to admit it any time soon.
COMMENT
With the mighty Panthers moving from the Foot of the Mountains to the foot of the ladder, everyone’s trying to pinpoint why they’ve soured like last week’s milk.
Is it the departure of James Fisher-Harris, the injury to Brian To’o or the wider dismantling of the Mt Druitt Massive? Or did Phil Gould lure the club’s desire across to Canterbury too?
Are the players tired of the same voice, mainly because it’s difficult straining all day to hear Ivan over the air conditioner?
Or is it the move away from Penrith Park, and we’ve all underestimated the competitive advantage of having the same toilet seats since 1987?
In a season of relative misery like Penrith’s, there’s a bevy of reasons why they suck- but only one is chiefly responsible for their astonishing collapse.
Jarome Luai was a caricature to many outside the Penrith bubble, a long-haired lout whose role in the premiership anthology was dismissed as a mere handkerchief in Nathan Cleary’s pocket.
But his influence on the Panthers golden era can no longer be denied.
Penrith Panthers welcomes the decision by the Coalition to contribute $10 million towards a Penrith Panthers Women’s Academy and Community Hub.
The Women’s Academy will house a high-performance gym and recovery centre, medical and physiotherapy rooms, performance analysis and sports science labs and education and leadership spaces.
The Community Hub is set to maximise the club’s social impact and will be home to the Panthers Foundation. It will also house Panthers on the Prowl, an incredible program supporting our young people and their families.
Panthers Group chairman Peter Graham said the club will match the Coalition’s commitment to see the realisation of the $20 million state-of-the-art facility for women and girls in Western Sydney.
“The Penrith Panthers Women’s Academy and Community Hub will deliver a world-class training environment for female athletes and a dedicated home for our growing community programs,” said Mr Graham.
“This critical investment will help address inequality in sport, create new opportunities for women and girls, and strengthen the Panthers’ social impact across Western Sydney and Western NSW.”
Penrith District Rugby League Football Club CEO Matt Cameron welcomed the announcement.
“The rapid growth of women’s rugby league underlines the importance of building facilities that support and empower female athletes,” said Mr Cameron.
“The Women’s Academy and Community Hub will bridge the gap in resources, drive measurable community outcomes, and deliver long-term social and economic benefits for the region.”
Shadow Minister for Western Sydney and Federal Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh MP has delivered this funding to ensure girls who play footy locally can aspire to be Panthers in the national competition.
“It is time the Panthers had an NRLW team, and this commitment from the Coalition will make Penrith one step closer to being represented in seasons to come by incredibly talented female players who play in our local competition,” said Mrs McIntosh.
“Our commitment will boost girls and women’s footy participation in Penrith and right across Western Sydney.”