Penrith Panthers co-captain Nathan Cleary has described his recent reunion with former teammate Jarome Luai as “weird” ahead of their much-anticipated clash this weekend. The two were inseparable during their time at the Panthers, forming a dynamic halves pairing that helped lead the club to multiple premierships. But with Luai now wearing Wests Tigers colours, their on-field camaraderie has taken a competitive turn.
“It’s definitely weird seeing him in another jersey,” Cleary admitted. “We’ve shared so many big moments together — grand finals, Origin, even growing up playing junior footy. But now, it’s game on.”
Despite the shift, Cleary says the respect remains. “We’ve still got a lot of love for each other off the field, but once that whistle blows, it’s all business. He’ll want to get one over us, and we’ll want to make sure he doesn’t.”
The Panthers face the Tigers this weekend in what promises to be an emotional and hard-fought battle. Fans will be watching closely as Cleary and Luai — once the heartbeat of Penrith — now find themselves on opposite sides for the first time in their NRL careers.
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