‘This could be our ticket out’: The emotional car ride that sparked Jarome Luai’s perfect Penrith career

A lot has been made about Jarome Luai’s $6m deal to join the Wests Tigers next season, but he gets far more emotional thinking back to the first contract he signed with Penrith that was his family’s “way out” after a tough upbringing.

Luai, 27, is now a three-time premiership winner who is in a position to look after his family financially, but it wasn’t always like that for the youngster growing up in Mt Druitt.

The Panthers champion sat alongside his dad at a hotel in Darling Harbour earlier this year to announce his five-year deal with the Tigers, with the pair also next to each other more than a decade ago when he found out he was wanted by Penrith.

“I might have been in the car with my old man. I was really, really young when I signed my first contract and it wasn’t much money, but I do remember it,” the St Marys junior said.

“I remember my dad tearing up when we were talking about it and saying this could be our ticket out. That’s what it was for us.

“Growing up in Mt Druitt, that’s how we looked at footy and sport as a way out for our family. It’s a pretty cool insight into what everyone goes through and how they view it when they get that first contract.

“It was like an under-13s contract but we were celebrating like we’d made it. It was pretty special for me to put into perspective what it meant back then.

“I haven’t really thought about it since, so it was pretty cool to look back.”

So much has changed since then, with 2025 to look even more different when Luai leaves the place he’s called home to trade five-straight grand finals to join a club that has finished with the wooden spoon in each of the past three seasons.

Luai will leave behind great mate Nathan Cleary and guaranteed success as he tries to prove to people that he can be the chief playmaker, but he doesn’t want to let the emotions of all that weigh him down ahead of Sunday’s farewell against the Storm.

“I’m good. I don’t want it to be much different than it has before,” he said after coming through the grades and dominating at Penrith.

“I want it to be the same. If there is any of that energy where it’s my last game around the group then I want it to be a positive one.”

It’s almost fitting that it should all end against the Storm given they were the team that beat Penrith in the 2020 decider that led to the infamous video of Jahrome Hughes mocking Penrith players and Mt Druitt.

But that’s all in the past for Luai, who has nothing but respect for the Dally M winner.

“They were on the piss, and that’s why phones shouldn’t be used around alcohol,” he said.

“We did use that as a bit of motivation, and I think you have to if your hometown means so much to you.

“It’s done now. One of the bros who said it, I’ve got a lot of respect for him. You definitely change on the drink and I’ve had some bad incidents on it as well.”

That change in approach has defined Luai, who says he used to bite at criticism with his sharp tongue but now realises that not everyone’s opinions matter.

The Penrith, NSW and Samoa playmaker is one of the most misunderstood players in rugby league, with those who know the real Luai wishing nothing but success for a man who has evolved greatly since that day he signed his first contract.

“I think back a few years, I was sort of playing the victim and saying I wasn’t in control of that,” he said.

“I’ve definitely accepted that and have understood that you can’t make everyone happy.

“I’ve accepted (that people will always have their) opinions. I’m a dude that if I get pushed around, I’m one to stand up for myself and I’ve always been like that.

“But you can do that in a better way. I’m a role model to a lot of these kids, and a lot of these kids have phones these days and are exposed to social media.

“The world has changed so much to when I was a youngster back then, so the way you carry yourself and do things goes a long way.”