Jarome Luai has been called in to replace Mitch Moses as the NSW five-eighth for State of Origin Game II, after Moses suffered a calf injury at training in the Blue Mountains.
Moses pulled up sore during a run, aggravating the same calf that kept him sidelined earlier this year. Scans confirmed he would not recover in time for Wednesday night’s clash in Perth, putting a dent in NSW’s hopes of sealing the series early.
“It’s terrible, isn’t it? Mitch played really well in Game I,” said Blues coach Laurie Daley. “We’re unsure how bad it is, but he won’t be any good for Wednesday with the short turnaround.”
Daley wasted no time calling Luai, who had just come off the training field at Wests Tigers, to reunite with former halves partner Nathan Cleary.
“Luai handled it with such class. When I rang him, he said, ‘Sweet, I’m ready to go.’ That filled me with confidence,” Daley said.
Luai played in all three matches of NSW’s 2024 series win and has partnered Cleary in six Origins and multiple grand finals at Penrith, where they won four straight premierships. Their chemistry was a major reason for Luai’s selection.
“Back playing together, there’d be an energy and a synergy there,” Daley added. “He’ll do a fine job.”
The NRL granted NSW an exemption to bring Luai into the side from outside the original 20-man squad. This means Canterbury’s Matt Burton, who was also in contention, will remain 18th man — a position he’s now held in five of the last seven Origins.
“[Burton] would be disappointed… but he gives us versatility,” Daley said. “Jarome and Nathan’s combination — they’ve had so much success.”
Luai is expected to bring his trademark high energy to the squad.
“Nothing fazes Jarome,” Daley said. “The bigger the challenge, the better he goes.”
POLL
: Did NSW make the right call selecting Jarome Luai over Matt Burton?
Yes – Luai’s combo with Cleary is proven
Maybe – Both were solid options
No – Burton deserved the chance
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