Ivan Cleary, the Penrith Panthers coach, confirmed today that Jarome Luai will play against the Melbourne Storm this weekend.
Coach Cleary dismissed the rumors, stating that the five-eighth is expected to play.
“He’s doing quite well. So, at this point, we expect him to play,” he explained.
Luai had a shoulder injury against the Eels late last year and returned for the Preliminary Final and Grand Final before losing again in the decider.
When asked about the other injured players, Sunia Turuva and Scott Sorenson, Cleary claimed they, too, seemed ready to play.
“They [Turuva and Sorenson] are doing rather well. “They all look good,” he said.
“One day at a time, one game at a time.”
The Panthers will face the Melbourne Storm in a round one showdown on Friday, March 8.
The Panthers face an odd statistic: Craig Bellamy’s squad has never lost a round one game under him.
Cleary expressed excitement about the upcoming matchup.
“It is a pretty impressive stat; every time we play Melbourne it is always a massive challenge,” he told reporters.
“Regardless of what happens, it’s a matchup you look forward to because you’ll walk away with a better understanding of what you need to be and how good you have to be, and this is no exception. “Looking forward to it.”
Cleary believes the unexpected statistic will drive the team.
“He [Bellamy] clearly knows how.
