Jarome Luai was always certain he'd play with Nathan Cleary again this season but in the meantime, the five-eighth has vowed to dedicate Penrith's run to the NRL finals to his fallen partner-in-crime.
It will fall to Luai to manage the Panthers' attack for the final three weeks of the regular season as Cleary recovers from the shoulder issue he aggravated during Thursday night's defeat to Melbourne.
The Panthers held their breath when Cleary left BlueBet Stadium as the final 10 minutes approached, their hopes of a historic fourth consecutive premiership seemingly on tilt.
Even prior to scans revealing Cleary would return for finals, Luai had been confident the pair would reunite for one last finals series before the five-eighth joins Wests Tigers in 2025.
So much so, Luai made a B-line for a forlorn Cleary in the sheds after the 24-22 loss to the Storm.
"I think I said, 'I'll see you next week out there'," Luai said.
"That's sort of what I bring to this team, just positive energy. I know it will help him.
"It's one of my traits I think. In bad times, I'm always trying to find the positive. I think it just helps me in tough situations."
The 27-year-old has reason to be upbeat, having led the Panthers to victory in four of five games playing halfback while Cleary recovered from a hamstring injury earlier this season.
Luai's game management skills have come on in leaps and bounds in 2024 and helped assure him of a State of Origin recall under first-year NSW coach Michael Maguire.
As he was during the last injury struggle, Cleary will be in Luai's thoughts over the next three weeks.
"I've played a fair few games without him now but I've always kept him in my thoughts, Luai said.
"It is a tough time but he's dealing with the brunt of it all.
"We still get to lace up our boots, chuck the jersey on, which he can't do. I've got to go out there and do a good job for Nathan."
Luai's empathy for Cleary comes as no surprise.
The five-eighth was struck by his own shoulder injury on the run to finals last year, but also pushed surgery back to the summer to help hoist Penrith to a third consecutive premiership.
"I've been in his shoes," Luai said.
"It's sort of weird how the world works. Timing-wise, last year I was in his shoes.
"I think I've given him that positive mindset if it is a similar injury he knows he can make it back. I'll hold it down, I'll do a good job until he comes back and then we'll get the ball rolling again."
Luai feels that despite Thursday night's loss, he and Cleary will combine to flip the script on Melbourne should the two premiership frontrunners meet in finals.
"We didn't get the start right and a few last plays, we just stopped moving and missed the moment," he said.
"But (there's) a lot of lessons out of this game tonight and I think the timing is perfect for us to learn these heading into the finals."
