PENRITH HALVES A DOMINANT FORCE
PENRITH’s Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai have become the most successful halves combination in 40 years, obliterating a star-studded field of modern greats.
Cleary and Luai have won a staggering 92.68 per cent of their games when playing together in the halves – easily the best record of any halves combination since 1980.
Unbelievably, the Panthers pair are a whopping 12 per cent ahead of secondplaced Cooper Cronk and Greg Inglis (80.95).
Cleary and Luai have won 38 from their 41 games when beside each other, losing just one match this season, ironically against their grand final opponents, South Sydney. That week one finals loss was the only defeat Cleary and Luai suffered during 18 NRL games and two Origin matches this season.
Statistically, Luai and Cleary’s win ratio is significantly ahead of the best halves in the past 40 years, including Laurie Daley and Ricky Stuart, Geoff Toovey and Cliff Lyons, Kevin Walters and Allan Langer along with Steve Mortimer and Terry Lamb.
A grand final win would further cement Cleary, 23, and Luai, 24, as one of the finest halves combinations of the modern era.
“Having that win percentage rate is an amazing feat,” said former Panthers grand final-winning skipper Craig Gower.
“They have a chemistry. Nathan is very structured but his game is evolving into a complete all-round player while Jarome plays off-thecuff and has that x-factor.
“They just suit each other. I bet you they would give up that stat to win on Sunday night.”
With Cleary and Luai guiding and inspiring, Penrith are $1.67 favourites to sink the Rabbitohs.