‘Panthers Luai’ is back as Tigers captain sinks Cowboys in record-breaking season opener originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Perhaps the first round bye wasn’t so bad after all?
That’s what Wests Tigers fans were surely thinking after their side torched an ill disciplined North Queensland Cowboys 44-16 in a record-breaking opening to their 2026 NRL season.
On a glorious autumn afternoon at Leichhardt Oval the Tigers shot out of the gates, laying on five first-half tries to nil to hit the sheds leading 28-2 and deepen the increasing pressure on besieged Cowboys coach Todd Payten.
The Tigers back-row of Alex Twal, Samuela Fainu and new signing Kai Pearce-Paul was simply outstanding, as was Api Koroisau, Adam Doueihi and most of Benji Marshall’s side.
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But no Wests Tigers player shone brighter than co-captain Jarome Luai, 29, who turned back the clock with a high-octane performance reminiscent of his premiership-winning days with the Panthers.
“He just looks like he was at Penrith,” Kieran Foran gushed in commentary for Fox League after Luai laid on a perfect grubber for Kai Pearce-Paul to score the second of two his first-half tries.
“Bouncing across the field, scheming and coming up with the right option—he was the most dominant player on the field in the first 40 minutes.”
Indeed, it was impressive stuff from the NSW Blues and Samoan playmaker who laid on two try assists while also making two tackle busts of his own in the opening half of his season.
Pleasingly for Benji Marshal, Luai wasn’t finished either scoring a crucial Tigers try in the 51st minute to steady the ship after North Queensland opened the second-half scoring.
“He’s a very experienced player, it’s been a first class performance,” Kevin Walters said.
The Cowboys showed some fight in the second 40 minutes with three tries, but the game was effectively over when Scott Drinkwater threw an intercept pass that was returned 70 metres for the Tigers’ seventh try by winger Luke Laulilii.
The Tigers’ final score of 44 was its highest ever in an opening round NRL fixture in the joint venture club’s 26-year history, smashing the previous record of 34 points.
One of the only negatives for the Tigers on an otherwise memorable Saturday afternoon was a potentially serious shoulder injury to star centre Taylan May who was sent for scans.
The Tigers face the Rabbitohs next weekend in Gosford while the Cowboys host the Titans in Townsville.