“We won’t leave here without a ring. There is no other way to leave this place”.
That’s the pact departing Penrith stars Jarome Luai, James Fisher-Harris and Sunia Turuva have made as they aim to help the club to an historic four peat before leaving at the end of the season.
Since the start of their premiership run, the Panthers have farewelled Matt Burton, Paul Momirovski, Kurt Capewell, Tyrone May (2021), Viliame Kikau, Api Koroisau, Charlie Staines (2022) and Stephen Crichton, Spencer Leniu, Jaeman Salmon and Jack Cogger (2023).
The 11 former Panthers all left with a premiership ring and Luai, Fisher-Harris and Turuva have vowed to depart in the same style as they prepare to face Cronulla in a fifth consecutive preliminary final on Saturday at Accor Stadium.
“For us, the mindset is that we won’t leave here without a ring,” Turuva said.
“Critta and Spennie, Api and Kiks … they all left here with a ring and left here on a high, so that is what we want to do.
“Speaking to ‘Romey’ about it, as well, it would be massive to finish here on a high note. We won’t leave here without a ring. There is no other way to leave this place.”
While Luai and Fisher-Harris have been involved in each of Penrith’s grand final triumphs, Turuva won his first premiership last year and knows they may not get another chance.
The 2023 Dally M Rookie of the Year is joining Luai at Wests Tigers, where Koroisau and Staines currently play, while Fisher-Harris is returning home to New Zealand to play alongside Capewell at the Warriors.
“It is massive for myself, having one finals series under my belt now to know what is coming,” Turuva said.
“Finals is a different ball game, there are no more second chances, so we just have to be on our A-game every week.”
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After establishing himself on the Panthers right wing last year, Turuva has had a less settled 2024 season as he struggled to finalise his future.
The 22-year-old Fiji international had been targeted by the Dolphins as a recruit for their inaugural season but felt a deep loyalty to Penrith for the club’s support of him and his family after fire destroyed their home in 2020.
However, the opportunity to join Luai and Koroisau, who is his first cousin, at Wests Tigers was too hard to resist.
Such was the enormity of the decision that Panthers coach Ivan Cleary rested Turuva for the Round 8 match against the Cowboys while he finalised the three-year deal with the Tigers.
“Myself and Coach [Cleary] just had a chat about getting my future sorted because it was dragging and it was weighing me down, as well,” Turuva said. “Coach touched on how it can take an emotional toll on us players.
“I was having chats with my family as well because this place is home, with what the club has done for me over the last couple of years. It was good to get it out of the way.”
Fellow Panthers winger Brian To’o said team-mates were disappointed Turuva, Luai and Fisher-Harris were leaving but wanted to ensure they left with a premiership.
“It’s obviously going to be emotional and there is a bit of happiness there as well for the boys,” To’o said.
“They are off to bigger and better things next year, but we just want to focus on now. We just want to make the most of it, and hopefully we can send the boys off on a good note.
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