What A Terrible Word: Penrith Panthers A 23yers Signal Confirm Death During Medical Chickup

Wigan Warriors are still waiting to discover if they’ll face the full fury of Penrith Panthers in the World Club Challenge – but the NRL champions are hopeful that star man Jarome Luai will be available for the start of the season.

Luai, 26, underwent shoulder surgery during the NRL’s off-season, having been forced from the action through injury during the Grand Final in October against Brisbane Broncos.

The upcoming campaign will be the Samoa international’s last season with the three-peat champions, having signed a massive five-year contract with Wests Tigers for the 2025 campaign – linking up with former Warriors back-rower John Bateman

Having confirmed the transfer earlier this week, the Panthers also provided an injury update on the star.

Wigan Warriors forward Kaide Ellis is hoping to claim bragging rights when he faces Penrith Panthers captain and best friend Isaah Yeo in next month’s World Club Challenge showdown.

The pair were born and raised in Dubbo, New South Wales, and later lived together during their shared time at the Panthers.

Ellis received his NRL debut shirt aged 21 from the current Australia international in 2018, going on to share the field for two years until his move to St George Illawarra Dragons.

Wigan will face the NRL kings later in February at the DW Stadium, with Ellis looking forward to facing his best friend, who has co-captained the club alongside Nathan Cleary since 2021.

“I’m best mates with Isaah Yeo, so that’ll be pretty cool to play against him,” Ellis, who joined the Warriors ahead of 2022, said.

“We grew up together and played a bit of first-grade together and I never would have thought we’d be playing against each other over here in England.

“It’ll be pretty cool to play against him. It’s very exciting.

The new Wigan Warriors number 13 is embracing the challenge of facing his former team-mates, who made history by becoming the first side in 40 years to win the Premiership three times in a row down under.

Ellis progressed through the club’s youth systems, winning the 2015 National Youth Competition alongside Dylan Edwards, Jarome Luai, Soni Luke, James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota, before making eight senior appearances.

“I played a lot of my under-18s and under-20s with most of the current Penrith Panthers boys,” he explained.

“I saw a couple of them when I was back home during the off-season – I spent quite a bit of time in Penrith back home.