Luai and Cleary face chance to cement Origin legacy in decider | Breaking News & Latest Australia Updates

Luai and Cleary face chance to cement Origin legacy in decider — Topic:State of Origin Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai could become NSW greats with a game-three victory.(Getty Images: Darrian Traynor) Jarome Luai and ...

Topic:State of Origin

Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai could become NSW greats with a game-three victory.(Getty Images: Darrian Traynor)

Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary are hoping to experience their first victory together as NSW teammates in a State of Origin decider.

Cleary will pass Mitchell Pearce and Andrew Johns as NSW's most-capped halfback when he takes the field for Origin III.

Luai and Cleary will be in action for the Blues in Wednesday night's Origin decider at Stadium Australia. ABC Sport will live blog the match.

It is enough to send tingles up Jarome Luai's spine.

Nine months on from his "last ride" with Nathan Cleary at Penrith, Luai and his old partner in crime join forces for a chance to cement their State of Origin legacy.

Wednesday night's decider is uncharted waters for the NSW halves, who won four premierships alongside each other at Penrith but have never featured together in a victorious game three decider.

Luai says in some respects, Sydney's first Origin decider since 2019 is bigger than a grand final.

NSW will go into State of Origin III unchanged, after Brian To'o got through a crucial training session unscathed at Sydney's Olympic stadium.

"The rivalry I think is a lot stronger than two teams in the NRL," said five-eighth Luai.

"You're playing for a lot more people and for their pride, for their upbringing, for their childhood. It's pretty massive.

"We've just got to do our job, put that scale aside and be present in the moment."

Cleary and Luai had less than a week to reignite their chemistry in the lead-up to the tight Origin II loss, with the five-eighth only coming in late to replace the injured Mitch Moses.

But with a full training camp under their belt, the duo's long-standing connection will go a long way to deciding Wednesday's hotly anticipated match at Stadium Australia.

Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary are looking to add to their already incredible legacy as a halves pairing.(Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)

"I get tingles [thinking] about it, being back with a lot of guys that I've had a lot of success with," Luai said.

"But I think it's all about putting that away now and focusing on what we can do next."

It is a frightening prospect for Queensland that the always confident Luai is expecting the halves' self-belief will rise following a full camp spent together.

"Everyone would say the more prep you have, the more reps you get in the bank, the more confidence you have from your training. Basically, it's just more confidence in the bank," he said.

Cleary will enter rarefied air running onto Stadium Australia, passing Mitchell Pearce and Andrew Johns to become NSW's most-capped halfback.

Cleary is set to become the most-capped New South Wales halfback when he runs onto the field for the Origin decider.(AAP: Dave Hunt)

The Panthers co-captain would almost certainly have reached the 17-game milestone sooner had injury not precluded him from selection in five of the six Origin games played in 2023 and 2024.

"It's a big achievement, obviously," said Panthers coach and father Ivan Cleary. "But he'd be more interested in just playing well. Let's hope he does."

NSW great Brett Kimmorley said for Cleary and Luai's four-time NRL premiership-winning combination to flourish, their teammates needed to lift for Origin III.

ABC Sport is live blogging every round of theAFLandNRLseasons in 2025.

The Blues were left to rue conceding eight unanswered penalties and falling behind 26-6 at half-time of the two-point loss in Origin II.

"For the halves to be able to control the game and build some pressure, it certainly comes from a high completion rate and a low penalty count against you," Kimmorley told AAP.

"I would expect game three will be a lot better, a lot more desperation, they'll be looking forward to having a bigger game."

AAP

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