Every player makes a choice throughout their career… to continue with the club that gave them their first grade debut or move on elsewhere for other opportunities.
For Penrith in recent years, they’ve almost gotten used to players departing.
Players they’ve developed.
Players they blooded.
Players they’ve given a chance.
Many leave for financial reasons. Some a new challenge. A lot of the times, both apply.
Jarome Luai, James Fisher-Harris and Sunia Turuva will be the latest to pack up their locker in the coming weeks as they get ready to set off on their new adventure.
“Far out bro… I’m not looking forward to it,” Turuva said about leaving the Panthers.
“I’m just trying to take each week at a time. Try not to think about it, but it’s sad times ahead.”
The 21-year-old isn’t sad about going to the Wests Tigers on a lucrative new contract, he’s sad that he has to leave a club that he loves due to, for the most part, the pressures of a successful club’s salary cap constraints.
While Fisher-Harris’ circumstances for leaving are different as he’s headed home to New Zealand to be closer to family, in a perfect world Turuva and Luai would be remaining at Penrith for many more years to come.
“Far out… the season has gone so quick. I don’t even want to think about [leaving in the coming months],” Turuva admitted to the Weekender.
“It’s a special group here and I know that when us three move on, Penrith will still come through with special players.
“For the three of us though, it’s just team-first. Whatever happens with us… I’m dreading the day.”
Turuva already won a Premiership with Penrith last season, but he said one more with his beloved Panthers would be the ultimate send off.
“Bro, it would be massive!” he said.
“For myself, there’s no other way to leave the club besides leaving here with a ring on my finger. That’s my focus at this point.
“I just want to take each week at a time. Play some good footy. Work on my defence. That’s all my focus is at the moment.”
And while Turuva has admittedly had a shaky sophomore season at times – resulting in a couple of games missed due to coach’s decision – he knows he needs to take the next five weeks seriously to give himself the best shot at appearing in the Finals and getting that second ring he so badly desires.
Turuva said he and centre Izack Tago have been working hard to improve their performances in recent weeks, and it’s showed.
“We were leaking a few too many tries down our edge but in the last three weeks, myself and Tages have had a few honest chats with each other, just trying to narrow our focus each week,” he said.
“Whether good or bad, leaking a try or not, we know what our focus is and we try not to dwell on it for too long.”
Friday night’s clash against the Eels will be a special moment for the Tago family, with Izack and his older brother Jake coming up against each other in the NRL for the very first time.
The 25-year-old Parramatta winger made his debut last month, with Izack there to present him with his first grade jersey.
“Tages was telling me earlier this week that his mum was dreading the day when they verse each other – she wasn’t looking forward to it,” Turuva revealed.
“It’s exciting times for the family. I know it is for myself, having trained with Jake in the off-season when we get ready for pre-season.
“I’m really happy for him. He’s come a long way. He’s like 25-26, been really patient and put in a lot of hard work.”
Nathan Taylor
Nathan Taylor is the Weekender's Deputy Editor and Senior Sports Writer. He also compiles the weekly Chatter on the Box TV column. Nathan is an award-winning journalist, who has worked at the Weekender for a decade.