Nathan Cleary has made the case for Jarome Luai to keep the NSW No.6 jersey, claiming he plays his own best football when teamed with his Penrith halves partner.
Luai's spot in the NSW team is one of the most contested ahead of next month's State of Origin opener in Adelaide, with the five-eighth facing stiff competition from Cronulla star Nicho Hynes
Reigning Dally M Medallist Hynes is mounting a compelling claim to the jersey after firing on his return from a calf injury in the past month.
Luai, in contrast, has endured a quieter start to the season amid changes on Penrith's left edge.
Cleary on Tuesday pointed to his combination with Luai, after they won the Origin series together in 2022 before losing last year's decider.
The pair have played together since their teenage days in the under-16s at Penrith, and have won 75 of the 83 games they've played together at under-20s, NRL and Origin level.
"I'll always say that I enjoy playing with Romey (Luai) because he makes my game better," Cleary said.
"We have a good combination that's been built over a long period of time.
"It might just be a look, and a lot of the time he just knows what I'm going to do so I don't actually have to say anything."
If NSW do stick with Luai at five eighth, Hynes could be an option to debut as a bench utility.
Cleary said he would not seek out selectors to push Luai's case, and did not want to have an input on who should win out between his Penrith teammate and Hynes.
But he believed his combination with Luai reaped rewards in high-intensity games like finals and Origin football, with Penrith back-to-back premiers.
"Combinations are most important when you're under pressure," Cleary said.
"That could be on the Origin stage or that could be in the finals or anything really when you feel like you're under the pump.
"You're probably not at your best and you're tired and all that sort of stuff, but you have that relationship and combination where you know what that other person is going to do in those moments.
"That's where it probably helps the most, and that comes with experience having played with each other for a long time."
Cleary was hopeful that Luai would commit his future to Penrith shortly, with the club under pressure to keep both the five eighth and fullback Dylan Edwards when they come off contract at the end of next year.
"It'd be nice. I may need to get in Romey's ear," Cleary said.
"It's what comes with success and having quite a young team as well is that everyone is on the up and not yet in the prime of their careers.
"I'd obviously like to have Romey stay here for as long as I'm here, but at the end of the day it's not up to me."
