Jarome Luai remembers the day he signed his first contract with Penrith as a teenager and his dad, Martin, started crying.
"There wasn't much money, but I remember him tearing up, he was talking about it as our ticket out," the five-eighth said.
"That's what it was (for us) when you grew up in Mount Druitt, footy and sport was a way out for our family."
The emotion displayed by his usually tough father left a lasting impression on a schoolboy Luai.
He suddenly realised the impact he could have for his family after spending a childhood growing up in one of Western Sydney's most underprivileged suburbs.
That feeling was only heightened when Martin was sent to prison for two years on drug trafficking charges.
As he made his NRL debut and his father listened to radio commentary of the game from his cell, Luai realised he needed to mature.
"That made me grow up really quick, my first son was on the way at the time," Luai said.
"It was good for me. You know, you look back and it was a tough experience, but it made me into the man I am today, and we're all here now.
"It's helped me deal with all this and make sure my feet are on the ground."
Maturity and Luai have rarely gone hand in hand, but as he prepares to play his final game for the Panthers in Sunday's grand final against Melbourne, there's a feeling the 27-year-old has come of age.
When Penrith's homegrown posse first burst on to the scene in 2020, Luai was seen as the ringleader of a group of players depicted as arrogant and labelled "rat mugs" by one commentator.
The narrative couldn't have been further from the truth, but Luai is now willing to turn a blind eye to criticism that would have previously prompted him to react.
"I'm a dude where if I get pushed around, I want to stand up for myself," Luai said.
"But you can do that in a better way. I'm a role model to a lot of kids, and the way you carry yourself goes a long way."
In the build-up to this weekend's grand final, the antics of Melbourne halfback Jahrome Hughes after the Storm's 2020 grand final win over Penrith were once again topical.
Hughes had taunted the Western Sydney roots of those Luai holds dearest in a hazy booze-fuelled daze on social media after the Storm's victory.
The Luai of old might have been happy to rekindle those flames, but the five-eighth was eager to hose down any sense of ill feeling between the two clubs.
"They were on the piss and that's why phones shouldn't be around alcohol," Luai said.
"Yeah, we used that as a bit of motivation, especially if your home town means so much to that … it's done now, you can change on the drink, and I've had some bad incidents on it."
As he prepares for his last game before joining Wests Tigers, Luai reflects with pride on where he has come from.
He says he won't be upping sticks next year just to save money on fuel and tolls.
"This is my home," he said.
"I had the best childhood and I want my kids to grow up in the area as well and experience the greatness of Penrith … 2270, you know what I mean? It means a lot to me."
The five-year deal Luai signed with the Tigers is said to be worth nearly $6 million and comes with the promise of him being a lead playmaker.
The Samoan international has admirably deputised for Nathan Cleary this year, but he knew the chance to become the anchor of a team's attack was never going to be given to him at Penrith.
Following Cleary's path to unparalleled superstardom might be impossible, but Luai wants to ensure that their last ride together is another memorable occasion.
"I've always used him as the benchmark, coming up through the grades I thought I was chasing him," Luai said.
"He debuted at 18 and it took me three years to debut, so I've always used him as the stars and I've been chasing the stars.
"We've done so many cool things together and I've got to thank him for the ride and the journey for helping me grow as a man and as a player.
"What better way to do it than against the Melbourne Storm?"
