When Apisai Koroisau jumps into dummy half, a few different things go through his mind, including numbers. Always numbers.
“In certain field positions,” he explained foxsports.com.au“you have certain numbers from there.”
“If that’s one, you obviously have the advantage. If there’s too many, then the open side has to be good.”
But in Round 23 earlier this year against South Sydney, when Koroisau had the ball in the fourth innings with the score delicately poised at 22, there was no obvious overlap to work with.
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Not that I had to think too much anyway. The conventional work – the expected game — was to pass the ball to the left, making it return to the center to set up the shot at the field goal.
When it comes to Koroisau, however, what makes him so dangerous is you never know what to expect And on this occasion, the wily prostitute saw an opportunity where many others would not.
“We just got to this place, I understood that there were only four of them and that’s enough for one on one on one,” he said.
So, with a little left and then right again, Koroisau fooled Keaon Koloamatangi long enough to put a charging Liam Martin one-on-one with little Isaiah Tass in the centres.
“Fortunately, Marto didn’t bomb that attempt as well,” Koroisau added, laughing.
Penrith’s success has come at a cost recently, parting ways with 15 players in the past two seasons alone, including State of Origin representatives Matt Burton and Kurt Capewell.
And yet, the club has not only been able to maintain that success, but has been able to build on it, continuing to break records and develop new talent en route to another preliminary final berth.
But it is the loss of Koroisau, who heads to the West Tigers at the end of this season, that may ultimately prove too much for this seemingly unstoppable powerhouse.
‘None of us really know’: API THE ‘WIZARD’ AND HIS BAG OF TRICKS
The way Koroisau operates with dummy half, how he rushes and cuts his way through the defense with such ease, is an art form in itself.
One that Leniu can appreciate, even if he doesn’t quite understand it all the time. That’s fair how good Koroisau is at his trade.
“Honestly, I have no idea how to answer that because I’m in awe watching him when I’m in the training paddock,” Leniu said. foxsports.com.au when asked how Koroisau mastered the art of seducing the prostitute.
“None of us really know. He’s like a mastermind, like a magician. I’ve had five attempts this year and every one of those attempts has been fooled. He’s just the mastermind. He’s a very, very smart guy.”
Spencer Leniu celebrates after scoring a try, with Apisai Koroisau scoring it. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It’s like playing poker, but Koroisau does all the bluffing with his eyes and feet, fooling the opposition defense with even the tiniest of adjustments. Then the crafty Koroisau strikes, as he did to set up Martin in that 26-22 win over South Sydney.
“That subtlety is one of the reasons why Api mixes with the best whores in the game,” said Blues adviser and Panthers legend Greg Alexander. foxsports.com.au.
“In terms of that subtlety, I don’t think there’s anything better than that ability to create deception and trick defenders and get defenders involved to create space for their running backs.
“Aside from Api being tough and a good batsman in defence, that’s the strength of his dummy-half game: his subtlety and ability to put players into space and keep the ball up.”
Apisai Koroisau is deceptive half mannequin. Image: NRL PhotosSource: Supplied
Before Koroisau’s return in 2019, the Panthers had made the finals three years in a row, but were seemingly stuck in a frustrating cycle of being “that team with potential” and nothing else.
They were close to being real contenders, potentially one piece away from making that leap. Of course, the departure of James Maloney and the emergence of Jarome Luai in the halves alongside Cleary played a big part in them making that jump.
But these two still needed someone experienced, a calming presence with a touch of creativity to ease the pressure and they found it in Koroisau, that missing piece.
Peter Wallace, Sione Katoa, Mitch Kenny, Wayde Egan, Mitch Rein and James Segeyaro all started at hooker for the Panthers between 2016 and 2019, combining to play 102 games.
In just 23 games this year, Koroisau has fallen just six assists and eight line-jump assists short of what the six managed from those four years at Penrith.
Apisai Koroisau has been in good form this year. Source: FOX SPORTS
With the much more experienced Cleary and Luai, the Panthers are better placed to deal with Koroisau’s departure, although there is no doubt they will be worse off without him.
But the learning process for Koroisau students has already begun.
THE “LEARNING CURVE” AS KENNY AND LUKE FORGE THEIRS WAY
Of course, when it comes to Koroisau’s game, there are some things that simply cannot be taught.
“He’s a monster,” Soni Luke said foxsports.com.au.
Luke, who Leniu described as a “Celery in miniature”, is likely to provide a spark off the bench next year with Mitch Kenny, the new starting hooker, after being extended until the end of 2024.
Koroisau said he has been trying to give the pair a few tactical tips before they leave for the Tigers, although like Leniu, they sometimes just look up to each other.
“Me and Mitch just feel each other [at training] and look and think how does he do it? Luke said.
“We try it ourselves and probably can’t get it as good as he does.”
This in itself is not necessarily a bad thing. Luke and Kenny may never see the game the way Koroisau does, but they still need to develop their own style of play.
Mitch Kenny is constantly improving his game. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)Source: AAP
“That’s just the learning curve of never trying to be somebody else,” Kenny said foxsports.com.au.
“[You take] what you can of their game that fits yours and the little addons you can create. Certainly stuff around cheating, I never think I’ll have it like Celery.
“This is a real strength in his game. It’s not always the big plays, but he’s just constantly asking questions, looking from side to side, body tilting and stuff like that.
“I’m just learning, not just game sense, like the fundamental kind of things about how to read a football game like a freshman.”
However, those fundamentals didn’t always come easy for Kenny, who in a matter of weeks went from Penrith’s maintenance team to the NRL, all while playing out of position.
“This whole 2019 season, it was my first year playing hooker and every game was a learning curve,” he said.
“I didn’t really know too much what I was doing. I was just trying to get the ball to whoever was the strongest: Nathan [Cleary] or Jimmy Maloney, and I just made sure I made my tackles. I was happy to be in first grade and obviously the last three years have been about my development not only as a prostitute but as a football player in general.”
Mitch Kenny was a groundskeeper for a few weeks before becoming an NRL player. Image by Damian ShawSource: News Corp Australia
For Luke, however, his NRL debut should have come much sooner, once he looked destined to be just the latest in a long line of rising stars to emerge from Penrith’s production system.
“He was a star as a player in the 20s,” Greg Alexander said of Luke, who in 2015 captained the Panthers to glory in the then Holden Cup.
Dylan Edwards, Jarome Luai, James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota, Corey Harawira-Naera and Brent Naden were among Luke’s teammates, all now established NRL players.
Even Manly superstar full-back Tom Trbojevic was in the opposing team.
But constant bad luck with injuries, including three shoulder reconstructions, as well as the depth of Penrith’s extensive talent pool, meant Luke had to wait, watching his teammates realize their dreams.
Soni Luke celebrates winning the Grand Final with Jarome Luai, Tyrone May and Corey Harawira-Naera. (Photo by Renee McKay/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“It was hard to see all your good teammates play first grade and play continuously and play well,” he said.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted and probably thought I might not get there as well.”
But even in those difficult times, when it seemed like it wouldn’t happen, there were still two shining rays of light: their daughters Keani and Milani.
“That was the best,” he said, smiling.
“I had young children. During my injuries, it made me realize what’s important.”
Still, even after shoulder reconstructions and a pectoral tear, there was more to Luke.
He had been part of the Penrith system since 2008, when he was 12, and as much as fate seemed to be working against him, it was just meant to be.
During the summer, Luke was offered a train and trial contract with the Panthers.
“[I was] getting older now, so I probably knew it was my last chance,” he said.
“I was training really hard and I knew I had to impress in the summer to try and get a deal. I’ve had a couple of injuries so I just wanted to show them I was fit and strong, ready to step up to first grade or also constantly at the reserve level”.
Soni Luke (right) in his junior playing days. Source: News Corp Australia
The game he had given himself so much was finally starting to give back a little. Then, at a team meeting before Penrith’s Round 7 game against Canberra, Luke finally heard his name called.
“I don’t know…I don’t know how to describe him,” he said.
“It was a lot of relief and excitement and I also wanted to tell the family and all the boys were…