Five words 'grateful' Jarome Luai told Blues coach after shock Origin recall

A "grateful" Jarome Luai says he is "here to help bring the shield back home" after being called into New South Wales camp on Thursday.

Luai will suit up at five-eighth in State of Origin game two after Mitchell Moses injured a calf during a training session.

Within hours of Moses going down and Blues staff ruling him out of next week's trip to Perth, coach Laurie Daley and team manager Frank Ponissi put a call in to Luai.

READ MORE: Another 14 wickets fall as chaotic Lord's Test set for thriller

READ MORE: NRL star suspects 'rat' in Maroons ranks ruining 'tight ship'

READ MORE: Rivals rejected as Collingwood lock up cult hero

"I had just got flogged on the field, I got off the training paddock, and Loz and Frank Ponissi gave me a call," Luai told media after arriving in the Blue Mountains on Thursday night.

"I'm really excited and grateful for the opportunity. I know there were a few options they could have went with, but they went with me, and I'll make sure I repay that faith."

The other option for the Blues was to bring 18th man Matt Burton in at five-eighth.

But it was the way Luai handled the initial rejection from Daley that prompted the coach to recall the Tigers star.

"I said at the time Jarome handled [his Origin I snub] with such class, and he said that if I needed him, he'd be ready to go," Daley said on Thursday.

"So when I called him today, he said, 'Sweet, I'm ready to go'. That filled me with confidence.

Watch the 2025 State of Origin series exclusively live and free on Nine and 9Now.

"I said, 'What are you doing?'. He said, 'I've just finished training'. I said, 'You fit?' and he said, 'I am'.

"I said, 'Do you want to play Origin?'. He said, 'Yes'. It was as simple as that.

"There will only be a couple of training sessions, but the fact he's played with that [NSW] left edge last year is an advantage. It's not like you're bringing in someone who hasn't been here before, or played with those players.

"We're disappointed for Mitch, but excited for Jarome."

Luai, who partnered Moses in the Blues halves in Nathan Cleary's absence last year, has been called upon to once again ride shotgun alongside his longtime Penrith teammate as NSW looks to win the series in the second game.

The decision reunites the former Panthers teammates, who are statistically the most successful halves pairing in rugby league history with a win percentage of 87.6.

After missing out on selection in the series opener, Luai revealed coach Laurie Daley had phoned him and told him to "stay ready".