Row between Jaeman Salmon and Jarome Luai after Penrith Panthers loss to Brisbane Broncos

Panthers teammates Jaeman Salmon and Jarome Luai were seen in a heated post-match row after the reigning premiers fell in a thriller against Brisbane Broncos on Friday night.

As the two teams shook hands after the Broncos’ 13-12 win at BlueBet Stadium, Channel 9 cameras captured Luai and Salmon in an argument where swear words were “beeped” by the broadcaster.

But the Prime Minister’s captain Paul Gallen said the back and forth should not be overdone.

Watch every game from every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

“I understand we like it and we’re part of the media and we’re going to talk about it… but that’s rugby league. It’s a tough and brutal place,” Gallen told Channel 9 after the game.

“These guys compete for a living, that’s what they do, they’re such competitive, testosterone-packed dudes who are trained to compete on every game for 80 minutes of play – and when something goes wrong no, they want to know why and they have a discussion about it. We do not care?”

“They care about the result, they care about the game, so let it go.”

Four-time Dally M medalist Johnathan Thurston added: “They (the Panthers) have excelled the last two years, they’ve played on the perfect foot every time. So when someone misses their mission, you want to know why you weren’t there.

“I think it’s part and parcel of rugby league, you have these conversations… bury them and move on.”

As the Panthers scored a true contender for the Test of the Year in front of a crowd of nearly 17,125, it seemed clear that life without tough Viliame Kikau and shrewd ruck dodger Api Koroisau means a three-round premier of the Panthers will be far from a cakewalk.

Panthers coach Ivan Cleary agreed his team was scrappy, but also played on the right foot.

“So a bit of early season rust. The team is different too, especially in the half-fictitious position. Short pre-season. The two games we played, the weather was bad. It all adds up,” Cleary said.

“We have work to do there, but I’m sure we will.”

On the left edge of the Panthers where Luke Garner was in Kikau’s big shoes, Cleary said his Wests Tigers rookie would take a while to get used to his teammates – and vice versa.

“It was definitely an improvement from the last game. [But] it will take some time for Garns to get used to the way we play and the intensity with which we play. Definitely a few steps there,” Cleary said, adding that the game went to the wire and he didn’t think the team lost any friends from the effort.

— with NCA Newswire