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Luke moves house and home to play NRL
By James MacSmith
Club Football Writer
July 18, 2007
ISSAC Luke knew he had to find a way out.
He didnt want to work at the meatworks and he didnt want to play rugby union ever again so he skipped town.
So desperate was Luke to play rugby league in a land consumed by its sister code he left home at just 15.
Its an example of the single minded determination and belief in his own ability that has seen Luke emerge as one of the finds of the 2007 NRL season ahead of his run-on debut against the Cowboys on Sunday. It will be his seventh NRL game.
The rookie Rabbitohs rake never did care too much for rugby union. (We wont quote his thoughts verbatim here on the game they play in heaven - and obsess over in New Zealand - for fear he will never be let back into his native land.)
And he didnt care too much either for the meatworks which drive much of the economy of Taranaki on the west coast of New Zealands South Island where Luke was born in the town of Hawera 20 years ago.
It was through rugby league that he could see a way out, but he had to move house and home to the Kiwi capital of Wellington to chase that dream.
Ive never really like rugby, I find it too boring, it is definitely not the game for me, he said.
There was no league in Taranaki, it was a rugby town, it was either rugby, start being a bum or working at the meatworks. So I had to move out.
It wasnt long before Luke was playing Bartercard Cup, New Zealands premier domestic rugby league competition, against guys twice his age. And it wasnt long after that he caught he became a recruitment target of Australian rugby league clubs.
Rabbitohs recruitment manager Mark Hughes first spotted Luke in 2002 while playing for Wellington u16s. Then with the Bulldogs Hughes had gone along to the fixture to check the form of another player but came away assured Luke would one day play first grade in the NRL.
He is the toughest small fella I have come across, said Hughes, who has spent a decade working in recruitment and signed 13 of the 17 players in the Bulldogs 2004 premiership team.
He is a rough diamond, theres a lot of larrikin in him. There has been a bit of welfare work and mentoring involved. Sometimes I think he just went to school to talk to girls and play the guitar. His passion for football and music has always shone through. He is of great utility value and has great football awareness and maturity for a young player.
Seeing Luke kicking goals on Erskineville Oval during a break in training tells a lot about where he is at in his life and his career. While his team-mates take their minds off footy with a massage or the latest Play station challenge, Luke kicks goals with some of his fellow players children enjoying their school holidays. From a distance it is hard to tell who is who, that is until Luke bangs one over from the sideline.
In a way ever since he left home at 15 the training paddock has been Lukes home.
(Assistant coach) Mark Ellison or I have to kick him off the field at the end of training, head Rabbitohs coach Jason Taylor said.
Hes out there 45 minutes longer than everyone else goal kicking and practicising his kicking in general. If he keeps going the way he is he will develop into a real top player in the NRL and Im confident that he can.
Since his NRL debut in round 12 in June against Melbourne at Olympic Park Luke has shown he can have a long NRL career ahead of him.
What I love about him is that he backs himself, Taylor said.
He has been going well so far for us and is improving each week. Hes been a real listener, he listens to what you have to say and puts it into practice straight away. Hes not the sort of bloke you have to say things twice to.
For all his talent Luke never expected to play first grade this year when he joined the club for the 2007 season. Until his round 12 debut the highlight of his career was sitting next to Rabbitohs co-owner Russell Crowe for the trial game against the Sharks at Gosford in February.
I thought I might have to do my apprenticeship and wait a year or two, Luke said.
Hollywood royalty aside it is some rugby league royalty that has helped Luke to make his mark in first grade. A typical match day would involve Taylor driving Luke to the game and co-captain Roy Asotasi driving him home.
Every week I do something with JT before the game to take my mind off it, Luke said.
Just lunch or something like that, JT has really helped me out and been a big influence on my career. So too has Roy and Nigel Vagana, theyve helped me a lot with my footy but we also talk about things outside footy so I dont concentrate on it too much.
Its been a long way from that drive to Wellington to the weekly drive to an NRL match with some of the games biggest names, but for Luke the journey has only just begun.
Club Football Writer
July 18, 2007
ISSAC Luke knew he had to find a way out.
He didnt want to work at the meatworks and he didnt want to play rugby union ever again so he skipped town.
So desperate was Luke to play rugby league in a land consumed by its sister code he left home at just 15.
Its an example of the single minded determination and belief in his own ability that has seen Luke emerge as one of the finds of the 2007 NRL season ahead of his run-on debut against the Cowboys on Sunday. It will be his seventh NRL game.
The rookie Rabbitohs rake never did care too much for rugby union. (We wont quote his thoughts verbatim here on the game they play in heaven - and obsess over in New Zealand - for fear he will never be let back into his native land.)
And he didnt care too much either for the meatworks which drive much of the economy of Taranaki on the west coast of New Zealands South Island where Luke was born in the town of Hawera 20 years ago.
It was through rugby league that he could see a way out, but he had to move house and home to the Kiwi capital of Wellington to chase that dream.
Ive never really like rugby, I find it too boring, it is definitely not the game for me, he said.
There was no league in Taranaki, it was a rugby town, it was either rugby, start being a bum or working at the meatworks. So I had to move out.
It wasnt long before Luke was playing Bartercard Cup, New Zealands premier domestic rugby league competition, against guys twice his age. And it wasnt long after that he caught he became a recruitment target of Australian rugby league clubs.
Rabbitohs recruitment manager Mark Hughes first spotted Luke in 2002 while playing for Wellington u16s. Then with the Bulldogs Hughes had gone along to the fixture to check the form of another player but came away assured Luke would one day play first grade in the NRL.
He is the toughest small fella I have come across, said Hughes, who has spent a decade working in recruitment and signed 13 of the 17 players in the Bulldogs 2004 premiership team.
He is a rough diamond, theres a lot of larrikin in him. There has been a bit of welfare work and mentoring involved. Sometimes I think he just went to school to talk to girls and play the guitar. His passion for football and music has always shone through. He is of great utility value and has great football awareness and maturity for a young player.
Seeing Luke kicking goals on Erskineville Oval during a break in training tells a lot about where he is at in his life and his career. While his team-mates take their minds off footy with a massage or the latest Play station challenge, Luke kicks goals with some of his fellow players children enjoying their school holidays. From a distance it is hard to tell who is who, that is until Luke bangs one over from the sideline.
In a way ever since he left home at 15 the training paddock has been Lukes home.
(Assistant coach) Mark Ellison or I have to kick him off the field at the end of training, head Rabbitohs coach Jason Taylor said.
Hes out there 45 minutes longer than everyone else goal kicking and practicising his kicking in general. If he keeps going the way he is he will develop into a real top player in the NRL and Im confident that he can.
Since his NRL debut in round 12 in June against Melbourne at Olympic Park Luke has shown he can have a long NRL career ahead of him.
What I love about him is that he backs himself, Taylor said.
He has been going well so far for us and is improving each week. Hes been a real listener, he listens to what you have to say and puts it into practice straight away. Hes not the sort of bloke you have to say things twice to.
For all his talent Luke never expected to play first grade this year when he joined the club for the 2007 season. Until his round 12 debut the highlight of his career was sitting next to Rabbitohs co-owner Russell Crowe for the trial game against the Sharks at Gosford in February.
I thought I might have to do my apprenticeship and wait a year or two, Luke said.
Hollywood royalty aside it is some rugby league royalty that has helped Luke to make his mark in first grade. A typical match day would involve Taylor driving Luke to the game and co-captain Roy Asotasi driving him home.
Every week I do something with JT before the game to take my mind off it, Luke said.
Just lunch or something like that, JT has really helped me out and been a big influence on my career. So too has Roy and Nigel Vagana, theyve helped me a lot with my footy but we also talk about things outside footy so I dont concentrate on it too much.
Its been a long way from that drive to Wellington to the weekly drive to an NRL match with some of the games biggest names, but for Luke the journey has only just begun.
