Journey from Hawera to NRL heights
| Published date | 29 September 2021 |
| Author | LEAGUE |
League has dominated his life since he left Taranaki as a teenager to chase his NRL dreams in Sydney.
“My goal was to give kids from where I came from pathways,” Luke told the Weekend Herald. “I wasn’t big, or tall, but I had a bit of mongrel and skill.
“For someone from Hawera, even getting one [NRL] game was special. So getting to 286 and 43 tests, I’m pretty content with what I’ve done.
“I’m happy to leave the game, moving on to the next phase of my life, knowing I left a mark in the NRL.”
Luke had some rough edges but was a wonderful player. He is probably the best hooker in Kiwis history (although Brandon Smith may one day assume that mantle) and was a dominant No9 in the NRL.
He was a fearless competitor who helped change the sport with his dummy-half running game, and at times even overshadowed Australian Cameron Smith at his peak.
Luke hasn’t had the farewell he perhaps deserved, playing for Wynnum Manly, the Brisbane Broncos’ feeder club, in the latter half of this season, but that won’t detract from his legacy.
He was part of a golden period for the Kiwis, with the 2008 World Cup victory and the 2010 and 2014 Four Nations triumphs. Luke was also a key figure in the Rabbitohs’ revival, which culminated in the 2014 grand final win, and he scored 50 tries and kicked 205 goals in the NRL.
“There are two things I wanted to achieve: get that milestone of 300 and go to the Dally Ms and bring something home,” said the 34-year-old.
“But I won a NRL premiership, a World Club Challenge, the NRL Nines, the Four Nations and a World Cup. I think I achieved enough.”
Luke rates Smith his toughest foe and was proud to be recognised as the International Hooker of the Year (ahead of Smith) in 2013.
Johnathan Thurston was the toughest competitor “by a country mile” and Sam Burgess his best teammate.
Luke made his debut in 2007 against the Melbourne Storm.
“They got a tip during the week, ‘a young fella named Issac Luke was going to be debuting — he can’t tackle, so run at him’. They sent all their forwards at me. I put Jeff Lima on his arse twice and Ben Cross once.”
Luke was Souths’ first-choice rake before his 20th birthday and had some stunning seasons, including the nine-try 2010 campaign. The Rabbitohs reached consecutive preliminary finals in 2012 and 2013 before the 2014 breakthrough, although Luke was infamously suspended from the...
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