The Warriors, who have so boldly made the NRL playoffs for the first time since 2011, have reportedly not-so-boldly offered Kiwis Test star Issac Luke a contract extension, but just for next season.
The one-year deal would likely be a little less, financially, than his current contract, which was negotiated back in 2015, as Luke left the Rabbitohs and returned to New Zealand.
This season, the team has been of a higher quality when the Hawera-born hooker has been on the field, so you couldn’t blame Luke for holding out for a longer deal.
This is where he faces a commercially difficult decision.
A key member of the 2008 World Cup winning squad (the same year he received the International Rookie of the Year Award), Luke has now played over 40 matches for his country, along with 252 first grade matches, since debuting in 2007.
In nine seasons at Souths, which included a premiership victory in 2014 (although he didn’t play in the grand final), Luke scored a respectable 412 points – 36 tries and 134 goals.
AAP Image/Action Photographics, Robb Cox
At just 31, there is plenty of rugby league left in Luke if he so desires.
Although the Warriors are yet to mention anything publically, they may be hesitant to offer a three or four-year deal based on Luke’s form from his first two seasons at the club. Then there are the obvious restrictions regarding the salary cap for a player of his ilk.
There is also a real challenge for the hooking spot, with 22-year-old Nathaniel Roache expected to play plenty of minutes next season and beyond. Roache was ruled out earlier in the season through injury.
The challenge the Warriors are putting down for Luke is that there is a place for him next year based on this year’s form. The challenge Luke has in front of him is whether a longer-term offer would be forthcoming from other clubs, which would ensure a little bit more security.
Either way, Luke has displayed scintillating form this season, which has rekindled faith from his fans. If the Warriors are to continue to improve, it could be wise for the club to keep Luke on the books, as he has been a key part of establishing a world-class spine.
Despite battling injuries all season long, Luke has also been rewarded with a Kiwis recall and a senior role, after missing last season’s World Cup.
The Warriors have plenty to play for in the next month, as they mount a serious surge towards premiership glory, but so does the happy hooker as he looks to lock in his playing future.
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