Is Luke the new Warriors MVP?
OPINION: After a couple of poor seasons at the Warriors, Issac Luke came into the 2018 campaign as one of the more disappointing signings in the club’s history.
Eleven games in and he is now just about their most important player.
In a year full of pleasant surprises from the Warriors, the rejuvenation of the veteran Kiwi hooker tops the lot.
During Friday’s backs-to-thewall victory over the Eels, Luke showed just how much he was missed against the Roosters last week, returning from injury to lead the way with another match-winning performance.
Forget the fact that the Eels are last on the ladder, this result was another step in the right direction for Stephen Kearney’s side.
After such a superb start to the season, the Warriors are going through a tough period, made more difficult on Friday by the absence of Roger TuivasaSheck and Shaun Johnson.
With all the momentum behind Parramatta, Warriors teams from previous years would have rolled over when the Eels took the lead in the final quarter.
Luke didn’t do it by himself. Indeed, a big part of his revival has been the help he’s received from the core group of the senior players around him.
But as the Warriors stood tall under adversity to get the job done, it was Luke who seemed to will them across the line.
His ‘follow me’ attitude was typified in the final 10 minutes when he got in the Eels’ faces after Will Smith milked an absurd penalty, passing the ball into a prone Luke who was not interfering at the ruck.
He then made sure to back up the talk, barging over from close range through sheer determination to seal the win.
Given the injuries Luke has picked up over recent weeks, from the knee problem that was initially meant to keep him out for a month, to the dislocated shoulder he tried to put back in place himself against the Tigers, it was an inspirational display.
He didn’t make as many metres compared to previous weeks, but his service and organisation around the ruck got the forwards running more direct.
That was predominantly in the first half as the Warriors barely touched the ball after the break. Although, he showed no regard for his banged-up body, throwing himself into 45 tackles.
It would appear only injury would prevent Luke from earning a Kiwis recall for next month’s test in Denver, but what is less clear is his future at the Warriors.
Luke, who turns 31 later this month, is off-contract at the end of the season and recently conceded this could be his last year at Mt Smart.
The Warriors have several up-and-coming hookers but there GETTY IMAGES is still a big gap between that group and a fit and firing Luke.
Nathaniel Roache has had terrible luck with injury, Karl Lawton is still relatively new to first grade and while Jazz Tevaga has been one of the club’s unsung heroes this season, he may be more suited as a running forward.
Luke’s value on the market would have only increased over the last couple of months and, given his age, the Warriors may well decide to focus on youth. There is also a strong possibility that Luke could secure a longerterm deal elsewhere.
But having finally found the formula to get him back among the best dummy-halves in the NRL, why not fight hard to keep him around for another season or two?
This is the player everyone has been waiting for.