Luke to stay at Warriors
Issac Luke has re-signed an improved contract to keep him at the Warriors for the season, his agent Bruce Sharrock has confirmed.
The NRL club was in danger of losing one of its most influential players on the eve of the new season when the Eels showed interest in exploiting a clause in the hooker’s contract.
When Luke’s deal to move to the Knights collapsed towards the end of last season, because of his need to have a shoulder operation, the Warriors signed him to a contract for 2019, reportedly for A$162,000 (NZ$168,000), although there was an out clause in Luke’s favour.
The Eels were willing to offer the 31-year-old hooker A$757,000 (NZ$789,000) over the next two seasons.
The Warriors were left with two options – risk allowing Luke to walk, or offering him a better deal. They chose the latter.
‘‘I’m not going to go into what deals are on the table, all I can say is that the deal is done with the Warriors and both parties are happy with where it’s ended up,’’ Sharrock told Stuff.
The release clause, which was put in when the Warriors were under salary cap pressure, was a ticking time bomb for the club, as it could have allowed Luke to leave at any point up until the end of July. But it could be argued that the Eels’ interest in Luke did the player a huge favour because if they hadn’t approached Sharrock, the hooker would have been stuck on a much smaller contract.
‘‘You could argue that,’’ Sharrock said. ‘‘But equally you could argue that it was the Eels this week, next week it could be St George because they lose a hooker and the week after it could be Brisbane.
‘‘For the Warriors, what appeared to be pretty logical some time ago for me, when money became available to secure his services and get everyone out of it, would have been a good thing to do. But it’s done now and everyone’s happy.’’
The irony in this saga is that had Shaun Johnson not left the Warriors in a huff late last year, Luke would probably be with the Eels now.
But Johnson’s departure freed up $1.1 million of salary cap space, with some of that money now being used to give Luke a better deal.