Warriors to decide on whether Luke slips away to Eels
The Warriors brains trust have to decide whether they want to keep Issac Luke if the Parramatta Eels make a raid to nab the hooker before the season starts.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported yesterday that the Eels are looking to exploit a clause in Luke’s contract which would allow him to join the Sydney club immediately if they make him a better offer.
It was reported that Luke is on a one-year deal worth $162,000 and the Eels are prepared to pay the 31-yearold hooker $757,000 over the next two seasons.
Luke’s manager, Bruce Sharrock, confirmed to Stuff that the Eels have been in touch with him and are interested, but as yet haven’t put an offer on the table.
The reason why the Eels could snare one of the Warriors’ most experienced players so close to the start of the new season is complex, but goes back to a shoulder injury he had.
Towards the end of last season there were strong rumours Luke was set to join the Knights for 2019.
But then it became apparent he would need an operation on a shoulder, which resulted in the Knights and other clubs getting cold feet.
While the Warriors eventually picked him up on a contract worth significantly less than his previous three-year deal, it could be seen as an act of goodwill to offer him a new contract when they were under salary cap pressure and there was little interest elsewhere.
However, part of the arrangement was that if a club came with a better offer he could go, although it’s believed the Warriors are able to match or better that offer to retain him.
Warriors CEO Cameron George said if an offer comes from the Eels, the club will assess the situation.
‘‘At the end of the day, if there is interest in Issac, Bruce will be in touch with us and we’ll consider everything on its merits,’’ George told Stuff. ‘‘I’m not the sole decisionmaker around this. Peter O’Sullivan [head of recruitment], Stephen [Kearney, Warriors coach[, Brian [Smith, general manager of football] and I will no doubt have a robust discussion if there is any interest on the table for Issac.
‘‘He’s got a contract here, but as Bruce knows and we know, part of the deal was that if he was to receive any interest, we would consider it.’’
With the money saved from not having to pay Shaun Johnson this year, the Warriors do have space in their salary cap, but would have to decide whether they’d be willing to offer Luke a two-year deal for at least the same money.
The club would have snapped up Kiwis hooker Brandon Smith from the Storm when he came close to asking for a release last month following Cameron Smith agreeing to a new two-year deal. He would have been the perfect replacement.
Financially the Warriors can match the Eels, but the decision is whether they do that and go for either Nate Roach, Karl Lawton or Jazz Tevaga, while waiting to see how Smith’s situation plays out at the Storm.
‘‘We don’t have to let him go,’’ George said. ‘‘We can match it, we can better it if that’s what the guys want to do.
‘‘What I do want to say is that Issac has been training really well, he’s been great with the group.’’