Issac Luke
Encyclopedia
Issac Luke is a New Zealand professional rugby league
footballer for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
of the National Rugby League
. His position of choice is either hooker or in the halves. His first-grade debut was for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
against the Melbourne Storm
at Olympic Park
in round 12 of the 2007 NRL season. Luke is a member of the World Cup winning New Zealand team beating Australia in the 2008 World Cup Final at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.
In Round 19 Against the North Queensland Cowboys
Issac Luke had his first NRL start, playing at hooker. He scored his first NRL try and was awarded the Brut
Man Of the Match award for his efforts.
Luke tasted finals football in his debut year, coming off the bench in the Rabbitohs 30 - 6 loss to the Manly Sea Eagles
He was awarded the John Sattler Rookie of the Year at the South Sydney annual Red and Green Ball and presentation night held at the AJC function centre at Randwick Racecourse Sydney.
He also was second only to Israel Folau in the dally m rookie of the year award.
His year was capped off by being named in the Train on Squad for the New Zealand Kiwis
Rabbitohs NRL Stats
He came back in round 7 against the Brisbane Broncos and added some much needed spark to the team but they came up short going down 32 - 18.
His return from injury came just in time for him to make his test debut for the Kiwis for the ANZAC day
test at the SCG
. He started the game at hooker and had a solid debut.
Luke was named at Halfback For the Round 8 clash against the North Queensland Cowboys to accommodate both himself and fellow hooker George Ndaira in the starting side.
During Round 13 against The Warriors, Luke was instrumental for Souths, which included setting up a great try to put Souths ahead at Half Time. He was named Man of the Match
Round 14 against the Titans Luke scored his first career double and slotted the match winning penalty for a 24-23 victory.
In August 2008, Luke was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
, and in October 2008, he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.
Luke was considered one of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup 'Players to Watch' by NRL Live. He was then a crucial part of the Kiwi sided that lifted the World Cup in 2008, beating Australia 36 - 24 before over 50,000 spectators at Brisbane's Lang Park.
Rabbitohs NRL Stats
in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Four Nations
tournaments, playing off the substitutes bench for the Kiwis' win the 2010 edition. Luke's 2011 Four Nations tournament ended in controversy after he was criticised for a series of cynical tackles on opposing players. Luke admitted that in a match against England, he had attempted to break the leg of Rangi Chase
, England's New Zealand-born half-back.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
of the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
. His position of choice is either hooker or in the halves. His first-grade debut was for the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
against the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
at Olympic Park
Olympic Park
An Olympic Park is a sports campus for hosting the Olympic Games. Typically it contains the Olympic Stadium and the International Broadcast Centre. It may also contain the Olympic Village or some of the other sports venues, such as the aquatics complex in the case of the summer games, or the main...
in round 12 of the 2007 NRL season. Luke is a member of the World Cup winning New Zealand team beating Australia in the 2008 World Cup Final at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.
2007 season
Luke made his first grade debut in round 12 for the Rabbitohs against the Melbourne Storm, coming off the bench.In Round 19 Against the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
Issac Luke had his first NRL start, playing at hooker. He scored his first NRL try and was awarded the Brut
Brut
-Literature:* Roman de Brut, a verse chronicle in Anglo-Norman by Wace* Layamon's Brut, an English chronicle by Layamon based on Wace* Brut y Tywysogion , a Welsh mediaeval chronicle...
Man Of the Match award for his efforts.
Luke tasted finals football in his debut year, coming off the bench in the Rabbitohs 30 - 6 loss to the Manly Sea Eagles
He was awarded the John Sattler Rookie of the Year at the South Sydney annual Red and Green Ball and presentation night held at the AJC function centre at Randwick Racecourse Sydney.
He also was second only to Israel Folau in the dally m rookie of the year award.
His year was capped off by being named in the Train on Squad for the New Zealand Kiwis
Rabbitohs NRL Stats
| Games | Tries | Goals | F/G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
2008 season
Luke started the season well but a broken bone in his hand in the round 3 loss to the Penrith Panthers sidelined him for 4 weeks.He came back in round 7 against the Brisbane Broncos and added some much needed spark to the team but they came up short going down 32 - 18.
His return from injury came just in time for him to make his test debut for the Kiwis for the ANZAC day
ANZAC Day
Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...
test at the SCG
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
. He started the game at hooker and had a solid debut.
Luke was named at Halfback For the Round 8 clash against the North Queensland Cowboys to accommodate both himself and fellow hooker George Ndaira in the starting side.
During Round 13 against The Warriors, Luke was instrumental for Souths, which included setting up a great try to put Souths ahead at Half Time. He was named Man of the Match
Round 14 against the Titans Luke scored his first career double and slotted the match winning penalty for a 24-23 victory.
In August 2008, Luke was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
, and in October 2008, he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.
Luke was considered one of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup 'Players to Watch' by NRL Live. He was then a crucial part of the Kiwi sided that lifted the World Cup in 2008, beating Australia 36 - 24 before over 50,000 spectators at Brisbane's Lang Park.
Rabbitohs NRL Stats
| Games | Tries | Goals | F/G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 6 | 41 | 0 | 106 |
2009–present
Luke made 68 NRL appearances for Souths in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons. In none of those seasons did the Rabbitohs qualify for the finals series. He represented New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Four Nations
Rugby League Four Nations
The Rugby League Four Nations is an annual rugby league football tournament run in partnership between the Australian Rugby League, Rugby Football League and New Zealand Rugby League representing the top three nations in the sport: Australia, England and New Zealand. A fourth partner, France,...
tournaments, playing off the substitutes bench for the Kiwis' win the 2010 edition. Luke's 2011 Four Nations tournament ended in controversy after he was criticised for a series of cynical tackles on opposing players. Luke admitted that in a match against England, he had attempted to break the leg of Rangi Chase
Rangi Chase
Rangi Chase is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays in the Super League competition for the Castleford Tigers. He attended famous Maori school Te Aute College in 1999 before moving to Australia where he attended Keebra Park State High School...
, England's New Zealand-born half-back.
Career highlights
- Junior Club: Hawera Hawks
- Represented for the Junior Kiwis
- First Grade Debut: Round 12, South Sydney RabbitohsSouth Sydney RabbitohsThe South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
v Melbourne StormMelbourne StormThe Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
at Olympic Park StadiumOlympic Park StadiumOlympic Park Stadium was a multi-purpose outdoor stadium located on Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The stadium was built as an athletics training venue for the 1956 Olympics, a short distance from the MCG, which served as the Olympic Stadium...
, 2 June 2007 - First NRLNational Rugby LeagueThe National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
Try: Round 19, South Sydney RabbitohsSouth Sydney RabbitohsThe South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
v North Queensland CowboysNorth Queensland CowboysThe North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
at Telstra StadiumTelstra StadiumStadium Australia, currently also known as ANZ Stadium due to naming rights, formerly known as Telstra Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct of Homebush Bay...
, 22 July 2007 - John Sattler Rookie of the Year award 2007
- International Test Debut: New Zealand Kiwis v Australian Kangaroos, 9 May 2008 at the Sydney Cricket GroundSydney Cricket GroundThe Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
- Played in New Zealand side that won the 2008 rugby league world cup
- Won the 2008 NZRL international rookie of the year award
- George Piggins Medal (Souths' Best and Fairest Award) 2010
NRL Point scoring summary
| Games | Tries | Goals | F/G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | 21 | 107 | 0 | 298 |
NRL Matches played
| Team | Matches | Years |
|---|---|---|
| South Sydney Rabbitohs | 86 | 2007–present |