Issac Luke on the Dragons, Russell Crowe and his South Sydney dream
Issac Luke won’t forget the day close mate Russell Crowe “went off” after he revealed he was leaving South Sydney. Now, as the Kiwi star prepares to help rebuild the Dragons, he reveals a Rabbitohs farewell remains his dream.
Rabbitohs
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rabbitohs. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Issac Luke remembers he was nervous.
He'd driven from Sydney to Coffs Harbour before hooking left to travel 25km inland to the small village town of Nana Glen.
It was at the end of the 2015 NRL season and Russell Crowe had told Luke to bring his family up to his sprawling NSW north coast property.
The Crowes and Lukes had clicked from the moment the explosive hooker had arrived at Souths in 2007.
Watch the 2020 NRL Nines tournament LIVE & On-Demand on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
“We just got on from the beginning,” Luke said.
“His mum (Jocelyn) and dad (John) still send my family Christmas cards.”
Luke remembers he was sitting down inside the Nana Glen abode when Crowe turned to him.
“What’s up,?” Crowe asked.
Luke, knowing that his relationship with Crowe was built on honesty, told the owner of the most famous club in rugby league that he was leaving to join the Warriors in New Zealand on a three-year deal.
The former Dally M hooker of the year had made a life of expecting the unexpected on the football field, but he never saw this coming from Crowe.
“Oh, he went off,” Luke said with his boyish grin. “I was like ‘holy shit’.”'
Luke hadn't factored in what he knows now — that eight years earlier, Crowe had been in a highly publicised fight with Warriors owner Eric Watson in a London restaurant.
“I didn't know what went on with him and Eric Watson — but oh man, (Crowe) lost it when he found out I was going there.
“And so then I’m playing the following season and I messaged him; ‘Are you watching the game?’
“And he (Crowe) said, ‘Nup.’
“At the end of the year I spoke to him and I asked him, ‘How many games did you watch of me this year?’
“I looked at his face, and he said; ‘I’ve watched all of them.’
”We both had a laugh.”
Rarely a week has gone by over the past decade that Luke, Crowe and Rabbitohs forward Sam Burgess haven't traded messages. They have their own little chat group.
They send jokes. Give each other stick. Share photos of their kids. Birthdays and special moments in their families’ lives.
When Luke was in career limbo in October, without a club and considering retirement after being told by the Warriors he wasn’t wanted, Crowe shot his mate “Bully” a terse message.
“Where are you going?” Crowe wrote.
“I was like, I don’t know … calm down, it will sort itself out, mate.
“He’s pretty straight up with what he thinks.
“He messages me clear-cut messages: “lead by example” — that’s what Russell says to me.”
Luke eventually struck a 12-month contract with St George-Illawarra. The 32-year-old says he’s at a stage in his career where he wants to make a difference.
For a Dragons side desperately needing a shot of enthusiasm and different voice of experience, the former co-captain of the Kiwis can prove an asset.
The 43-Test veteran is grateful for the chance to bring his family back to Sydney and is proud to say when he does retire that he was able to represent two of the biggest clubs in the game.
What Luke also brings his passion.
Dragons fans can be rest assured that in 2020, the hooker who can be lethal from 10 metres out from the opposition tryline is going all-in.
But what Luke refuses to excuse, hide or dampen is that his heart will forever be cardinal and myrtle. If anyone can understand this, it’s one of the most passionate supporter groups in the league.
Just like fans, passionate footballers rarely have an off-switch and they have long memories. They never forget those who did everything for them.
And that's what Luke sees in the Bunnies. Ever since waving goodbye to Crowe at Nana Glen four years ago, Luke has carried the No.188 on his shoulders like a soldier would a sandbag at boot camp.
He's dragged the amount of games he played for Souths, or more so, the 12 games shy of the milestone 200-club, with a heavy heart.
Luke left Souths because his grandmother in New Zealand was ill.
“There’s definitely a part of me that wished I didn’t (leave), but a change was good,” Luke said. “My nan said I’m stupid. ‘What are you doing?’.
“I told her when something happens to you, everyone drops what they’re doing. She’s just a significant figure in our family.
“When I was younger, there were a lot of things that she did for me to make sure I was right.
“I was on the rough side all the time, so we'd run around the corner and see nan. She gave us tough love.
“But this year (at the Warriors), she told me to piss off halfway through. ‘They don't deserve to have you — you should go back to Australia.’”
Luke has dreamt of finishing his career at Souths. So much so, he knows the names of the greats who have also fallen short of the 200-club. They include John Sattler (195 games), Jack Rayner (194 games), Burgess (182 games), Michael Andrews (182 games) and Mario Fenech (181 games).
“Not many of the South Sydney legends have got past 200 games — and I’m 12 away,” Luke said.
“It has (stayed with me), yeah. I always think about all the Souths fans. I've always acknowledged The Burrow and the members.
“I’ve always done that,” he says, punching his heart, “towards the Burrow and I didn’t do it when I played for the Warriors.
“I would put my hand underneath my jersey. It’s just that they hold a special place in my heart, The Burrow. The South Sydney fans have been good. I get a homecoming every time I play them. I think it’s because we were part of the resurrection.
"In 2007, we had Roy (Asotasi), David Kidwell, David Fa’alogo, Nigel Vagana. (Souths management) got us all there to the club to try and change it.”
MORE NEWS
How four-day Tests can actually prove a winner
Star-studded line-up set for Kooyong
Luke said he feels like Crowe must have told Souths coach Wayne Bennett of his love affair with the club.
“When we (Warriors) played Souths on the Sunshine Coast this year, I went and saw the boys, after GI (Greg Inglis) told them that he was retiring,” Luke said.
“Wayne Bennett comes and grabs me and goes, ‘I never realised how tight you were with Russell.
“I said: ‘Why is that?’
“Wayne said: ‘Because if ever there's ever a chance for you to come back here, I’m going to come and get you.”
“I think Russell had just been in his ear. Whether it happens or not, I don’t know. In this game, you can't look too far ahead.
For now, through, Luke says his focus is on “ripping in” and representing the Dragons.
“From what I’ve already seen, I truly believe this is a serious bunch of men who have a point to prove. A bit like me, really.”
Originally published as Issac Luke on the Dragons, Russell Crowe and his South Sydney dream
NRL star breaks 25-yr silence on poo scandal
Ex-Maroons star Julian O’Neill has finally broken his silence around the infamous poo scandal, 25 years later.
Wayne’s shock plan for NRL’s forgotten man
Out-of-favour South Sydney half Lachlan Ilias is at a crossroads, but Wayne Bennett has unveiled a plan to save his career.