Luke Douglas returns to boyhood club Lower Clarence Magpies in Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League
Former Sharks and Titans prop Luke Douglas has made a shock comeback to the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League competition. See who he signed for.
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Former NRL prop Luke Douglas has made another return to the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League competition, this time coming home to his boyhood club.
The 35-year old has signed for Lower Clarence Magpies for the 2022 NRRRL season.
Douglas, who made over 250 appearances in the NRL, has taken over the reigns as captain and coach just four weeks out from the start of the season.
The club is based in Maclean just 20 kilometres west of Yamba where he was born.
He is making a spectacular comeback after winning the NRRRL grand final as captain and coach of the Ballina Seagulls in 2020.
The prop has been based in the area working with Clarence Valley Council fulfilling a dream he had to return to the area he was born with his family.
Douglas’ junior clubs include the Magpies and Yamba Eagles before he made his NRL debut for the Cronulla Sharks in 2006.
He hasn’t pulled on a Magpies jersey since he was 17 years of age but Douglas is returning with bigger goals in mind.
He will replace Carl Press as the official coach with Press moving into a new role as ‘coaches director’ setting up development programs for junior and senior coaches and players.
Douglas has also made clear his aim that he wants to contribute to the Magpies becoming a development hub for NRL talent in the future.
Current Wests Tigers fullback Daine Laurie is the latest Magpies alumni to hit the big time in the NRL.
Lower Clarence Magpies finished third last in the NRRRL last season with just nine points from 14 games.
They are one-time NRRRL champions last winning the competition in 2009.
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Originally published as Luke Douglas returns to boyhood club Lower Clarence Magpies in Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League
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