Young Warriors pushing Luke toward new contract

The pressure that comes with being off contract isn't new to Issac Luke, but what he's experiencing this time around has nothing to do with financial security.

Now in his 13th season in the Telstra Premiership, 31-year-old Luke knows there is no guarantee he will be retained by the Warriors.

His son Adaquix and daughter Avarni have both made it clear they want to remain in Auckland, the city the family has called the city home since the end of 2015.

"[Adaquix] wants to stay close to his mates over here and has a feeling that we are going to have to leave next year, or maybe leave, and he wants to stay," Luke said ahead of facing the North Queensland Cowboys on Saturday night.

"He wants to try and find a [rugby union] scholarship at a school and stay around his mates.

"My girl plays [league] as well… I don't want to move her either, so I think I might just have to go back and play Fox Memorial [the Auckland club competition] after this year.

"We will see when it happens."

Luke earned a one-year contract extension in October last year, but off-season shoulder surgery and a niggling hamstring issue have meant his 2019 campaign has got off to a mixed start.

He's yet to be involved in a victory this year after missing rounds one and four through injury, and played only 32 minutes of last week's 28-24 loss to the Rabbitohs due to a head knock.  

I might just have to go back and play Fox Memorial [the Auckland club competition] after this year

Warriors hooker Issac Luke

"[My] head is all good, the hammy is heaps better, I don't know what the hell is going on with it… [I guess] old people get old," Luke said.

"It sucked to be perfectly honest, because I want to be out there doing what I can to help the team."

With Nathaniel Roache back this week and Agnatius Paasi set to overcome a knee complaint, halfback Blake Green (groin) and centre Solomone Kata (knee) are the only injury concerns for coach Stephen Kearney heading into round six.

Former St George Illawarra Dragons squad member Patrick Herbert has been drafted into the 22-man squad as cover for Kata, after a number of strong performances for the club's reserve-grade side.

"Patrick came here on a train and trial basis, so he was going to do the pre-season with us then play a couple of trial games [before] we were going to make a decision," Kearney said.

"I thought he did really well through the pre-season – he had a couple of really good trials – and consequently he got a contract with us.

"He's been going well in our reserve-grade team and he's been ticking along there."