The NZ Warriors are sweating on the signature of Issac Luke, as the Newcastle Knights look to swoop for his services.
Luke's contract with the Warriors expired at the end of the 2018 NRL campaign and the club is believed to be struggling to fit him under its salary cap for next season. It's reportedly offered him just a one-year deal at a heavily reduced rate.
The 254-game veteran reportedly met with Knights coach Nathan Brown last week, during the Australian's visit with the All Blacks in Wellington, and reports from across the Tasman suggest he's close to luring him to the Hunter Coast.
"We've made our best offer under the circumstances of our cap," Warriors CEO Cameron George told NZME.
"That offer is before Issac and his manager to review, and whether they have been provided with a better option, we haven't been advised.
"We haven't been told anything yet and that's where we are at."
Luke's agent, Bruce Sharrock, insists the move is far from a done deal, but talks have gathered steam.
"Things have progressed, but I wouldn't say [signing with Newcastle] is imminent, that's for sure," Sharrock told NZME.
"There's a fair bit of water still to go under the bridge."
The 31-year-old was considered one of the main catalysts for the Warriors recent resurgence, helping the team to their first finals appearance since 2011.
If Luke were to depart, that would leave relative rookie Nathaniel Roache - who missed all of 2018 with injury - as the likely first-choice rake and make the retention of rising utility Jazz Tevaga that much more critical.
The Knights already have two Kiwis hookers on their roster in Danny Levi and Slade Griffin. Levi has served a long apprenticeship under Griffin, until another season-ending injury saw the 22-year-old Levi slot into the starting role in July.
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