LEAGUE - Luke looks forward to bright NRL future

Young Whangarei rugby league player Luke Tuimavave could become known as "Lucky Luke" after a dream season that has drawn interest from two Sydney NRL clubs.
He represented Northland with distinction at the under-15 national tournament in July and was chosen in the tournament squad as well as the best forward of the tournament. The 15-year-old prop's performance there wasn't missed by NRL scouts and he was offered a three-year contract with the Canterbury Bulldogs.
"Everything that's happened this year has been all I've ever really wanted, so at the moment I couldn't ask for more," he said.
Tuimavave has got all the right attributes to succeed in the game. He stands 195cm and weighs about 110kg, taller and heavier than his cousin, current New Zealand Warrior and Kiwi forward, Evarn Tuimavave.
Tuimavave and his parents hired Australian player-manager Steve Martin to conduct the negotiations on his behalf and the family hopes a Bulldogs deal will be signed early in the New Year.
"It's pretty much been the Bulldogs all the way for me but everyone thought going to the Roosters camp was a good idea too," he said.
A call from the Sydney Roosters player recruitment manager at the beginning of December invited Luke to attend the club's annual academy training camp in Australia.
The chance to train with rugby league greats like Brad Fittler and Matthew Johns was an experience Tuimavave will never forget.
The highlights of the trip for Luke was sitting next to Willie Mason at a dinner function and then running through the tunnel on to the playing ground at the Sydney Football Stadium for a training session with head coach Fittler.
It is something the young Hikurangi Stags player could get used to and he will hear in the next few weeks if the Roosters will also offer him a contract.
Meanwhile, he is poised to sign with the Bulldogs, and will attend another training camp in Sydney in January with the Canterbury club.
Next year looms as a big one for the young prop but whether he plays for the Bulldogs or another club doesn't really bother him - as long as he's playing.
"I'm keeping my options open. It's all new to me so I'm just enjoying having a tutu [nosy] around at the moment and hopefully we'll find out what's good and what's not," he said.
"I wouldn't mind playing for the Warriors but that's in the future ... right now I'm focusing on trying to crack in the Toyota Cup competition," he said.