League: Luke to fight striking charge

Kiwis hooker Issac Luke will be represented by top Sydney lawyer Geoff Bellew at the NRL judiciary tomorrow. Photo / Getty Images

BRISBANE - Kiwis hooker Issac Luke will contest his grade one striking charge at the National Rugby League (NRL) judiciary tomorrow in a bid to play in Friday's trans-Tasman test, his South Sydney club confirmed today.

Souths football manager John Lang said the club's lawyer Geoff Bellew was confident Luke had a strong defence after viewing video footage of the incident involving Gold Coast's Anthony Laffranchi.

"We will fight the charge," Lang said.

"Geoff thinks there is a definite case and we agree."

Luke was handed a grade one striking charge - at the lowest end of the scale - by the NRL's match review committee yesterday.

Kiwis coach Steve Kearney said West Tigers hooker Dene Halatau had been flown in as cover for Luke.

He was due to join the team in Brisbane this afternoon.

Due to two previous charges in the past two years, Luke faced a one-match ban either way; if he issued an early guilty plea or contested the charge and lost.

Test matches are counted in any suspensions incurred by players in the NRL.

Bellew has a remarkable record of success at the NRL judiciary and went two-for-two last week, helping clear Cronulla and Kangaroos forward Paul Gallen of a high tackle charge and the Bulldogs' Michael Ennis of an alleged "chicken wing" tackle.

The Luke incident happened late in Saturday's match when he was carrying the ball and Laffranchi was tackling him.

Lang said Souths had contacted the New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) this morning to pass on their decision to fight the charge.

- NZPA