League: Top lawyer eyes Luke defence

Kiwis hooker Issac Luke could miss Friday's test through suspension. Photo / Getty Images

BRISBANE - The Kiwis are "exploring all options" to clear Issac Luke for Friday's transtasman test, but their hopes may rest with gun Sydney lawyer Geoff Bellew after the hooker was charged by the National Rugby League (NRL) match review committee yesterday.

Bellew, SC, was last night viewing footage of the incident with Gold Coast's Anthony Laffranchi during Saturday's match, from which Luke was handed a grade one striking charge.

Due to two previous charges in the past two years, Luke faces a one-match ban either way: if he issues an early guilty plea or contests the charge and loses on Wednesday night.

The NRL yesterday reiterated that any suspension at club level would include representative and/or test matches.

Bellew represents South Sydney, and nearly all NRL players contesting judiciary charges. His recent success rate is a remarkable 75 per cent.

He went two-for-two at last week's judiciary, helping clear Cronulla and Kangaroos forward Paul Gallen of a high tackle charge and the Bulldogs' Michael Ennis of an alleged 'chicken wing' tackle.

South Sydney director of football John Lang said after Bellew vie wed the footage, the club would decide today whether to contest the charge, before the 2pm (NZT) deadline.

"Everybody here is keen for Issac to play in the test, that's part of what motivates our players," Lang said.

A Kiwis spokesman said they were exploring all options but wouldn't say whether that included independent legal advice.

Lang said New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) general manager Peter Cordtz had been in touch and they would inform the Kiwis of their decision today.

Kiwis manager Gordon Gibbons said the team were on tenterhooks.

"We'll support whatever Souths choose to do. Issac is a very, very important part of this team," Gibbons said.

The charge is at the lowest end of the scale, and involved an incident where Luke was carrying the ball, fended off the Gold Coast's Mat Rogers then also tried to fend off Laffranchi.

Should Luke be rubbed out, Wests Tigers hooker Dene Halatau would be the obvious replacement but as yet no one had been summoned to Brisbane.

Yesterday's judiciary news continued a bad day for the Kiwis who lost powerful Penrith second rower Frank Pritchard due to a neck injury suffered against Canberra.

It saw Melbourne's Sika Manu called up as his replacement in the 18-man squad.

"Penrith are still waiting on scans but the club were very concerned and with a neck injury you don't want to take any risks," Kiwis doctor Simon Mayhew said.

Mayhew said the news was much better for Jeremy Smith, the Kiwis' player-of-the-year in 2008 who was battling a high ankle sprain suffered on Sunday which saw him rated in serious doubt.

"He's done really well overnight and improved significantly today," Mayhew said.

"He responded well to treatment last night and today, and there's a good range of movement. There's a reasonable chance he'll be fit to play on Friday."

Mayhew said the normal recovery time for such an injury was 7-10 days but early treatment by Dragons medical staff yesterday got Smith on the road to a quick recovery.

- NZPA