NRL: Big-time gigs help keep Luck in city

Micheal Luck is the Warriors' top tackler. Photo / Getty Images

The band AC/DC provided at least some of Micheal Luck's inspiration to re-sign with the Warriors until the end of the 2012 season.

Obviously money talks but that is not to suggest Luck will be providing dirty deeds, done dirt cheap. He says going to the Australian band's concert in February and the upcoming Metallica gig in October were good reasons to stay in Auckland on the back of his league commitments.

"Before coming to Auckland, I had never lived in a city. I had been in Townsville for 10 years after moving from Gatton [about 75km west of Brisbane].

"I'm not having a dig but it's harder to get big acts in those parts. Over here, I still love the opportunities you get with music, as well as keeping up my fishing and diving interests. There's water everywhere."

Luck will always consider himself an Australian but Auckland is his second home since he joined the Warriors in 2006 after five seasons at North Queensland.

"I will end up back in Queensland when my footy is done but I didn't want to leave [Auckland] yet. My wife Toni and I are settled here and I don't want to rock the boat while things are going well."

Toni works in Flight Centre's head office and had been a travel agent which initially helped ease the financial burden of getting home to visit family regularly.

As someone who has also adopted New Zealand as a medium-term home, Warriors player and now coach Ivan Cleary can appreciate what Luck adds.

"He has been a model team member; a good club man who has been consistent and probably improved since he arrived. Lucky is the glue that binds the team and he has the rare ability to play while carrying injuries that would sideline others. His work-rate is unmatched."

That is demonstrated by his durability. Luck made 70 consecutive appearances after arriving at the club before a shoulder injury sidelined him late in 2008.

Despite missing two games that season, he was the NRL's top tackler (957) for the second year on end after tallying 959 in 2007. He made 1053 last season to be third.

Luck has made 245 tackles in six outings this year but has missed two games with a hand injury.

Recruitment manager Dean Bell says that sort of contribution meant there was no hesitation in re-signing him:

"He's one of the toughest players I've come across and his efforts are important for young players coming in as well. It was a unanimous decision. Now it's important to get the team firing around his professionalism."