Among an abundance of good Aotearoa Warriors news - from Nathan Cayless joining the coaching staff to Jazz Tevaga re-signing along with Isaiah Papali'i and Bunty Afoa extending their existing deals - Issac Luke has opted to stay at Mt Smart for another year. Luke's contract saga has been the most drawn out and intriguing any signing stuff this year, with so many layers of nuance that it's hard to know where to start.

Wasssssup my @NZWarriors whanau. I have resigned with the club for 1 more year and hopefully get another couple years out with them. Thanks for the support during this year. My time here isn’t done. ‘YET’ looking forward to seeing you all next year. Lesssssgoooooo🔥🔥
— issac luke (@issacluke_14) October 2, 2018

The deal is for one year. Luke has clearly stated that his preference is to be in Aotearoa and we'd have to assume that it would have required a super juicy deal to lure him away from Aotearoa, given his reasoning to cross the ditch back to Aotearoa in the first place. Super juicy deals ain't coming the way of a 31-year-old hooker with a history of bung shoulders and a shoulder surgery this off-season.

Very early on in this process, even with some interest from Newcastle Knights, staying with the Warriors didn't just feel like the best option for Luke; it was to some extent the only option. The spanner in the works was whether Luke would be willing to take one for the team and accept less money for this one-year deal.

Sacrificing money for the sake of putting your team in a better position doesn't happen as openly and frequently in the NRL as it may do in the NBA. Sure, that's only in very specific circumstances and while it's cute to dream of a world where professional athletes aren't out for the biggest cash deal they can get - nudged along by their agent who gets more money from a bigger deal - but that's simply not the reality. Athletes have a short window and no one can judge an athlete for making the most of that window.

Luke didn't have a choice though. Then, on top of that the dip in money is countered by keeping his family in a settled environment in Auckland. All those whanau aspects can make up for cash and so, after exploring the market a wee bit, Luke will remain a Warrior.

Simply put; this deal is the best thing for both parties.

There is another window for Luke to put his best foot forward and contribute to a winning Warriors team. He holds the control of any deal after 2019 in the sense that he has to play good footy, otherwise the options diminish and Luke has an opportunity to show value outside of his dummy half duties on the field.

Nathaniel Roache has missed over a year's worth of footy now and will be carefully eased back into NRL life next year. Luke will be the guy, the main guy to guide Roache back into the mix and help Roache fulfill his potential. Other than the negativity surrounding Luke's first year with the Warriors, there isn't much known about Luke's contributions to team culture and leadership as the promotion of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and arrivals of guys like Adam Blair, Tohu Harris and Blake Green have enabled Luke to chill in the background.

Chill in the background and do his dummy half wizardry on the field. Now there is a chance for Luke to show his value in a leadership and off the field capacity, not only in helping Roache blossom but also in picking up any of the OG veteran slack left by the departure of Simon Mannering.

Obviously Luke makes the Warriors a better team and there is a vast chasm between Luke and Roache, Karl Lawton and/or Sam Cook. Luke is crucial to the style of the Warriors and his ability to run, then offload or pass late in the play sparks the ball-shifting Warriors into motion. If Luke can maintain his top-five NRL hooker skillset next year and add his influence off the field to the Warriors, this will end up being a nek level bargain.

In the abundance of Warriors signing news and recruiting the people that they have to Mt Smart over the past 18 months, one thing has been crystal clear; great footy people want to come to the Warriors. Nathan Cayless and Todd Payten are two of the funkiest emerging coaches in the NRL sphere, both signed to the Warriors ... need I rattle off Alex Corvo, Brian Smith and any other players?

The low key narrative in Luke re-signing is that he wants to be here, that the financial sacrifice is all good because he appreciates where the Warriors are heading. I've consistently stated that this vibe can be applied to guys like Agnatius Paasi, Leivaha Pulu and maybe even Leeson Ah Mau, who I don't expect to be on big money, but came to the Warriors to be back in Auckland and take part in the resurgence.

Luke has lived through that resurgence and bloody oath he wants to continue to do so. There is no one else at the Warriors who is a living example of how the last four-five years have played out with the Warriors, other than Luke. This dude resembled the Warriors at their worst at that time and as the winds of changed swept through Mt Smart, Luke matched the progression of the Warriors. Now Luke has another year to level up once again, to offer value in all aspects of club life with the Warriors.

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Peace and love 27.