AN under-fire NRL has backed down and will allow suspended hooker Issac Luke to celebrate with teammates on stage should South Sydney win Sunday’s grand final.

The league’s governing body attracted heavy criticism after The Daily Telegraph exclusively revealed Luke had been banned from the official post-match presentation after being suspended this week.

However, NRL head of football Todd Greenberg held an emergency media conference on Thursday morning to declare that Luke would now be permitted to:

* ENTER the field after the game;

* BE on stage with teammates to celebrate with the trophy, should Souths win; and

* COMPLETE a lap of honour with teammates.

NRL rules clearly state suspended players cannot enter the field of play before, during or after games.

Given Luke’s standing in the game though, Greenberg has relaxed the rules.

Luke still won’t be allowed on to the official stage after the match to receive a grand final ring as the NRL only presents rings to the 17 game-day players.

“We have shown leniency and a level of pragmatism,” Greenberg said.

“We have looked at the rules and applied some common sense to allow Issac to be with his teammates on the lap of honour on the biggest stage.

“We have applied some discretion although the rules are very specific about what suspended players can and can’t do. I think we have been fair and reasonable.

media_camera Issac Luke suspension means he won’t be part of the official grand final celebrations.

“This is a grand final and he has made a phenomenal contribution to the club, which is why we have allowed him to be on the field at the end of the game.

“He will be in the lap of honour and he will be in the post-match celebrations or commiserations, whichever way they fall on Sunday.

“There are two stages post-grand final if you remember. The winning team go to the second stage where they have their photos taken and Issac will be part of all that.

“The NRL’s decision is fair, reasonable and also has been agreed with and communicated with the Rabbitohs.”

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The Daily Telegraph website, talk-back radio and social media went into meltdown with fans calling for leniency after the story broke.

The NRL, to their credit, listened to the fans.

“There are 17 rings, there are 17 players,” Greenberg said. “Issac won’t be playing in the grand final so the rings will be presented on stage to the 17 players.

“(Overall) this is a good outcome for the game, for the Rabbioths fans and most importantly for Issac Luke.”

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Asked what would happened if Luke cheekily attempted to go on stage, Greenberg said: “He won’t.”

Injured Bulldogs skipper Michael Ennis will still be allowed on stage to collect the trophy, if Canterbury win.

“It is a different set of circumstances because Michael is their captain,” Greenberg said.

Souths stars John Sutton and Greg Inglis backed Luke on Thursday.

“Issac is apart of our team, he is very much apart of this squad,” Sutton said. “We are just happy to have him around the players, helping out. He has been positive and will want to keep being positive, really driving the boys.”

Inglis added: “He is very much apart of this team.”