Issac Luke packed his bags and moved across the Tasman to Wollongong with the realisation he may not even play an NRL game in 2020.

At 32 years of age and without a job, retiring from rugby league appeared to be his only other option.

The Dragons tabled a one-year offer to the veteran hooker but it wasn’t worth much more than the NRL’s minimum wage.

LIVE stream Indigenous All-Stars v Maori Kiwis in the 2020 Harvey Norman NRL All Stars match on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

Round 19

It was Luke’s wife who talked him into taking it. Even if he wasn’t going to play an NRL game for the Red V, this was the chance to pass his knowledge on to the next generation.

“It got to a point where we were content with all the aspects of the career, me and my wife,” Luke told foxsports.com.au from All Stars camp on the Gold Coast.

“She said she knew someone was going to pick me up – ‘people love knowledge and you’ve got a lot of it’.

Cameron McInnes is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines Source: AAP

“St George gave me that.”

As fate would have it, Luke now looms as the frontrunner to wear St George Illawarra’s No.9 jumper against the Tigers in Round 1.

MORE NRL NEWS

NRL TRIAL TEAMS: New-look Broncos halves, Foran’s replacement named

WILD RIDE: Latrell has had a crazy 12 months. His brothers helped him through

EXILE FILES: Folau vs SBW clash set for blockbuster billing

A knee injury to starting rake Cameron McInnes at the NRL Nines means the Dragons need a new hooker to start the season.

Ben Hunt is a chance of switching from halfback to fill the role, while rookie Joe Lovodua is waiting in the wings for his shot.

But all signs point to Luke being the man called upon by coach Paul McGregor.

Even if he doesn’t want to buy into it.

MORE NRL NEWS

NRL TRIAL TEAMS: New-look Broncos halves, Foran’s replacement named

WILD RIDE: Latrell has had a crazy 12 months. His brothers helped him through

EXILE FILES: Folau vs SBW clash set for blockbuster billing

“I don’t know yet … Joe Lovodua is down there too. I think some time over the course of the next month we’ll be sharing that duty, and I guess we’ll find out,” Luke said.

“At the moment I’m at a stage of my career where knowledge is powerful. What I feel I can give back to Cam (McInnes) and Joey (Lovodua), I’ll do whatever I can to do that.

“Obviously I’ll try to get in there but I’m not too worried … if it happens it happens. I’m ready (to play).

“If given the job then I’ll put my hand up. I’ll be ready.”