Warriors in Luck with signing

Experienced Cowboys back rower Micheal Luck has joined the growing list of Queenslanders at the Vodafone Warriors.

The club announced the 23-year-old Gatton-born Luck will move to Auckland on a three-year deal at the end of the 2005 NRL season.

He?ll join a football department roster that already includes several fellow Queenslanders ? captain Steve Price, halfback Nathan Fien, centre Tony Martin, Kiwi-qualified fullback Brent Webb and new utility Grant Rovelli as well as defence co-ordinator Kevin Campion.

The 1.88m-98kg Luck has made 76 NRL appearances, mainly from the bench, since his North Queensland debut in 2001 but has been used only nine times this year, including the Cowboys? 32-22 round three win over the Vodafone Warriors at Ericsson Stadium in March. ?It?s been a tough year for me. I played the first nine games of the season in first-grade but haven?t played for the top side again since,? he said.

Luck, a second rower with a strong work-rate ethic, says he?s excited about the chance to join up with former Cowboys team-mates Fien and Campion.

?I played with Campo at the Cowboys in 2003 and 2004 as he was coming to the end of his career and I was just starting mine,? he said. ?He was a big help to me and a big influence on my game.

?I also know Nathan and Grant well. Nathan and I played in reserve grade before I made my first-grade debut in 2001 while I had quite a bit to do with Grant before he moved to Sydney. ?So it?s made it easier for me knowing there?ll be some familiar faces around when I come to Auckland.?

Luck said he had no qualms about the shift from Townsville to Auckland. ?I caught up with Nathan when the Warriors played in Townsville a while ago and he was pleased with the move he?d made,? he said. ?I?ve also been to Auckland with the Cowboys quite a few times. I know the city fairly well now and I like it.?

For anyone questioning the spelling of his first name ? Micheal rather than the normal Michael ? Luck says there?s a good reason. ?Blame my mother for that. She?s the one who spelt it wrong when I was born.?