The Maitland Pickers have secured Super League star Luke Dorn for next season with the Castleford Tigers halfback opting to return home after an illustrious career in the UK.
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Pickers president Frank Lawler announced the Dorn recruiting coup at the club’s annual ball last night, just hours after receiving confirmation from Dorn by text
Lawler said the club had been in contact with Maitland-born Dorn for the past 18 months and the lure of playing with his hometown club had enabled the Pickers to beat off a number of rival offers.
“Luke has been a star in the UK for a number of years now and has maintained that level of excellence and preparation.
“This is really exciting for the Pickers as we build for next year and the future,” Lawler said.
“I think Luke is excited about returning to where it all started for him.”
Maitland-born Dorn, 33, became the highest scoring overseas player in the UK Super League last year with Castleford Tigers.
He has played more than 250 games in the British game and since he began his overseas stint with the London Broncos in 2005.
Pickers coach Trevor Ott said he had held talks with Dorn over the past 18 months and he was just the type of player the Pickers needed.
“He has come to the end of his playing career in the UK, but he is still at the top of his game,” Ott said.
“He is a bit like (former Manly great) Steve Menzies, not in size or playing style, but in the professionalism of his preparation. He will be playing at a very high level for us.
“It’s great that he is keen to return to Maitland to play as we are starting to build a culture in a core of young players playing for the jersey and being committed to the Pickers.”
Dorn has spent the past three seasons at Castleford.
A former student at All Saints College Maitland, Dorn pushed his way in to the Australian Schoolboys representative side as an 18-year-old.
Dorn went on to play for the Newcastle Knights juniors before he made his National Rugby League debut with the Northern Eagles where he played 19 first grade games.
He spent the next year with the Manly Sea Eagles and appeared in 18 NRL games for the club.
In 2005 he decided to move offshore to the UK and pursue his football career.
Dorn joined the Harlequins for the next two years before he made the move to Salford City Reds.
He decided to play the 2008 season with the Castleford Tigers before once again switching off-season to the London Broncos.
He made his return to play for Castleford in 2014.
“He has shown again this season what a pivotal figure he is for the team when he’s playing well, and I’m sure he will continue to do that for the next two years at least,” Castleford coach Daryl Powell told Sky Sports when Dorn agreed to a contract extension through to the end of 2016
“His speed in attack has been outstanding and his voice within the group has been a big contributing factor to our improvement as a team.”
