Luke pushes case for new deal at 'real home' Brisbane

Off-contract hooker Issac Luke returns for the Broncos against his former club the Dragons with six rounds to reinforce his case to be re-signed and stay at what he calls his "real home".

The 281-game veteran, who missed last week’s loss to the Raiders, takes on the Dean Young-coached St George Illawarra at Suncorp Stadium with fire in his belly.

The Broncos have Jake Turpin and Cory Paix on their books for next year and Andrew McCullough has an option to return from Newcastle but Luke's experience is invaluable and he's not ready to pull the pin on his career just yet.

"I am keen to play on but that is up to the club. At the moment I am all-in to put my hand up for next year," Luke said.

"All the [nine] years I was at Souths, I loved Souths. They were my home but I have always called Brisbane my real home.

“For 10 years I would come up here every year for Christmas with my wife and kids. Eventually, we were always going to finish up here, whether it was playing park footy, it didn't really matter.

“The Dragons took a gamble on me and gave me a chance and I am always thankful for that. I have some really good mates there who really took me under their wing and looked after me.”

When Luke left the Warriors and joined the Dragons at the end of last year, before moving to the Broncos mid-season, he said he joined “a great bunch of guys” with former assistant coach Young one of them.

"It is pretty crazy. One of the assistant coaches I used to play against was Dean Young,” Luke grinned.

"We had some stories over the years playing against each other. I learned a lot.

"At the moment, we are focused on what we are controlling and the end result will tell us how we go. But if we do win, bloody oath, I will make sure he knows about it."

Luke has played seven games for the Broncos this season and although he wants to play on he is also looking forward to joining the workforce before he starts "growing grey hairs".

"If it doesn’t work out then I am happy to retire. I have got a young family and I miss out on a lot of their stuff because of the [Project] Apollo and being in the bubble," he said.

"I have had to watch my son who is still in Sydney, who is 13, on Facebook Live. My little girl started playing for Wynnum a few weeks ago and I couldn’t go watch her play.

"I’ve had to watch her on Facebook live and my wife has had to go. So I’ve had to listen to her commentate as well as video my little girl."

Luke said five-eighth Anthony Milford, back from a hamstring injury, would play against the Dragons if he got through Thursday’s training session.