Highlander Back In Style After Fling With League

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday May 2, 2005

Ben Kimber

After failing to take flight as a Sea Eagle, Luke Sweeney returned to the tartan fold of the Highlanders this week and made an immediate impact for Gordon as they triumphed over Manly at Chatswood Oval yesterday.

The win was extra sweet for Sweeney, as he scored two crucial tries in Gordon's 36-30 defeat of the union counterpart of the rugby league club he had just departed.

Sweeney was one of Gordon's more prominent players last year before deciding he would take a chance on a league career. But after failing to achieve the harshly immediate goals he set himself, the 23-year-old asked for a release from the Manly NRL club last week and promptly returned to the Gordon first-grade side.

"I wanted to have a crack at league and I spoke to [then Gordon general manager] Mitch Hardy about it, and he said I was always welcome back if it didn't work out," Sweeney said.

"I set myself a goal that if I wasn't playing regular reserve grade after the first five weeks, I'd come back, and injuries didn't help much but I wasn't [in the side] so I came back."

Sweeney's brief limit for league success is surprising, but was partly due to balancing the demands of a full-time job and the heavy NRL training schedule.

Back at Gordon, Sweeney says he is fitter than ever after his short cross-code stint. He is earmarked for a return to the centres later in the season, but yesterday his two-try burst in the No.14 jersey set the Highlanders on the path to victory.

After Gordon fell behind 7-0 early when the Marlins looked to be in control, Sweeney had the crowd comparing him to Waratahs winger Peter Hewat when he snagged an intercept on halfway and galloped over under the posts.

Five minutes later a second try arrived after good lead up work by blindside breakaway Seva Rokobaro, and the Highlanders had a lead they never relinquished.

Solid games from back-rowers Jeremy Mortlock and Vili Napa'a were key to the Highlanders' revival. Finishing strongly, Manly scored two tries in the final eight minutes to claim two bonus points.

In other matches on Saturday, Warringah and Sydney University continued their undefeated runs, with the Rats downing Penrith 53-15 and the Students overcoming Randwick 33-5.

Eastern Suburbs and Parramatta drew 27-27, West Harbour defeated Southern Districts 57-26 and Eastwood enjoyed a 41-15 win over an improved Northern Suburbs.

© 2005 Sydney Morning Herald

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