Luke Lewis (born 11 August 1983) is an Australian rugby league commentator and former professional rugby league footballer who played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the Penrith Panthers in the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australia at international level.
He played for the Penrith Panthers between 2001 and 2012, winning the 2003 NRL Premiership with them. He played at representative level for the City Origin side, New South Wales and the NRL All Stars. A versatile player, Lewis played (but not necessarily started) in every position in first grade football. Lewis also played representative football as a winger, centre, lock and second row, and won first grade Man of the Match awards as a centre, lock, second row, five-eighth and halfback.
Luke Lewis was educated at Plumpton High school before moving to Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown, and spent his junior career with Blacktown City Junior Rugby League Football Club in the Penrith district. In early 2011, Lewis married his partner, Sonia Di Loreto. The couple welcomed their first child in April 2016, and their second in March 2018.
In Round 25 of the 2001 NRL season, Lewis made his first grade NRL debut for the Penrith Panthers against the Melbourne Storm off the interchange bench in the Penrith club's 28–24 loss at Etihad Stadium. Lewis finished his debut year in the NRL with him playing in three matches.
In Round 3 against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Lewis scored his first NRL try in the 18–10 loss at Remondis Stadium. He finished the season with 17 tries from 23 matches, including two hat tricks.
In the 2003 NRL grand final, Lewis played on the wing in Penrith's 18–6 win over the Sydney Roosters. Lewis played in 25 matches and scored 18 tries for the Penrith club in the 2003 NRL season. He was selected for the Kangaroos 2003 Tour squad, but did not play.
As 2003 NRL premiers, the Penrith club travelled to England to face Super League VIII champions, the Bradford Bulls in the 2004 World Club Challenge, playing at centre in the Panthers 22–4 loss. Lewis played for NSW City Origin at centre and scored a try in the 22–18 loss to NSW Country Origin at Central Coast Stadium. Lewis was selected to play all three games of the 2004 State of Origin series on the wing and in the centres for New South Wales. Lewis finished the 2004 NRL season with him playing in 21 matches and scored 11 tries for the Penrith Panthers. Lewis was again selected for the 2004 Kangaroo tour but was not able to tour due to undergoing surgery for a shoulder reconstruction.
Lewis played for NSW City at centre and scored a try in the 29–22 win at Lismore. He finished the 2005 NRL season with him played in 19 matches and scoring 12 tries.
Lewis played for City at centre in the 12–10 loss in Dubbo. In Round 11 against the Parramatta Eels, Lewis played his 100th NRL match in the Penrith Panthers 30–20 win at Penrith Stadium. Lewis finished the 2006 NRL season with him playing in 16 matches and scoring four tries.
Lewis played for City at centre in the 12–6 loss at Coffs Harbour. Lewis finished the 2007 NRL season with him playing 21 matches and scoring six tries for the Penrith club.
In May, Lewis almost joined the South Sydney Rabbitohs on a four-year deal but reneged on an unofficial deal. Lewis played for City at second-row in the 22-all draw against Country at WIN Stadium. Lewis finished the season with 17 matches and five tries for the Penrith club.
Lewis was picked as 18th man for the Australian side to play in the 2009 Anzac Test, but did not play. Lewis was named as 18th man for the squad to represent New South Wales in the opening State of Origin match on 3 June, in Melbourne. He was subsequently called into the team following the suspension of Glenn Stewart, his first appearance in Origin since 2004. Lewis played 15 matches and scored 5 tries for the Penrith club. At the end of the season, he travelled to Europe with Australia for the 2009 Four Nations tournament, and was selected to play and made his debut against England off the interchange bench in the 26–16 win at JJB Stadium. Lewis played in 3 matches and scored a try for the Kangaroos including playing at second-row in the 46–16 Final win against England.
For the 2010 Anzac Test, Lewis played second-row in the 12–8 victory against New Zealand. In the 2010 State of Origin series, Lewis played in Games 1 and 3, with a one match suspension ruling him out of Game 2. Lewis played alongside Penrith teammates Michael Gordon, Trent Waterhouse and Michael Jennings during the series, which Queensland won for the fifth consecutive time. Lewis was named Penrith's best player in a successful season for the club, finishing second on the NRL ladder. Lewis also won the 2010 Dally M Lock of the Year award. Lewis played 21 matches and scored 5 tries for the Penrith club in the season.
Lewis was selected for the Australia's 2010 Four Nations. He scored his first try against England, and another minutes later, before unselfishly giving up a hat-trick, setting up Willie Tonga. He was awarded Man of the Match, despite succumbing to an injury in the three-quarter mark of the match. Lewis played at second-row in the Kangaroos 16–12 Final loss to New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium.
Lewis was included in the 2011 State of Origin series, selected in Game 2 and 3 off the interchange bench. Under the new Blues coach, Ricky Stuart, Lewis was interchanged on the field in the 28th minute of the second game, and scored a try on his first touch of the ball in the 30th minute. The NSW Blues went on to win 18–8. Again, Lewis joined teammate, Jennings in Origin camp. However, despite NSW winning Game 2, Queensland won the State of Origin series for the sixth consecutive time. Lewis finished the 2011 NRL season with him playing in 14 matches and scoring 4 tries for the Penrith Panthers. Lewis was also selected to represent Australia in the 2011 Four Nations tournament which was held in the United Kingdom. In Round 2 of the Four Nations, Lewis scored for Australia, diving over the line (playing wing) in the 17th minute, where the Kangaroos beat England, 36–20 at Wembley Stadium.
In February, Lewis played for the NRL All Stars team off the interchange bench in the 28–12 win over the Indigenous All Stars. In Round 5 against the club Lewis signed with, the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Lewis played his 200th NRL match. For the 2012 Anzac Test, Lewis was selected to play for Australia at lock in the Kangaroos 20–12 win against New Zealand at Eden Park. The 2012 State of Origin series came with plenty of controversy for Lewis, with Penrith club coach Ivan Cleary stripping the captaincy off Lewis, and giving it to hooker Kevin Kingston for what Cleary promised to be temporary and only for the duration of the Origin period. Kingston was retained as captain for the remainder of year, and many suggest that this was a catalyst for Lewis' defection from Penrith to Cronulla. Lewis featured in all three Origin games, starting the opening match in the position of second-row, and was considered one of NSW's best in a losing series. Lewis had been contracted to Penrith until the end of 2014, however, on 9 July 2012, Lewis was granted a release from the remaining two years of his contract at the Penrith Panthers, prompting scenes of shock, confusion and outrage in the rugby league world, with many suggesting the stripping of the captaincy by coach, Ivan Cleary, being a major catalyst in Lewis' defection. On 20 July 2012, Lewis signed a 4-year contract with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, rejecting contracts from the Wests Tigers, Newcastle Knights and Parramatta Eels – joining teammate Michael Gordon in reuniting with former Penrith teammates Ben Pomeroy and Wade Graham. Lewis was the final member of Penrith's 2003 Grand Final squad to play at Penrith, with season 2012 being his final year at the club. Lewis finished the 2012 NRL season with him playing in 13 matches and scoring two tries.
Transfer to Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks