Third sport wins for Harbour's teenage prodigy

By WYNNE GRAY

As a 10-year-old growing up in Manchester, Luke McAlister was a useful-enough soccer player to be picked at centre forward for one of the schools of excellence.

He was also strong-willed enough to tell his coach he did not like the way he treated his side and walked out.

It was mid-winter, temperatures were below freezing and the coach had berated the youngsters.

It was too much for McAlister. He loved his sport, but this was not enjoyable.

He went home that night and told his rugby league-playing father, Charlie, that he was quitting.

A few days later the youngster walked round the block to the soccer coach's house and handed in his uniform.

"It was a gutsy call, but the way he saw it, he thought it was unfair," his father recalled. "He just gave it away."

McAlister snr was churning through a lengthy rugby league career in England, a journey he began in 1988 after being selected for the New Zealand Maori side but missing his dream of being an All Black.

After some tough times in Taranaki, he chased the money to provide for his family's security.

He was happy to slog away on the league circuit, and he loved watching his son progress at soccer - until the bust-up.

Then Luke changed codes and donned the league gear of the Royton Tigers under-13 grade.

Short but powerful, he played hooker and halfback. In half a season, and against much older boys, McAlister won the player of the year award.

"He had an appetite for the game, he loved it, he did not seem to mind the physical side of it all," his father said.

When Charlie McAlister's body had had enough of professional sport and England, he brought his family home to the North Shore.

Old mates Wayne Shelford and Frano Botica persuaded McAlister his son should go to Westlake Boys High School in 1997.

It was a long haul from Whangaparaoa, but it was a journey Luke took for five years, rising early to catch the 6.30am bus.

He started playing league again, until a coach of the North Harbour under-13 rugby side spotted him and asked Charlie if his son could trial a month later.

"I said it was all right, but that he had never played the game.

"We gave him a crash course, but it was a waste of time for the setpiece stuff because he played halfback and kept putting the ball under the hooker's feet in the scrums and stood 15m back from lineouts.

"However, in general play he did well and they picked him for the rep side."

McAlister made his school first XV in the fifth form as a centre, then graduated to first five-eighths for his final two seasons.

And that is the job he has been selected to do this year with Harbour in the NPC.

It is a remarkable rise after just five seasons in the game.

McAlister turned 19 on Wednesday, when he sat down to the annual Battle of the Bridge breakfast and listened to tales about what to expect today at Eden Park.

The teenager has taken on the job vacated by the veteran Botica, who took his curtain call when his 39-year-old legs could not hack it any more.

"It is a big learning curve," McAlister said. "There is a lot more intensity, everything is faster in the NPC, but this is great.

"I have had a big workload in the last few years, and I think that has helped. I chat to Frano every now and then, and he gives me some good advice.

"This will be a game where there are a lot of mates in each other's faces. I will probably be marking Ben Atiga, and then there is Daniel Braid, who I have played a fair bit with. It will be big."

Rugby became so big a part of McAlister's life last year that he was absent with rep teams for 50 school days. He and Westlake coped, and this year he is studying for a diploma of sporting development at Unitec.

Harbour coach Russell Jones knew he would use McAlister's talent. His only concern was that people took some time before judging him.

"He has made a good start, but it won't all happen overnight, just as it didn't with Andrew Mehrtens.

"Luke has all the physical makeup and temperament for this level of rugby. He is a good listener, a quality kid, very professional."

His challenges would be in running a match and organising his side.

His father says his son is reserved off the park, but has an aggressive nature once he crosses the touchline.

"Like most parents you sit on eggshells at times, but we are confident Luke has the ability to deal with this rugby."