{{short description|Australian rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Luke Walsh |fullname = Luke Robert Walsh |image = Luke Walsh.jpg |image_size = |caption = |position = {{rlp|HB|FE}} |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|5|12|df=yes}} |birth_place = Waratah, New South Wales, Australia |height = {{convert|173|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name=" Superleague">{{cite web|url= http://www.superleague.co.uk/matchday/player/2984|title= Luke Walsh St Helens|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=2015|website= superleague.co.uk|publisher= Rugby Football League|access-date=26 July 2015}}</ref> |weight = {{convert|85|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}<ref name=" Superleague"/> |club1 = Newcastle Knights |year1start = 2007 |year1end = 09 |appearances1 = 41 |tries1 = 7 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 2 |points1 = 6 |club2 = Penrith Panthers |year2start = 2009 |year2end = 13 |appearances2 = 107 |tries2 = 24 |goals2 = 154 |fieldgoals2 = 10 |points2 = 358 |club3 = St Helens |year3start = 2014 |year3end = 16 |appearances3 = 64 |tries3 = 15 |goals3 = 198 |fieldgoals3 = 10 |points3 = 466 |club4 = Catalans Dragons |year4start = 2017 |year4end = 18 |appearances4 = 32 |tries4 = 2 |goals4 = 97 |fieldgoals4 = 4 |points4 = 206 |updated = 24 April 2018 |retired = yes |source = <ref>[https://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Luke-Walsh/ loverugbyleague]</ref><ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Luke_Walsh.html Luke Walsh at the ''Rugby League Project'']</ref> }}
'''Luke Robert Walsh''' (born 12 May 1987) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played for the Newcastle Knights and the Penrith Panthers in the Australian National Rugby League and for St Helens and the Catalans Dragons in the Super League. He played as a {{rlp|hb}} or {{rlp|fe}}.
==Playing career== Walsh came to prominence at Newcastle after the retirement of Andrew Johns and injuries to Jarrod Mullen during the 2007 season.<ref>{{cite news|format=fee required|publisher=AAP Sports News (Australia)|title=Running aground in the Hunter|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-143498932.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516233002/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-143498932.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 May 2011|accessdate=3 January 2008|date=7 September 2007}}</ref> Although hampered by an ankle injury which kept him out of premier league,<ref>{{cite news|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=Australia|title=Walsh ready to strut stuff|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21833281-5006066,00.html|accessdate=3 January 2008|date=2 June 2007|first=Todd|last=Balym}}</ref> Walsh was able to make his début at halfback in round 12 against the Sydney Roosters. Walsh underwent surgery on his ankle at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news|author=Dillon, Robert|publisher=The Herald (Newcastle)|title=Walsh cleared for training after weeks of agony|url=http://theherald.yourguide.com.au/news/sport/rugby-league/walsh-cleared-for-training-after-weeks-of-agony/1149352.html|accessdate=3 January 2008|date=20 December 2007}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In mid-March 2009, Walsh signed with the Penrith Panthers, which would enable him to play for the Panthers in the 2009 season. Wearing jumper number 14, Walsh scored the opening try against the Gold Coast Titans on his Penrith debut. Walsh was named the Players' Player of the Panthers for 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Walsh named Player of the Year|url=http://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=43172&title=penrith-panthers-luke-walsh--player-of-the-year-for-2011|publisher=Panthers Media|accessdate=12 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930100435/http://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=43172&title=penrith-panthers-luke-walsh--player-of-the-year-for-2011|archive-date=30 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 28 May 2013 Walsh agreed a deal with St. Helens.<ref>{{cite web|title=Walsh to become Saint|url=http://www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/3038|publisher=St. Helens club news|accessdate=28 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607222955/http://www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/3038|archive-date=7 June 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> After two seasons at St Helens Walsh joined fellow Super League side Catalans Dragons. A mainstay of the team in 2017, Walsh was injured in the game against Hull Kingston Rovers in the third round of the 2018 season and on 24 April 2018 he announced his retirement from playing on medical advice. Walsh currently plays as a halfback for Central Charlestown Butcher Boys in the Newcastle Rugby League first grade competition.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/43878497 |title=Luke Walsh: Catalans Dragons half-back retires after serious ankle injury |publisher=BBC Sport |date=24 April 2017}}</ref>
On 25 Dec 2024 it was reported that he had signed for Macquarie Scorpions, playing in the Newcastle Rugby League, for the 2025 season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chalk |first=Ethan Lee |date=2024-12-25 |title=Former Knights, Panthers halfback signs new deal to continue career |url=https://www.zerotackle.com/former-knights-panthers-halfback-signs-new-deal-to-continue-career-217974/ |access-date=2024-12-25 |website=Zero Tackle |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=Love Rugby league|date=30 Dec 2024|author=Drew Darbyshire|title=Former St Helens and NRL playmaker finds new club Down Under ahead of 2025|url=https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/former-st-helens-and-nrl-playmaker-finds-new-club-down-under-ahead-of-2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
10. https://www.facebook.com/newcastlerugbyleague/photos/a.383862408412247/2279822518816217/?type=3 26 May 2021
==External links== {{commons category}} *[http://www.catalansdragons.com/en/fiche-426-walsh-luke/ Catalans Dragons profile] *[http://www.saints.org.uk/saints/player.php?num=16739 Saints Heritage Society profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110706111108/http://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/default.aspx?s=player-profile-display&id=1540&team=Panthers&luke-walsh Penrith Panthers profile] *[http://www.rugby-league.com/superleague/player-info/2984 SL profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walsh, Luke}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Catalans Dragons players Category:Gamilaraay Category:Indigenous Australian rugby league players Category:21st-century Indigenous Australian people Category:Macquarie Scorpions players Category:Newcastle Knights players Category:Penrith Panthers players Category:Rugby league five-eighths Category:Rugby league halfbacks Category:Rugby league players from Newcastle, New South Wales Category:St Helens R.F.C. players Category:Western Suburbs Rosellas players Category:Windsor Wolves players