This Sunday’s Brisbane City NRC fixture at Shaw Road will be an extra special affair for Norths stars Jordan Luke and Nick Chapman.
The pair live together in a share house affectionately dubbed “the Goat House”, a tribute to “Blue Mountain State”, a sitcom which follows the life of an American college football team.
Luke and Chapman moved into the house last year when Luke moved across the country from Western Australia to take up a chance in Queensland Premier Rugby with Norths after plying his trade with Scarborough in the Perth competition.
“I came off a Grand Final win over in Perth and wanted a new scene and a new challenge and an opportunity came up to come over to Brisbane so I came over to have a crack,” Luke said.
The club put the pair in touch and helped them find a place just around the corner from Hugh Courtney Oval.
“At the start of last year, I was looking for a new place to move in with another Norths player,” Chapman said.
“A couple of weeks into looking our coach messaged us and told us that the club had a bloke coming over from Perth who’ll need a place to stay and gave us his details.
“I messaged Jordy and we talked for a bit, and then on the day he landed in Brisbane he came to a house inspection with me and that’s how we met.”
Living with two other Norths players and just minutes away from the club has meant the house has become a meeting place for Eagles at all times of the day and night.
“Because it’s so close to Norths, a lot of the boys from the club come back there after nights out for a place to stay,” Luke said.
“There’s been some good nights.
“I’m probably the resident grouch but, if I’m trying to sleep and if people show up late they might cop a spray.”
The star of both players has risen since moving into the house, with standout Premier Rugby form earning them National Rugby Championship (NRC) callups with Brisbane City this year.
They’ve taken it with both hands, Chapman scoring the match-drawing try in the final minutes against the Fijian Drua in his debut and Luke backing it up with a hattrick of tries against Sydney in his first game in City colours.
“I was a bit disappointed for the first few years not making it, but all you can do is grind away and keep working hard and eventually the hard work pays off,” Sunshine Coast product Chapman said.
“Scoring that try in the Fiji game was unreal... it’s definitely a moment I’ll remember.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity this year and I’m ready just to keep ripping in.”
“I felt like I probably didn’t do enough [to make the squad] the last few years, so to get an opportunity this season is really exciting,” Luke said.
“I didn’t really think I was going to get one let alone three, so to cross for a hattrick in my first game was unbelievable.”
Both are in the starting side this week, with the chance to run on in an NRC game in front of their home crowd one not many receive.
They’ll do it alongside fellow Norths players Dane Zander and Sefa Naivalu, making it an extra special occasion for the fans at Shaw Road.
“It’d be awesome to get quite a few Eagles supporters down there and ‘fill the hill’,” Luke said.
“We should get a really good City crowd behind us and rip in, it’ll be awesome.”
Luke, Chapman and their Brisbane City teammates will take on NSW Country at Hugh Courtney Oval at 4:00pm this Sunday 22 September. Entry is free and the fixture will be streamed LIVE vis rugby.com.au and Kayo Sports.
