Newcastle Rugby League: Rebels representative Luke Higgins departs Souths to link up with older brother at Macquarie

In 2019, for only the second time during their careers, they played against each other with Luke still at the Lions and Liam at Macquarie.

In 2021, the siblings will team up again with Luke opting to leave Souths and join Liam at the Scorpions.

The destination may be different, but the aim remains the same.

"That [playing with my brother] is definitely the main reason," Luke said after putting pen to paper with Macquarie recently.

"Obviously it's massive being able to do that with family and Liam might be getting closer to the end of his career than the start.

"The main goal is to try and win another competition together."

After three seasons apart prop Luke, 23, and hooker Liam, who turns 30 later this week, now want to maximise what time they have left to play first grade alongside one another.

They have previously faced off four times - three last year and once when Luke debuted for Port Stephens against Liam at Souths in 2014 - with results evenly split.

"We might leave it at that [2-all]," Luke said.

Luke, an electrician at Tomago Aluminium, said "making the move" would also provide him with a "change up" and "something different" after first signing at the Lions in 2015.

However, two Newcastle RL titles (2016, 2018), representative honours (Rebels, NSW Country under 23s, NSW Pioneers) and many friendships forged while at Souths made it a "tough decision" to depart Merewether's Townson Oval for Toronto's Lyall Peacock Field.

"Every year there's always a couple of offers to play elsewhere, but I never saw myself leaving Souths," Luke said.

"Some of my best mates are there. Brendon Simpson and Flash [Jarrod Flanagan] have been there the whole time I have and I've known [Ryan] Glanville all through juniors."

Ben Roose, who goes out with the Higgins' sister Olivia, will be the other familiar face at Macquarie next year.

Scorpions coach Steve Kidd, who has yet to have a game in charge with the club not fielding a senior men's side in 2020, feels Luke will bolster his forward pack.

"Luke's a bloke, who at 23, has won two premierships and is a Rebels and Pioneers squad player," Kidd said.

"He brings great leg speed, versatility in the pack and a real desire to help lead our club back to the pointy end of the premiership."

Luke, who chose not to play at all this year, said time off has allowed him to recover from several injuries (hand, concussion) that kept him sidelined for at least five weeks last season.

"It's been a blessing in disguise," he said.

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