Luke Dorn now working in the mining industry after hanging up his boots

Luke Dorn is working in the mining industry back in his native Australia – and he is loving every minute of it.

The 37-year-old enjoyed 11 years in the UK as a player, making almost 300 appearances for London Broncos, Salford and Castleford.

Dorn retired from professional rugby league at the end of the 2016 campaign following a 16-season playing career and returned to Maitland with his family.

The Australian, who scored 190 tries in 316 career games, believes being in a professional rugby league environment set him up nicely for his office job now.

He told the Sky Sports Golden Point podcast: “I now work in the mining industry. I work in an office where we supply equipment to the mines and in that office environment there are so many transferrable skills.

“That discipline, that team work ethic, that confidence and being able to be relied upon. You’re not going to know all of the technical stuff as soon as you walk into a new industry, but you have enough basic skills to implement yourself into a team and know exactly where you fit in that team.

“Then you find your leadership and communication skills, and all of the things we take for granted in sport really do shine through and it does set you up.

“I still reference things about our training or our sport once a week to the guys about how similar it is to what we used to do or what I’d suggest in that situation.”

Dorn and his partner Lauren are expecting their third child in five weeks’ time. Although he misses some aspects of playing, Dorn is enjoying life ‘in the real world’ at the moment.

He added: “Rugby league certainly sets you up for the transition into business if you’re ready for it, if you’re prepared to have something new and learn about it.

“I like the regimented knowing what you’re doing, the 8am-4am or whatever your day is and when you finish work you’re done.

“When you come home, you’ve got a lot more time with your kids and family, and freedom to do what you want on the weekend.

“Not waking up with your head half smashed in or not being able to walk around is the added bonus, but I’ve found the transition for me personally, a really good one.”

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