League: Leuluai hoping test will get club career back on track

12.00pm

Youngster Thomas Leuluai will play his third consecutive test for the Kiwis today, while still uncertain about his rugby league future.

Leuluai was hailed for his part in New Zealand's stirring 30-16 victory over Australia in Auckland 12 months ago as an 18-year-old test debutant.

He will be back at halfback again when the trans-Tasman rivals meet at the same venue, North Harbour Stadium, for the start of the tri-nations series today.

In the intervening 12 months, an expected period of consolidation for the quietly-spoken Leuluai at the New Zealand Warriors hasn't eventuated.

He made just 10 National Rugby League appearances this season and his most recent football was with Otahuhu-Ellerslie in the Bartercard Cup.

The Warriors have told him he is free to look elsewhere and he is considering options in Australia and England, with Parramatta in Sydney being a preferred choice.

While Leuluai said he was a bit more experienced now, the test build-up this week was in some ways harder than last October.

"It's a lot different from last year, when I was coming in after playing semifinal football," he said.

"But it's a good chance for me to get things together and get back on track."

He said the reasons for his dip in fortunes were difficult to explain.

It could be a case of second-year syndrome, where players struggle after a bright rookie season.

But the Warriors' own predicament hadn't helped, with the club going from a top-four finish in the NRL to second bottom in the space of one campaign.

"It's hard when things don't go well for you at the start and you struggle," he said.

"You also have a bit more pressure on you from what you've done in the past. Maybe there is a bit of second-year syndrome but it's been a tough year, and a tough year for everyone."

Leuluai's introduction to the test arena was an explosive one, when he was hit high by opposite Brett Kimmorley just moments after coming off the bench.

"It sort of got me into the game, I suppose," he said.

"Hard luck for me, but things went well after that."

Leuluai backed up by being part of the Kiwi side that lost the Anzac test 37-10 in Newcastle in April, when the New Zealanders had both Nathan Cayless and Robbie Paul concussed early on.

"I thought we didn't go too bad in the first half," he said.

"We hung in there when we were struggling for players after Nathan and Robbie were knocked out. In the second half, we got brushed towards the end, but we can learn a lot from that game."

Together with Vinnie Anderson, who is normally a centre, Leuluai will form a scratch combination in the halves, a problem area for the Kiwis.

The options were reduced with Stacey Jones retiring from international football, Lance Hohaia being injured and Paul leading Bradford in the English Super League grand final this weekend.

Coach Daniel Anderson had no concerns about Leuluai's ability to step up to the mark again.

"He's done the job twice - he did the job in April as well," he said.

"I'm very confident that he can handle the role that we give him."

- NZPA