Christmas round-up 2004: Rugby League

Paul Rauhihi

This wasn't New Zealand rugby league's finest year. The two showcases of the sport in this country - the Warriors and the Kiwis - had forgettable, troubled times and even the NRL was tainted by allegations of sexual and other misbehaviour. There is no doubt that league is the sport most keenly looking forward to 2005, if only to get 2004 about as far behind them as 1904. So here are the five Christmas Crackers for rugby league:

WARRIORS

A year that almost evaporated the professionalism and drive of the club built up over previous seasons. Three consecutive semi-final appearances - one of them a final - turned into mush as the Warriors slumped to their worst NRL finish - second-to-last. Coach Daniel Anderson was a casualty and so, bewilderingly, was big forward Ali Lauiti'iti as the club tried a desperate - and desperately misguided - throw of the dice to pull into line players reviled as over-paid, over-confident and over-inflated. The savage and disagreeable inhabitants of Planet Talkback had a field day as the Warrior's heads slumped lower and lower.

However, as this is Christmas, let's look forward and salute the efforts of the Warriors to get their ducks in a row for next season - the arrival of Steve Price and Ruben Wiki, two stalwart, go-forward warriors for the Warriors, the return of Kevin Campion and Ivan Cleary (on the coaching staff), plus the playing talents of Nathan Fien and Todd Byrne. It will be an interesting, crucial and much-anticipated 2005 for the Warriors.

THE KIWIS

The Tri-Nations breathed life into league's ailing international body - but not into the Kiwis. The Kiwis, not helped by some key retirements, showed a distressing tendency to go on holiday in the second half and came out with only the 16-16 draw against Australia at Albany as their Tri-Nations campaign trickled remorselessly downhill amid persistent rumours that some players did not want to work with coach Anderson. He survived but he and league followers were reduced to hailing the tour as a success in development terms - language that was not heard after the draw with Australia.

SONNY BILL WILLIAMS

Easily the most charismatic player of the year and the biggest budding talent since Mal Meninga - but even here rugby league could not avoid shooting itself in the foot. After Williams won the player of the year, dark rumours surfaced that hard hitting Cowboy Kiwi Paul Rauhihi should have won but was gang-tackled out of it in favour of the more marketable Williams. Oh dear.

ALI LAUITI'ITI

Astonishingly sacrificed at the Warriors, big Ali then went to Super League but seemed to be set for a leading role in the Kiwis' Tri-Nations campaign. However, when he was expected to be added to the side, it suddenly transpired that Ali and his wife had gone on holiday to the US to meet family. This seemed a strange reason not to play for your country but it could have been masterful management by the NZRL of a player for whom his faith and family are important. But we don't know. Because we weren't told. Ali's 2004 remains mystifying.

BUT WHAT ABOUT NEXT YEAR?

But, at both Warrior and Kiwi level, there are several players - some up and coming - who may hold the key to a successful 2005. Watch out for a refreshed Stacey Jones, for Louis and Vinnie Anderson to continue their improvement, for Nathan Fien who may be an unheralded boon to go with Price and Wiki, for the Campion/Cleary influence and also watch our for the budding talent of Jerome Ropati.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY