Graham Lowe: League's mighty heart still thundering at 100

League enters its second century in New Zealand at Mt Smart Stadium tomorrow night as a survivor after 100 years of drama as the ordinary bloke's game.

At the outset, Pommy rugby union toffs and more than a few class-conscious Kiwis predicted the game, born in the pits of Northern England, would never last.

Lo and behold, last year the New Zealand game got its telegram from the Queen, responding with a rattling good (and first ever) All Golds haka at Buckingham Palace that had the corgis scampering for cover.

The game has survived, even prospered. And many New Zealanders have grown (and aged) with it. As one of these passionate supporters, I have to concede in trying to do the best for the game, I've become something of a grumpy old man.

When you get to my age - three score years with two for a conversion thrown in - there's no doubt you grow "aversions" about different things.

My biggest aversion is queueing, going right back to 1955 when I stood in a long line with my dad outside the Auckland Domain entrance to Carlaw Park on a rainy Saturday afternoon where he'd taken me to watch the Kiwis play the second test in a series against France.

I was only 8 at the time, but recall holding my father's hand as it seemed hundreds of men were lined up in a queue for the toilets, talking excitedly about the game as they waited to dispense with the results of the morning's drinking.

I recall a real excitement in the air, as the Kiwis got up to win 11-6 against a French team which was, in those days, much tougher to beat than today.

I'd vowed not to queue like that again. But there I was, just two weeks ago, holding the hands of my excited 5-year-old twin sons, in another queue at North Harbour Stadium for the Warriors trial match against the North Queensland Cowboys. I was feeling the old excitement for the first time in years.

It was a great experience to see the faces of the fans, and their anticipation of a great season of rugby league for their team. There was something in the air again, and we all wanted to be part of it.

This confidence was first evident to me at a Warriors' season launch luncheon a couple of weeks ago. I saw in the eyes of Ivan Cleary's men a real sparkle - a look that comes from being fit, happy and ready for the season ahead.

Experience has taught me that an upbeat mood and manner among the players doesn't always signal a "ready for action" attitude. There are players who are just different when it comes to their attitude. Coaching Norths in Brisbane in the 1980s, I had a teak-tough front rower by the name of Shane Bernardin, who was plagued by chronic knee injuries.

Even though both his knees needed to be drained before every match (what came out could only be described as black tar), and despite the constant pain, he just wanted to play football, and he gave me more years of extreme effort than I should have asked for. I kept playing him not because of the sparkle in his eyes, but because he had the look of a Barbarian about him, which put the fear of God into opposing sides.

Wigan's Shaun Edwards (now the coach of Wasps Rugby Union) was another who seemed at odds with life unless he was playing rugby league.

As an 18-year-old, his life was badly unbalanced in favour of rugby league - it seemed he only came alive and really sparkled as we drove down Wembley Way to Cup finals, and then he turned on in a way few others could match.

And one of the rarest of them all was Manly's great play-maker Cliffy Lyons, still playing local park footy years after his retirement from the NRL. I swear Cliffy would have played twice a day, every day if he could.

So while Ivan Cleary will be pleased at the attitude in his squad going into Saturday night's first game against the Eels, he will still be wary about transferring this attitude to the paddock.

There looks to be a great balance of youth and experience at the club this year. Emotions will be running high tomorrow night, as Steve Price plays his 300th first-grade game. He is the finest professional in the game today, and a great example to the young talent coming through not only at the Warriors, but at all clubs.

To survive at NRL level for so long is a remarkable feat - in fact Pricey is only the 11th player in the history of the game to do it. Add another 40 representative games to his list and Steve Price is a special player indeed. He has truly honoured the sport with his integrity, honesty and courage.

At the other extreme, the Sonny Fai tragedy will remain a sad moment in the club's history.

Many prayers will be said for a talented, fine young man when the Warriors take the field tomorrow night. His spirit will live on and few will forget his smile and the enjoyment he got from playing for the Warriors.

The Eels bring to Auckland their best buy in many years - someone well-known to Warriors fans. Daniel Anderson has now served his coaching apprenticeship and is far better to handle the job of head coach then he was when he was at the Warriors.

He was given a very difficult assignment when he shifted to New Zealand but his experience with St Helens will have rounded him off and I am expecting the Eels to thrive under his leadership.

Of the many challenges facing Ivan Cleary this year, one will be picking the team on a weekly basis and deciding who to leave out. He has greater riches in playing talent this year, and the Warriors deserve to be congratulated on the way they have built up their resources in the halves.

Many critics, this writer included, have been vocal about a scarcity of talent in this critical area and I think the Warriors have bought astutely (and cleverly, especially in the case of Stacey Jones) in the off-season.

Stacey is a factor which cannot be overlooked. While he won't play tomorrow night because of injury, he will this season provide what was missing last year. I see him mainly as a ball distributor who will need plenty of runners around him, and what speed has disappeared from his legs he will more than make up for with speed between the ears.

Thirty metres out from the opponents' line there will be no more dangerous player, but with the ball in his hands he needs options - not to be left like a shag on a rock.

So Warriors fans are entitled to feel that excitement. I feel a grand final coming on - and what's more I'd go out of my way to queue for that too.

* Graham Lowe successfully coached the Kiwis, Manly, Wigan and Queensland.