League: 250 games and still a true Warrior

Ruben Wiki

Ruben Wiki is comfortable, happy with his life and his league.

Wiki will play his 250th game in the Australian premiership on Saturday night against the Canberra Raiders, where his career began in 1993, the club with which he won a title in 1994 and for which he appeared 225 times.

He was a legend there. Now he's becoming one in his home in South Auckland for his performances on the field and the work he does to build community spirit off it.

He holds the all-time record for most internationals at 50 and will extend that number when undoubtedly appointed as captain for the Anzac test in Brisbane on May 5.

Stephen Kearney is the only Kiwi to have played more premiership games, 264, and Wiki will pass that mark this season if he remains injury and suspension-free.

Yesterday, the club announced that Wiki's contract had been extended for a further year, to the end of 2008. His leadership was valued as much as his individual performance on the field.

Wiki agreed he felt fit and motivated and that had prompted him to carry on. He will be 35 when the 2008 season kicks off. It was just a number, he said.

"The body is good, the mind is healthy. And I've got my cure" - the kava he forces on teammates, too.

"I'll see how I go."

If he corners more success on the test field, he will soon be talked of as New Zealand's best-ever.

But milestones and accolades are not something he likes to dwell on.

"It's just a game of footy in front of me," he said of Saturday night.

But he admits it will be strange running out on the Canberra Stadium turf in an opposition jersey.

The Raiders were openly disappointed to lose him to the Warriors, despite having accepted he was likely to go to Wigan who were offering big money.

The Warriors' salary cap problems sparked speculation about his contract. But everyone involved from Wiki's manager Jim Banaghan to the club and on up to the NRL accepted he had no knowledge of, or complicity in, cap rorts.

It was an embarrassment to him.

He's pleased when told the Canberra club expects its supporters to recognise and respect the job he did for them. "I hope so," he said.

And he jokes about the 250 mark being realised at his old ground. "It's uncanny how it's come about. A little suspension here and there worked out well for me."

Had it not been for his repeat suspensions for tackle offences, none of them nasty or causing serious injury, he would be further up the all-time appearance list than 49th and closer to Terry Lamb's all-up 349.

Hard-hits have been one of Wiki's trademarks since he came into the game as a centre. And as he progressed through to second rower and then prop, one thing that has not changed has been his tackle stats, always in the 20-30 bracket.

In 2005 and again this year, his ground gain has been consistently over 100 metres, more what you would expect from a fullback than a prop and second only to Steve Price.

Wiki is enjoying the new look at the Warriors, the change in the coaching staff as well as the enthusiasm brought to the club by young players such as Evarn Tuimavave and Epalahame Lauaki.

"I spent a lot of time with the young boys and it's good to see them improve. Evarn and Hame didn't get a lot of game time last season but they've really put their stamp on things this year."

After 249 games Wiki feels he is also still learning, still improving.

"I get a lot from the videos, take notes on what I need to work on. You can never get too comfortable."

Wiki and his wife Santa, who he met through a mate in junior grades at Otahuhu, and their children Denzell, 7, and Mackenzie, 4, live just kilometres from where he grew up and went to school at Mayfield Primary and Hillary College in the heart of state housing country in Otara.

Now his face is on posters in those places.

But he hasn't changed.

The Wiki people meet is not the smashing tackler or the barging runner but a guy always smiling, happy to talk to local kids and sign their jackets and caps.

"I go past the old house and talk to the neighbours. We're just five minutes from the flea market.

"South Auckland - it's where I grew up, our parents and grandparents are here, lots of cousins."

On Saturday night he expects a big atmosphere in Canberra.

"I know I'll be turning up for it."

But the Warriors had to fix up their start, he said, conceding 20 unanswered points in the first half against Manly last weekend a dead-set killer.

He expects an even bigger atmosphere at Suncorp Stadium for the test, agreeing with Kiwis coach Brian McClennan's assessment that they have stirred a hornets nest with their 24-0 Tri-Nations series win.

He watches the video regularly and wants that feeling again, for sure. But he was waiting until he's picked.

"There's going to be a lot of fireworks and it's going to be a lot of fun for those players who are there."

He'll be picked all right.

RUBEN WIKI

* Born: January 2, 1973, Auckland.

* Grew up in Otara, junior club Otahuhu.

* NRL debut for the Canberra Raiders, round 11 v South Sydney June 13, 1993, 225 games for the Raiders up to 2004, premiership win 1994.

* 249 premiership matches, second New Zealander behind Stephen Kearney, 264.

* 49th on the all-time list since 1908 (Terry Lamb leads with 349).

* 50 tests for the Kiwis since debut in 1994, a world record for tests.

* Captain since 2003, 12 tests (record Gary Freeman 19).