KEY POINTS:
Epalahame Lauaki has signed to stay with the Vodafone Warriors until the end of the 2010 NRL season.
The 23-year-old back rower made his test debut for the Kiwis against Great Britain in Huddersfield this morning and follows another career highlight when he played alongside legendary Kiwis Ruben Wiki, Stacey Jones and Nigel Vagana in the Wayne Bennett-coached All Golds against the Northern Union in Warrington last Saturday.
His test debut followed what Lauaki said had been a week - and a year - he'd never forget.
"It was great playing with the boys in the All Golds and learning from Wayne as our coach," he said.
"Going to Buckingham Palace was a big thrill, too. It was awesome getting named to play my first test and now I also know I am going to be with the Warriors for another three years.
"I love it there and Ivan (Cleary) and the coaches are helping me heaps to become a better player."
Cleary said Lauaki had developed significantly over the past two seasons.
"His progress has been terrific since coming back from injury late last year. He worked hard in the off-season, got himself into shape and earned the right to be a regular first grader throughout 2007.
"Hame has come a long way and there's still a lot of improvement in him," said Cleary.
Lauaki had accumulated just 29 NRL appearances by the end of the 2006 season, his third since his debut in the opening round in 2004.
But in 2007 he missed just two of the Warriors' 26 matches, going on to join the group of players with 50-plus appearances for the club. In the process he built a reputation as one of the competition's most destructive interchange forwards.
