KEY POINTS:
Kiwi halfback of the century Stacey Jones will play for the Warriors next season.
Three years after ending his record 238-game career at Mt Smart Stadium, the 32-year-old today revealed he has signed a one-year contract to resume his playing ties with the club.
Jones said an approach by Warriors coach Ivan Cleary and a taste of top-level football with the All Golds last month had rekindled his desire to again play for the Vodafone Warriors.
"It's a huge decision but I'm so excited about what's ahead," Jones said.
"I've really enjoyed the time I've had back at the Vodafone Warriors (as kicking coach) this year.
"I've had a year off playing after finishing up with Les Catalans (in the English Super League) and turning out for the All Golds in England last year."
Jones said contractual arrangements had prevented him giving any consideration to a playing deal before now.
"The truth is I had originally signed a new contract to play on with Les Catalans this year but it was a bit rushed. By then we'd had two great years in Perpignan and we were homesick and really keen to come back," he said.
"The club was good about it and let me go but on the condition I couldn't play for any other club in 2008."
His commitment to play in the New Zealand Rugby League's farewell match to long-time Kiwi team-mate Ruben Wiki on October 12 compelled Jones to take on a training programme.
"After training to play for the All Golds in New Plymouth and playing in that game, I realised how much I had missed being out there," he said.
Jones' cameo appearance for the All Golds was the catalyst for Cleary to make his approach, the Warriors said.
"A few days after the match, Ivan asked me whether I'd be interested in making a return to the NRL. I said I'd think about it. Obviously I had a lot to consider and while I accept I have a lot of work to do to get back to NRL standard, I really want to give this a shot.
"My motivation is to try to help the club win a premiership. I like the look of the roster the Vodafone Warriors have for next season. To me, it's one of the most exciting all-round squads the club has had.
"I'm still only 32 so I feel there's time left for me to have another crack now, especially after having a year off. I feel fresh."
Cleary said both the NRL team and the club as a whole stood to benefit enormously from Jones' signing. But he added it wouldn't be fair to place unreasonable expectations on him.
"It's been well recognised that we have been looking to improve our halfback depth and in Stacey we could not have anyone with more experience in this position," he said.
"Whether Stacey plays many games or not, his experience will be invaluable not only to the young halves but the NRL squad as a whole.
"He has been doing plenty of fitness training recently and we expect him to be in competitive shape when our NRL squad starts preseason training on November 17.
"It's great for us to have a player of his standing and quality back at the club he has done so much for, and the club that did so much for him."
Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah said he was delighted to have Jones back in the fold.
"For everyone who has followed the Vodafone Warriors since they were introduced to the competition, Stacey Jones has been the player instantly identified with the club," he said.
"He has been the most popular player in the club's history and he still holds most of the club's individual records as well."
Jones' last game for the Warriors was against Manly on August 27, 2005, when he scored a try with his last touch in the game to give his side a 22-20 win.
Named the club's first life member before starting the 2005 season, Jones finished up with club records not only for the most games but also for the most points (654), most tries (75) and most field goals (12). Those records still stand.
He played the last of his 46 tests for the Kiwis in the 2006 Tri Nations final against the Kangaroos in Sydney.
