Former Warriors and Kiwis coach Frank Endacott expressed disappointment when learning of Ruben Wiki's demotion to the club's feeder side and said he hopes it doesn't last.
"This will be a big let-down for Ruben, I know."
Endacott said without being privy to the information the club hadhe could not say whether it was a call he would have made.
"Ruben would be the first to admit his form isn't the best right now and that sometimes coaches have to make big calls. I'm sure he wants to see the season out well. I'd expect him to play his way back in within a couple of weeks - I'd hate to see him playing in that grade all year.
"We're not talking about a good player here, we're talking about a great player."
However, it did show that coach Ivan Cleary was "a strong enough person to make tough decisions".
Former Kiwi turned Herald columnist Dean Lonergan said it was too early to tell whether the club was pressuring the veteran to retire so they could spend the big salary he commands elsewhere.
But walking away was not Wiki's style, said Lonergan, and he'd be mad to leave behind what might be two-thirds of his agreed salary, perhaps as much as $200,000.
"They [the club] have to be realists, it's never going to happen. Would you walk away from that?"
