NRL: Jones just happy to be back

Stacey Jones' return has been the talk of the NRL. Photo / Getty Images

Stacey Jones is such a stranger to coming off the bench that he had no idea to whom he should give the numbered card recording the interchanges.

With the Warriors minders focused on new boy Ukuma Ta'ai, making sure he got his switch right, Jones appeared lost while looking for the match official.

He was laughing about it this week as he prepared for his second stint off the pine in 15 years in the game. He's happy to be given the chance to resurrect his career and if the Warriors want to use him off the bench that's fine.

"I'm very fortunate to be given the opportunity because Lance [Hohaia] is injured."

He's accepting of the fact he may be dropped upon Hohaia's return. "Nathan Fien and Joel Moon have certainly been playing very well and they don't deserve to be dropped," he said.

Jones looks happy, fit and healthy and said his body held up well after his first game back in the NRL since 2005. "I just hope I can improve on my fitness levels, because I really struggled out there," he said of his star turn against premiers Manly last Sunday.

"There's definitely parts of my game that I really have to work on. Coming off the bench is new to me and I've just got to go in with the right mentality of what my role is." He was still learning about the changes in what is now a faster game, he said.

Jones is knocking back talk of expectation on himself and the team. "You guys build up the expectation," he said to media this week. But he agreed he was looking forward to playing in front of a packed house on Saturday night. "It's fantastic to have a big crowd, it goes a long way to helping the team win."

The Warriors coach Ivan Cleary hasn't noticed any nervousness in his former teammate. "I guess Stacey has had 12 years of expectations," Cleary said. "I think he can handle it."