NRL: Origin duties may have cost Price, says Hohaia

Steve Price's absence due to representative commitments may have played a role in the decision to relieve him of the Warriors captaincy, teammate Lance Hohaia says.

Warriors players in the New Zealand Four Nations camp were forewarned five days ahead of the public announcement that prop Price would be replaced by Simon Mannering as skipper for the Auckland franchise for next year.

Kiwis fullback Hohaia described the appointment of Mannering as "positive" and said rep commitments and absences through injury may have played a role.

"Steve was out for a while through injury this year and also away with the State of Origin," said Hohaia at the Kiwis' team base in Leeds. "Maybe that was a factor in the change of captain. I don't know, I can't say for certain."

While coach Ivan Cleary had suggested late in the NRL season that he would discuss representative retirement with Price, the Australia test star indicated he would take a lot of convincing to step down.

"I've always said representative football is something I love doing and something that is important to me," Price told rugbyleague.com in September. "I don't know that a club can force a player to stand down from representative football."

Concussion from a controversial Origin incident this year prevented Price backing up for this club but he previously said he took pride in not missing NRL matches which followed interstate and test appearances.

Hohaia said: "We have some Warriors staff on tour with the Kiwis and they told us late last week that it was going to be released.

"I think it's definitely a positive. Pricey has done a good job and in Simon I guess they've found someone with an eye on the future."

- NZPA