Warriors lack mongrel Wiki

Ruben Wiki, known as "Jake the Muss" for being a hard man during his rugby league career, reckons it's time the Warriors got some intimidation back into their game.
The first New Zealander to play more than 300 first-grade rugby league games, Wiki hasn't put the brakes on in retirement and was in Tauranga at the weekend as the star turn at New Zealand Rugby League's Community Roots initiative.
Speaking before the Warriors' drought-breaking NRL win over the Sharks in Taupo, Wiki said an attitude adjustment was all that was needed to wake up the Warriors, where he's employed as assistant trainer.
"There's been enthusiasm and some mongrel lacking and the intimidation factor in rugby league - controlled intimidation - shouldn't be underestimated. Opponents need to be looking over their shoulders at who's steaming towards them, something the Warriors have had in the past but something that's missing.
"In my day it was 'watch out, I'm coming to hurt you', and we need to get that back.
"A guy like Ben Matulino's got it in him and I'm waiting for him to explode, and Steve Rapira's's injured but he's another guy who brings the intimidation factor with him on to the park."
Tauranga's Marcus Reynolds, general manager of rugby league's Upper Central zone, said 302 kids at Mitchell Park was easily the largest Community Roots day so far in New Zealand.
Reynolds said Wiki was the ideal face of the New Zealand Rugby League grassroots initiative, designed to promote the game and provide children with the opportunity to play it, as well as take the World Cup and Four Nations Cups on the road.
"Most of the dads came along to watch their boys and girls, while I noticed most of the mums followed Ruben, although that number magically grew when the sun came out and Ruben's shirt came off."
Wiki is travelling the country helping roll out the Community Roots programme and has noticed a groundswell of interest in league, helped by the Kiwis winning the Four Nations and World Cups.
"The turnout in Tauranga backs that up, and the more kids we drag out of bed or from in front of the TV to get active, the better. With the All Blacks, and rugby, still No1, league's still the little brother but hopefully that's changing, especially as kids discover the game of kick-tennis [rugby] doesn't really do it for them."
Wiki has no aspirations to follow his former Kiwis teammates Stephen Kearney, Tony Iro and David Kidwell into fulltime coaching in the NRL. "I love this level, helping put a smile on faces, and I'm still visible... in a few years it'll be 'Ruben who?"