League: Friend keen to rebuild career

Nathan Friend hopes to hear soon if the Warriors will offer him one more year at Mt Smart. Photo / Getty Images

Nathan Friend wants to continue his playing career beyond this year but has discounted an off-field role once he finally hangs up his boots.

The popular hooker is midway through his 14th NRL season, after first starting at the Broncos in 2002. It had been assumed this campaign would be his last but the 34-year-old hopes to play next year, ideally at Mt Smart but possibly elsewhere.

"I'm good to go for another year," said Friend. "I feel as fit as ever and I'm enjoying being part of this team. I'd love to go one more before giving it away."

Friend says there have been initial discussions between the club and his management but he is waiting for a final decision.

"They are working through something but I haven't got a yes or no," he said. "I hope to get some indication in the near future. I know it's a tough gig for [Warriors chief executive] Jim Doyle and [coach] Andrew McFadden trying to weigh these things up but hopefully I will find out soon."

Friend still offers value, a good example being his contribution to last week's golden-point win over the Eels that included several vital tackles in the frenetic final stages. The bench role has freshened his game, allowing for sniping runs from dummy half.

He's still fit and the chronic shoulder condition that affected him in 2013 hasn't been an issue in recent times. However, with Issac Luke arriving next season, Friend will be competing with Thomas Leuluai and Siliva Havili for the back-up hooking spot, although Leuluai may be earmarked for five-eighth with Chad Townsend returning to Sydney.

Friend will look elsewhere if the Warriors are unable to find room in the salary cap, confident he can still do a job in first grade.

And when he stops playing, Friend won't be stepping into a coaching or development role. It has previously been suggested the Australian would be ideal to fill an off-field position at Mt Smart, given his professionalism and work ethic, but Friend wants to resume his career as a bricklayer.

"It was my job for four years before football and I would love to get back into it and start my own business," said Friend. "I've loved what I have done with football but, with two young kids, I'd like to spend time with them in the future and footy tends to be a seven-day-a-week commitment."

Friend was an apprentice bricklayer when he started at the Broncos, driving to afternoon training under Wayne Bennett after a full day at a building site.

"It was hard work but I loved it. I did the whole lot — concreting, paving, brick work."

In the meantime, Friend will become a central figure at the Warriors, following the season-ending injury to Leuluai. He could become an 80-minute player again after being limited to 30-minute stints early this season but is more likely to share the role with Havili.

"It took a while to get my head around the bench role," said Friend. "It's about getting your preparation right, so you are good to go for the second half. It was my role at the Storm for a while — Cameron Smith would move into the halves and I'd come on — but since then, I had been used to playing 80 minutes."