NRL: Reluctant skipper Cayless on the verge of history

Nathan Cayless. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - For a reluctant captain, Nathan Cayless hasn't done too badly.

Already carrying the unique tag of "Kiwis World Cup-winning skipper", Cayless is two wins away from the coveted captaincy double with the red-hot Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League.

Considering he gave the "who, me?" expression when first handed the reins of the Kiwis, it's been a massive leap.

"I was pretty young, but it helped my leadership skills. You get thrown in the deep end and you've got to learn to swim or you drown," he said.

"It was pretty tough at the start captaining guys like Ruben Wiki and Stacey Jones. I didn't really say too much back then, just tried to play as hard as I can and they were very good players. I enjoyed every moment of it."

It didn't get any better than hoisting the cup and sitting atop the Suncorp Stadium victory podium belting out Slice of Heaven with his Kiwis teammates last November.

Then, with barely a whisper, he was gone. After 38 tests in a decade-long international career he called time before this year's Anzac test. No fanfare, just a quiet off-the-cuff mention from Kiwis coach Steve Kearney confirmed it.

"It's just better to do it that way, I suppose. I'd had a good run playing for New Zealand for 10 years, I just thought it was time to focus on my club.

"You just listen to the body and it was starting to give me a few signals as to how much longer I could keep flogging myself. A whole season then going on tour gets pretty tough on the body.

"I had a great time doing it, played with a lot of great players and obviously the World Cup was a great experience. That's something I really cherished, playing for New Zealand."

Instead, when the Kiwis jet off for the Four Nations tournament next month, he'll be resting and enjoying his new career, selling real estate.

"I've started off small in Parramatta. There aren't too many million-dollar properties around here."

But, first things first. Doing the captaincy double would be a dream, he said, but it was tough slog getting this far.

Midway through this season, an elusive NRL premiership ring was furthest from his mind.

The Eels were struggling and rumours were getting louder that coach Daniel Anderson wanted the 31-year-old out. Anderson always publicly denied it, and Cayless felt he deserved better as the reports were upsetting his family.

"I fronted the coach and I fronted the new board about it and they were happy for me to stay here," he said, vowing to do his talking on the field.

Since then, the Eels have barely stopped winning; nine of their last 10, and favourites to beat arch rivals the Bulldogs in tonight's grand final qualifier.

But the Eels haven't won a title since 1986, and memories of their last-gasp defeat to the Bulldogs in the grand final qualifier in 1998 still hurt. It was Cayless' and fellow veteran Nathan Hindmarsh's debut seasons.

"That was a nightmare. Pretty devastating, that game. We were 18-2 up with 11min to go.

"But the Bulldogs were probably in a similar situation that we're in now. They had a dream run, they won a few games in extra time ... they just got over the top of us. Maybe we switched off.

"Everyone was pretty devastated. I was only young, I was upset but I thought 'there will be heaps more to come'."

There weren't. Only a 24-30 defeat to Newcastle in the 2001 decider.

That's why Cayless and Hindmarsh are so determined to make it count this time. Star teammate Jarryd Hayne described the pair as starting to get "the itch" this week.

With another season remaining on his contract, Cayless admits this could be his last chance. And his message as skipper won't be much different to when he began.

"We've got a pretty focused group at the moment. We've been on a good run but we don't want all that effort and hard work to go to waste.

"We want to make the most of it. The boys are very focused and everyone knows what's at stake.

"You don't really need to spell it out too much, just make sure you go out and play as well as you can."

WHAT: NRL Preliminary Final 1
WHO: Bulldogs v Eels
WHERE: ANZ Stadium, Sydney
WHEN: 9.45pm tonight

- NZPA