Rugby League: Raider Wiki feels cold out at centre

By PETER JESSUP

Kiwi Ruben Wiki does not like to be out in the centres, where injury problems at the Canberra Raiders have pushed him.

Tonight, when his Raiders take on the Auckland Warriors, he would rather be up front, mixing it with the players who will later this year be his Kiwi team-mates, than standing out the back waiting for the ball.

"My centre days are over," said 29-year-old Wiki, whose positions until this season were second row and prop.

"I belong in the middle and I like it there. I like getting my hands on the ball. But we haven't got anyone else."

The Raiders have a four-from-five record at Bruce Stadium in Canberra this season and beat defending champions Newcastle at their last start there, so cannot be taken lightly.

"When we play the big teams we seem to get up for it, but it's hard to motivate the young guys against the lesser teams," Wiki said.

He bristles at suggestions that he might go to England or retire after his two remaining seasons at Canberra, where he has been for eight.

"I'll see how I'm going, and right now it feels pretty good. I'm still enjoying it, I've got no injuries [although he still wears a brace on the right arm he broke four years ago] and I'm looking forward to getting back in the middle next year."

He said the the Raiders were lacking strength in depth, but would be a new team next year with the addition of Parramatta buy-ins Brad Drew, Ian Hindmarsh and Adam Mogg.

Wiki rates former Bradford coach Matthew Elliott as a good reader of the game and reckons the club will rebuild to the glory days of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

"I'm looking forward to getting back with the Kiwi boys, assuming [coach] Gary [Freeman] wants me," Wiki said.

He is a certainty for the test against Australia in October and the tour of England at the end of the year.

"It will be good to test myself against the Kiwi boys," Wiki said, obviously picking several Warriors to be in the squad.

The Warriors are happy with their position of fourth on the table, but not complacent, and coach Daniel Anderson is driving for a top-two finish.



He has the team working to a playoffs plan.

"Morale and motivation are good," Anderson said, "We don't have to adjust much or change much. It's a matter of improving technique."

He is working on specific areas with individuals and with the team.

While the team are comfortable with their top-four position, they are not with talk that they will finish fourth.

"There is big advantage in finishing in the top two," Anderson said.

If results go their way this weekend, they could be in the top two.

"We haven't got anything yet but there's no reason we can't look up," he said. "It's good for us this season. We're relaxed and focused, whereas this time last season we were frantic and focused.

"We're comfortable now. We've got determination and there's no desperation."

The side have been breaking records all season - most wins, most wins in Australia, Ivan Cleary's club points record, more trys than ever.

"We all realise what a home semifinal would mean for the club and for New Zealand rugby league," Anderson said. "I think the NRL would love it, too.

"It's a big achievement and we're in the box seat to do it. There's satisfaction in achieving statistical records.

"A month ago we were the sixth-best defensive side in the competition - now we're third. We were fourth-best on attack, now we're second.

"There's satisfaction in improving and we need to keep improving if we want to step up to the quality you need in the playoffs."

The Warriors have experienced playoff-style pressure in a couple of their games, Anderson believes, against the Storm in Melbourne and the Eels last weekend at Ericsson Stadium.

"There's pressure within the squad now for places."

Not least from Brent Webb, who may be the fastest off-the-spot runner the Warriors have.

With P.J. Marsh, Stacey Jones and Lance Hohaia - sidelined for now with a groin injury - the Warriors are more than blessed with quick-off-the-mark players. They are staying out of the transfer market for now, seeing no attractive signing at the right price.

The team left Auckland at 7am yesterday to allow time for a run at the venue, a planning procedure that has helped the seven-from-seven record across the Tasman this season.

NZ Warriors: Ivan Cleary, John Carlaw, Vince Anderson, Clinton Toopi, Justin Murphy, Brent Webb, Stacey Jones (capt), Jerry Seuseu, P. J. Marsh, Mark Tookey, Ali Lauiti'iti, Awen Guttenbeil, Kevin Campion.

Interchange, Motu Tony, Justin Morgan, Logan Swann, Richard Villasanti.

Canberra Raiders: Mark McLinden, Mark Asbock, Ruben Wiki, Phil Graham, Joel Monaghan, Michael Monaghan, Brett Finch, Todd Payten, Simon Woolford (capt), Ryan O'Hara, Alan Tongue, Darren Mapp, Terry Martin.

Interchange, Sean Rutgerson, Troy Thompson, Mark Bryant, Darren Porter.