KEY POINTS:
James Stosic looks on with something like awe as he watches older props - such as the Warriors' Steve Price and Ruben Wiki, Bronco Petero Civoniceva - play some of their best football after 30.
He's just 25 and still learning a prop's trade in the NRL but he has big goals, including pushing on from the Junior Kiwis to the Kiwis.
Stosic's father is from Macedonia and his mother is Maori. The couple met in Melbourne then settled in Taranaki, where he took to the collision of ball-carrying in league ahead of the scrums, rucks and mauls of rugby.
"Everyone bar me wanted to be an All Black. I just wanted to get my hands on the ball and if you're a forward in rugby, unless you're a flanker or No 8, it doesn't happen much.
"I just love taking the ball up from the kick-off, running into a brick wall - there's nothing like it, it's a different game from rugby."
He didn't start playing league until age 13. After age 16 in the Taranaki competition it was straight into senior grades.
"There's none of the structure of the NRL and it's much slower but they sure know how to hit hard. Luckily I was big enough to handle it."
He made the Junior Kiwis in 2000 and the following year - inspired by Taranaki locals including Howie Tamati and Tony Kemp who made the top level - left his job at the freezing works in Eltham and headed to the development programme with the Raiders in Canberra. "I didn't have any guidance, it was my first time out of home and I was a bit wayward, I went off my football as young fellas do," Stosic said.
He got out of his contract at Canberra and finally settled at Cronulla, where he made his NRL debut in 2005.
Lana, his partner of eight years and also from his home town of Stratford, followed and they have two daughters - Ella, 2 1/2, and Sienna, 11 months. It has solidified Stosic's thinking and goals.
"I have a family to support now. Before, football was just fun with mates. Now it's my job."
He shifted to the Gold Coast to be closer to his sister Desanka, who lives in Brisbane.
This season has been a catastrophe as far as he's concerned. Persistent Achilles tendon problems have stifled his contribution.
"I had an operation on the left Achilles in September last year so I missed the running in pre-season, I had to do low-impact stuff like rowing and biking. Then I was over-compensating on the right leg and I pulled that Achilles too. I keep re-injuring it. It's been killing me at times. You start to doubt yourself. You can't rest and recover mid-season because you want to get back on the field."
The Titans have had a long injury list and are addressing the issue. One cause is the drought - training grounds are like concrete. "We've been doing things differently lately to make us more supple."
Stosic missed last weekend's game against the Tigers and played Queensland Cup, hoping to do enough to force his way back for the Warriors game.
"It's one game I look forward to every year, especially over there. You always want to play in front of your family."
His brother Sasho works under Tamati at Sport Taranaki, in league development and his parents are in New Zealand. But Stosic was not named to travel with the Gold Coast.
He is clear on what he wants in future. The Kiwis.
"It's always in the back of my mind. I know I have to play well week-in, week-out for the club first and carve up. I need to get the Achilles right in the off-season. Why play if you don't have goals?"
He has represented his country at age group and NZ Maori but a full Kiwis jersey would be "something else again - I'd like to be a fixture there like Ruben. Then I could retire happy".
James Stosic:
Born: September 22, 1981, in New Plymouth
Club: Waitara Bears
1.82m, 105kg prop
Junior Kiwis 2000, NZ Maori rep
NRL debut: Cronulla round 3 2005, 24 games 2005-2006
Signed for two years at the Titans, 7 games so far
