NRL: An Aussie leader with Kiwi mana

Captain Steve Price is happy to be building something that everyone can be a part of. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Steve Price is a great team man. It is a matter of some personal pride to the Warriors leader that he will reach an individual milestone when he joins the NRL's elite 300-game club against Parramatta at Mt Smart tomorrow.

"There's not that many blokes have done it and, yeah, there is a lot of pride in maintaining that consistency through your career," Price said.

"I've had plenty of highs and lows in my time and blokes wondering whether I could go on, whether I was tough enough, whether I was good enough to compete at NRL level or at Origin level or test level."

Price said that as he'd grown older he'd learned to stick to his natural game, not to try doing things he was not good at.

Approaching his 35th birthday, he is now the old man of the NRL, replacing Ruben Wiki who wound up his career on 312 games last year. But when asked whether he thought the Warriors would get a lift from his last season as they did from Wiki's he smiles and says "are you saying this is my last season"?

He won't talk about retirement, won't flag this as his last year. The ultimate team man still wants to represent Queensland in the State of Origin and Australia against the Kiwis in May.

"It [selection] should always come down to what you're doing on the field. It's such an honour to make those two teams. I was disappointed to miss the World Cup final because of injury and obviously I'd like to get back in there and have another crack at the Kiwis. I'd like to continue playing for Australia as long as I'm in the NRL, it's hard to sit at home and watch it."

Price said the pre-season fitness build-up was always a good indicator of players' mental state, preparedness and enthusiasm. "I'm enjoying it as much, if not more, than I did when I was young. I know my job, I know what I can do and when you see the enthusiasm of the young boys coming through you know you can't afford to be complacent. I was just like them and I remember that well. Sammy Rapira has just had his first kid and he's nearly 22, I was 22 when I had my first."

Price is often seen at training giving tips to people like Rapira and the other regular prop Evarn Tuimavave. He works with the juniors - Russell Packer, Leeson Ah Mau and Hermann Retzlaff who are being developed to replace him and the other young forwards. Price enjoys this immensely. "They're all good Kiwi kids: there's no egos. It's a pleasure to be able to pass something on."

There has been more competition for starting spots this pre-season than any other Price has seen since he switched from the Bulldogs for the 2004 season. "Everyone is putting their hand up, it's going to be a tough call for the coaches not just for game one but through the season and that's good."

As captain he's one of a very few who will walk into a starting spot each week provided he is injury-free. He will demand a better start and he is looking forward to leading the side into a better start to the season than they've had in his previous years, as in the last two seasons when a late run of wins has sneaked them into the top-eight playoffs.

"There's no excuses, we have to start better, we have to control the ball because that's what wins games in the early part of the season and in the last three years we haven't done that."

He won't be drawn into picking favourites nor wooden-spooners. "A few years ago you could look at a game against Brisbane and know it would be tough because they were full of internationals and then you'd see the Souths line-up and know it was not going to be as intense. Now every team has internationals and guys who would be internationals if there wasn't someone as good already there.

"The salary cap is working, It's sad to see guys having to leave a club but you have to fight for a job now."

And Price likes the evenness of the competition. "It makes it a real challenge, One of the most exciting things is that you have to keep trying to improve because everyone else is.

" As an incumbent Aussie prop, every young buck wants to get over the top of him in every NRL game. "It's a good challenge and you really look forward to that," Price said.

He laughs when asked if he was pleased about his decision to leave the Bulldogs because that club has been in turmoil ever since. Price was the face of the team when the Coffs Harbour sexual assault allegations were laid and through the investigation of salary cap rorts, despite doing no wrong in either case, while others ducked for cover.

"It was a good decision. The main thing I was worried about was how the family would be accepted over here and as it turns out that's been the best part of it." Wife Jo and his children love it. Price is enjoying being part of a big turnaround at the Warriors both on and off the field.

When he first arrived he asked the administration which schools were his to visit, it being common practice in Australia for players to be assigned to set schools. He was told "we don't do schools".

"The thinking at the time was to keep the players fresh for the game. But the thing is they like the school visits, the hospital visits, it gives them something useful to do and when you see how much people enjoy it you get great satisfaction. I remember players coming to my school and that's what inspired me and hopefully some other kids will want to be the next Warriors like Manu Vatuvei or the All Black or the next Silver Fern."

Price said he took great pride from the fact the club had gone from being threatened with having its NRL grant cut because of the lack of community input, to Ruben Wiki winning the Ken Stephen medal for community service and the club being named best in the community in 2008.

Then there's two finals runs, upsetting the champion Melbourne Storm at home in play-offs at the end of 2008 and finishing one game away from the Grand Final.

"When I came here I knew that if we were able to get things right it would be something I would look back on for the rest of my life as a real achievement, building something that everyone wants to be a part of."

He can feel that happening. "When we first arrived there weren't too many people telling me they loved the Warriors." Now, he's barraged with good comments from fans and well-wishers. And other Aussie players, along with the cream of local talent, aspire to play at the club.

"There are some really good people at the club and we're all going in the right direction. The development system is showing fruits, there's a really good spirit here." And at the end of training after the others have left the field Price is the day's "bag man": it's his turn to clear up the used strapping tape and drinks cups and to stow away the gear. The ultimate team man, leading by good example, as usual.

STEVE PRICE
Born 12/3/1974 Dalby, Queensland
Height and weight 193cm 107kg
Debut for Bulldogs R14 1994, 222 games to 2003, 22 tries
Debut for Warriors R1 2004, 77 games, 10 tries
State of Origin 26 games for Queensland 1998-2008
Kangaroos 14 tests 1998-2008

MOST NRL GAMES
* Steve Menzies (Manly) and Terry Lamb (Wests/Canterbury) 349
* Brad Fittler (Penrith/Roosters) 336
* Cliff Lyons (Norths/Manly) 332
* Andrew Ettingshausen (Cronulla) 328
* Geoff Gerard (Wests/Eels/Penrith) 320
* Jason Crocker (Canberra) 318
* Paul Langmack (Canterbury/Wests/Roosters) 315
* Ruben Wiki (Canberra/Warriors) 312
* Luke Ricketson (Roosters) 301
* Steve Price (Canterbury/Warriors) 299
* Darren Lockyer (Broncos) 293