NRL: Matulino wants brand new start

Ben Matulino. Photo / Getty Images

He was a starting player for the Kiwis in their most recent outing but Ben Matulino's progress at the Warriors can be measured by the fact that coach Ivan Cleary wants him taking bigger steps to establish himself as an NRL regular.

With 68 appearances going into today's home match against South Sydney, Matulino has been playing first grade at the Warriors since 2008. He has played the last 35 games straight - the most in succession of anyone in the current squad - despite being just 22-years-old.

However, just eight of those 35 matches have been starts. The last time he started was as a prop in round 24 last year against Manly.

Cleary wants to see that change, especially now Matulino has eight Kiwi caps, the last being the Anzac test against Australia earlier this month.

"That was his best game in a while, coming on early in difficult circumstances when Sammy [Sam Rapira] got hurt. He's also backed up the last couple of games for us well. He's durable and still a young man whom we have transformed from back rower to front rower.

"He has done that well but there is improvement left in him. Down the track there is no reason he can't develop as a starter. I don't know why he's resisting at the moment.

"He's quiet and unassuming but sometimes I think he lacks a bit of confidence. He's still coming to grips with the fact some of the young guys look up to him - which he finds strange and daunting.

"In our best team, he's probably still an interchange player but he has had some success as a starting prop with Russell [Packer] so we reignite that this week."

"I prefer to come off the bench," Matulino says. "It enables me to relax more before coming into a game. It means in the warm-up you've got another 20 minutes to prepare.

"I don't think it matters if you start as a prop, you all get similar amounts of game time, but this week is a situation where our two main props [Rapira and Jacob Lillyman] are out so I need to make an impact straight away."

Vice-captain Micheal Luck sees Matulino developing gradually into a senior player.

"I remember when he first came up from Wellington as a shy, young kid. Now he's becoming more of a leader within the group, probably more through actions than words.

"He's expecting more of himself and not letting anyone down. I think that's the same for a lot of guys in our group."

"I don't contribute much by way of talking," Matulino says. "I probably don't stamp my foot but I'd rather focus on my core job to show the way."

One of Matulino's aims midway in June last season was to increase his playing time on the field. He has never played a full game at the Warriors.

Last season he averaged 43 minutes and he aims to improve that.

Matulino has consulted former Warriors skipper Steve Price for advice.

"I went through a rough patch at the start of the year where I didn't know what was going on with my game, so I sent him [Price] a text and got back a three-page message which I got plenty out of.

"He basically said, 'just keep busy. If you're not busy, you're obviously tired. If you're busy, you don't think about being tired.' That helped. I've only gone to him, there's no-one better."