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Ruben Wiki’s 1994 premiership coach Tim Sheens and current mentor Ivan Cleary expressed very different feelings about the granite-like prop today.
But all the bearded 35-year-old Warriors hardman could do was smile in satisfaction following his team’s 28-26 surprise NRL win over the Wests Tigers in his 300th first grade appearance.
That it came at Leichhardt Oval only made the day that little bit more special – it was at the same venue that Wiki played the first match of his career for the Canberra U/23s in 2003.
He only lasted a few minutes that day before being handed his marching orders and a subsequent suspension.
Fortunately for Wiki today was more memorable as he produced arguably his best showing of the season in glorious sunshine at the picturesque suburban ground.
Sportsmen are nowadays wary to talk up the emotional impact of a milestone game in terms of motivational value.
But Cleary had no doubt Wiki’s teammates had primed themselves for today’s clash.
“You can’t really put into words what Ruben means to the boys, I know we all wanted to make it a special day,” Cleary said.
Tigers boss Sheens congratulated his former charge post match but had a rye smile about his performance at the press conference.
He rated it Wiki’s best match of the season before clearly outlining his current loyalties.
“We were competing against one another at the end of the day … I would rather he broke a leg, you know what I mean,” he said.
The Tigers pack was depleted because of injury to frontrowers but the Warriors also crossed the ditch without Origin stars Steve Price and Brent Tate.
Wiki joked his milestone game had crept up on him following more than a decade with the Raiders before moving to the Warriors for the 2005 season.
“It snuck up on me with all the suspensions I got, I still got to 300,” he quipped having been rubbed out for 23 matches during his uncompromising career.
But for all the effort from the Warriors, Wiki’s day was almost ruined by Tigers winger Taniela Tuiaki’s two tries in the final three and a half minutes.
Tigers skipper Brett Hodgson had the chance to send the match into extra time but his sideline conversion was waved away after the siren.
The fullback had felt confident taking the kick with the game on the line.
“I was pretty confident I was kicking them pretty well and one had hit the upright from the sideline and I was confident but unfortunately it was just not to be,” he said.
“It is what you want as a goalkicker to get those but unfortunately today it was just not to be.”
Cleary felt the 186cm, 103kg Wiki richly deserved the win.
“Ruben he deserved for him to miss it and I thought it would have been an injustice for it to go (into golden point),” said Cleary.
Both sides have the bye next week.
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