Late blooming Warriors hooker has finals fever

BY AARON LAWTON

Last updated 05:00 09/09/2010

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FINALS FEVER: Warriors hooker Aaron Heremaia says they are better than the last time they played the Titans.

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If you'd told Aaron Heremaia in the stifling heat of January that he'd make his Kiwis debut this year and be one of only two Warriors to play every NRL game this season, he admits he would have questioned your sanity.

After all, it wasn't like his 27-year-old body hadn't already taken a fair beating.

But if you had then suggested he would be the starting hooker for the Warriors as they made a tilt for the NRL title in September's finals, well, that's about the time he would have asked what you were smoking.

"I wouldn't have believed anyone if they had predicted at the start of the season how this year has turned out for me," Heremaia said. "I've played every game this season and Ben Matulino is the only other one here. That's another pleasing aspect."

Of course, with the benefit of hindsight, we all know now quite what a year 2010 has been for Heremaia.

The former chef who temporarily gave the game away two years ago and made his Warriors debut midway through the 2009 season as a 26-year-old was supposed to be a journeyman.

But instead he's simply got better with age and his cool head will be crucial to the Warriors' fortunes tomorrow night in Robina when they take on the Titans in their qualifying final.

"The pressure ramps up from here," Heremaia said. "Although I haven't played a heap of NRL games, I am 27 and I've been around for a while now.

"It's just like any NRL game and I think we're a better team than we were the last time we played the Titans.

"I'm looking forward to playing my first finals match.

"It was nice a few weeks ago when we beat the Broncos to know that we'd be playing in the finals this year.

"But I think the reality that we are playing in a qualifying final on Friday night has really sunk in during the last few days.

"I can't wait to get over there and deal to the Titans."

The Warriors have played the fourth-placed Titans seven times since the Gold Coast debuted in 2007, winning the first two before losing five straight.

This year, they've met twice – in round one at Skilled Park where the Titans won 24-18 and again at Mt Smart where the visitors snuck away with a 28-20 result.

With fellow hooker Ian Henderson yet to recover from an ankle injury and youngster Alehana Mara, who has stood in for him for three weeks, also unlikely to play due to a similar complaint, Lewis Brown is shaping as the Warriors' best choice as Heremaia's backup.

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On Tuesday, he spent time training at dummy-half but Heremaia was giving nothing away when asked who would be his deputy tomorrow night.

"Alehana is battling with an injury at the moment but the coach is hopeful he will be right in time," Heremaia said.

"Lewis has played at hooker before and we all know he can pretty much play in any position across the park."

- © Fairfax NZ News