Stacey Jones
: Keeping The Faith
as told to John
Matheson
New Zealand Warriors and Kiwis Rugby League
Available via Amazon.co.uk
Just
on 100 pages of Stacey Jones and his career with the Warriors and the
New Zealand Kiwis. Every page is packed with full colour photographs
of Jones and his team mates.
Keeping
The Faith sums up very well the valuable role that Stacey Jones has
played for rugby league in New Zealand. At the end of 2000 he could
have walked away from the Warriors - after six seasons of near waste
who could have blamed him.
But
the Aucklander decided that loyalty to his home town counted, and now
the game in New Zealand is reaping the rewards of his decision. Stacey
Jones is the man that drives the Warriors and Kiws around the park.
His
fellow players and opponents alike all agree.
Much travelled team mate Kevin Campion says: "I have played with
some talented players - Allan Langer, Kevin Walters, Anthony Mundine
and Darren Lockyer - and Stacey Jones is right up there with them."
Australia's
best player, Andrew Johns: "He's one of the greats....the Warriors
and the Kiwis should be mighty proud of him."
Jones'
book takes us back to his early playing days at Grey Lynn in Auckland,
where the grandson of Kiwi test player Hone Komanga Emery first got
his taste of rugby league. Signed by the Warriors to a scholarship in
1993, he was groomed for a first grade debut in 1997.
But Jones and the Warriors couldn't wait - by round seven of the Warrior's
debut season, Stacey Jones was on the field and part of a team that
demolished Parramatta by 40-4. He never looked back. By the end of the
season he was in the Kiwis World Cup side that almost pushed Australia
out of the tournament.
Jones
takes us through his career at the Warriors and his Test matches. At
only 26 years, Jones has already written many records - and has many
more in sight. Jones provides us with a candid look at his team mates
and coaches that he has come across - amonst them are Ali Lautiiti,
Henry Paul, Robbie Paul, Matthew Ridge, Gene Ngamu, Nathan Cayless and
Logan Swann (together with Jones, the only remaining original Warriors).
The
book also features the thoughts and comments on Stacey Jones by many
of his rugby league peers that have had the benefit of seeing and working
with Jones up close: coach Frank Endacott, the veteran Greg Alexander,
Steve Kearney, Sean Hoppe and others.
Jones
writes about the unheralded - and unexpected - success of 2001 with
the Warriors under the coaching of the unknown Daniel Anderson. Jones
though says he remains bitter about exiting the Finals so quickly at
the hands of Parramatta. He says it is this experience which is driving
him and the Warriors on to the Minor Premiership of 2002 and the longest
post-season in the club's 8 year history.
Few
sides win a Grand Final without a great half back as their playmaker.
The Warriors have the great half back - and very few of them retire
without a premiership trophy. For any fan of Jones, the Warriors and
the Kiws, this book will be a joy.
"Keeping
The Faith" sums up Jones, but it also refers to the many players,
officials and fans of the game in New Zealand who have perserved since
the "1907 All Golds".
In Stacey Jones, the rugby league game in New Zealand finally has a
champion who has delivered.
Stacey Jones : Keeping The Faith
Published by Hoda Moa Beckett (New Zealand)
ISBN 1-86958-919-X
Available
world-wide at Amazon Books
