Peta Hiku Primed To Work For Wire

Peta Hiku Primed To Work For Wire
14:23, 13 Jul 2017

New Warrington signing Peta Hiku is happy to fit along wherever he is needed as the Wire battle to ensure they remain in Super League for 2018.

Warrington have had a terrible season, winning only seven of 21 matches. After reaching both Wembley and Old Trafford last year, 2017 has been a bitter failure.

With the club sitting in ninth spot they are headed for the Middle Eights this year. And with that in mind, Warrington has strengthened ahead of the mini-competition, bringing in Ben Pomeroy and Peta Hiku.

Kiwi Hiku, who can play at fullback, centre, wing and stand-off, arrived last month from NRL outfit the Penrith Panthers on a two and a half-year deal. He has a decent pedigree, having debuted for Manly in 2013. He made 66 appearances for the Sea Eagles, scoring 23 tries, and earned selection for his country. The highlight at Test level was in 2014, where from fullback he helped New Zealand defeat Australia to claim the Four Nations title.

But at the end of 2015 with a new coach in Trent Barrett installed at Brookvale, Hiku was no longer required and he departed to Penrith. In 2016 Hiku had a solid start to life as a Panther, but a serious knee injury crippled his season in round 11. He arrives in Super League looking for a fresh start the age of just 24.

Hiku made his debut against Wakefield, making two tackle busts and 112 metres. He followed it up with a try, a try assist, three tackle busts and 194 metres in the big win over Leigh.

Already with injuries decimating the Warrington squad the New Zealand international has played in three different positions in his first two Super League games. And Hiku, who’s club take on Wigan tonight, is ready to keep playing wherever coach Tony Smith needs him to.

“I don’t mind this year mixing up the team a bit, whatever the coach wants,” Hiku said.

“I just want to try and enjoy a bit of footy and see how it goes. I’m more than happy to be fullback or right centre, those are the two positions I was most comfortable in growing up.

“Fullback I grew up playing it and then at Manly they chucked me in a right centre there and I enjoyed it. Any of those two would be good for me. It’s been good over here so far. The staff, the players, the board, the fans, it’s been good.”

Hiku, 24, admitted he knew nothing about the Middle Eights or relegation before landing in England. The NRL doesn’t have relegation, with there being no threat of falling out of the division.

But the Kiwi isn’t too concerned about battling against a potential drop down.

“I’ve been told about it,” Hiku said.

“I wasn’t too worried about it because I missed the start of the season. I suppose the club’s been in a tough position but we’ve just got to not focus on that and just focus what’s coming on this next. Hopefully, we can just go week by week and it should be good.”

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