After an incredible sixteen years playing in the NRL, veteran Ruben Wiki is finally hanging up his boots.

(Well, at least in the NRL - it's still unsure whether he'll play in the Super League).

Wiki carved out a long career playing for the Canberra Raiders, where he started out as a young center playing along side the likes of Mal Meninga and Laurie Daley. He was part of the 1994 Premiership-winning Raiders team, and went on to play 225 games for the "Green Machine", scoring 60 trys.

As he got a little older, he moved into the forwards. He played in the front and second rows (predominantly at prop towards the back end of his career), and became one of the fiercest players in the NRL, known for his hard hits and physical presence.

In 2005 Wiki finally became a Warrior after twelve years in Canberra, and over the last four years he has become a home town favourite at Mt. Smart Stadium. Wiki played 87 games for the Warriors, and surpassed the 300 game milestone this year against the Tigers - becoming the first New Zealander to do so.

His career tally - 312 NRL games and 72 trys.

Wiki also holds the record for playing the most Test matches of any player, with a total of 55.

Wiki will be best remembered for his no-nonsense kind of play. He put everything he had into every moment he was on the field, and at the age of 35 (the oldest in the NRL) he was still competing with the younger guys, who looked up to him as a player they could aspire to be like. Fair enough, too - if you're going to style your game on anyone, it might as well be one of the best.

Wiki also credits his lengthy playing days to Kava, which he drinks before every game, and has even introduced it to some of the players at the Warriors club. Hopefully that will give them`career's as long as Wiki's...

Life in the NRL won't be the same without Ruben Wiki - especially at the Warriors, where he's looked up to like the legend that he is.

We wish him all the best for his future, and thank him for the eighteen wonderful years of hard hitting rugby league he's given us.

Ruben - you're an absolute legend.

It wasn't easy to watch, but the Warriors managed to pick up their first win in three weeks - beating the West Tigers in Sydney.

With seven minutes to go, the Warriors led 28-16. But Taniela Tuiaki managed to score two trys to take the score to 28-26 (with the kick to come) but, fortunately for the Warriors, the usually reliable Brett Hodgson missed the conversion giving the [lucky, oh so damn lucky...] Warriors the win.

With Ruben Wiki playing in his 300th NRL game, it was a great way to celebrate the Kiwi legends career.

At times, the Warriors were brilliant (Lance Hohia's try was something special), but they let the Tigers back into the game with some poor defence.

BUT - it's a win, and we'll take it.

The Warriors have the bye next week, so the win puts us only two points out of the top eight. The bye will also give Steve Price and Brent Tate a good rest, after what will no doubt be an epic Origin decider this Wednesday.

The road to the finals isn't going to be easy for the Warriors, with six of their last nine against top eight sides, and needing to win 7/9. But they only need to look at last year to know that anything is possible...

We want to congratulate Wiki on his 300th game, which many people didn't think he'd get too after he was dropped earlier in the year - well done, Wiki.

Here are the other results from the weekend.

Broncos 12 - 12 Panthers
Roosters 24 - 14 Bulldogs
Titans 22 - 26 Dragons
Sea Eagles 28 - 12 Knights
Cowboys 28 - 29 Rabbitohs
Eels 24 - 22 Storm
Raiders vs Sharks (Monday night)

Once again, the world of rugby league is awash with rumour and speculation - this time surrounding Ruben Wiki, the NRL's oldest player.

Wiki has been dropped by the Warriors for this weeks clash with the Newcastle Knights, and instead he'll line up for the Warriors feeder club - the Auckland Vulcans - where he'll join fellow first-graders Wairangi Koopu and Ryan Shortland.

His demotion to the lower grades has led to calls for an early retirement from Wiki, ending his contract and in doing so saving the club around $200,000.

But we here in the Attic believe these calls are a bit premature, and we think Wiki still has the goods to play in the first-grade week-in and week-out.

The passion that Wiki inspires in those around him is second to none in the NRL, and the old-stager still hits as hard today as he did when his career first began 15 years ago. He may be 35, but he plays like he's still in his twenties - although, granted, he is a tad slower now.

Wiki has stated that he has no intention of walking out on his contract with the Warriors, and is happy to play wherever the coaches want him to play - yet another testament to the passion the man has for the game.

Wiki is only four games away from joining the illustrious 300 game club, and we would certainly be disappointed if Ivan Cleary doesn't give him his chance later in the season - It'd be a huge honour for Wiki, and who could say he hasn't earnt it?

A few weeks in the lower grades will give Wiki the time he needs to fully recover from the rib cartilage injury that has been bothering him for some time now. It will also give the young up-and-comers a chance to play along side the man they would have grown up watching - what a feeling that will be for the youngsters. They need to take the opportunity, and absorb everything they possibly can from Wiki while he's with them.

Ruben Wiki's career began back in June 13th,1993, when he debuted for the Canberra Raiders against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Playing along-side some of leagues legends (Mel Maninga, Laurie Daley, Bradley Clyde, Steve Walters, and Ricky Stuart - bit of experience there...), gave Wiki the opportunity to learn from the true masters and perfect his trade, which he did as a center, initially, before moving into the forwards later in his career.

In 1994 Wiki went on to help win the Winfield Cup with the Raiders, defeating the Bulldogs 36-12.

He has since gone on to play 225 games for the mighty green machine (over twelve years), before signing with the Warriors in 2005, where he has played 70 games. Add to that a world record breaking 55 Tests for the Kiwis (including 18 as captain), and you've got a real icon of rugby league.

Wiki has hinted that at the end of the 2008 season he may hang up his boots, rather than head off to England to play for the Castleford Tigers in the Super League. Whatever option he chooses, he'll always be remembered as one of rugby leagues true warriors.

In other league news, Melbourne Storm back-rower Michael Crocker is off to the UK to play for Hull at the end of the year. The Australian and Queensland star has had a great NRL career, especially since joining the Storm after moving from the Sydney Roosters. Injuries, though, have limited his game time somewhat over the past few seasons.

Before the loss in game one of the 2008 State of Origin series, Crocker had an impressive run of 38 successive wins in a row.

Wouldn't you like some of that brought your way, Hull?