Thomas Leuluai never had any intention of returning to the Warriors after his first, unsuccessful stint with the club as a teenager but had no second thoughts about his decision to join in 2013 even after the sacking of Brian McClennan.
Leuluai was lured to Mt Smart Stadium by McClennan in November 2011 and watched in surprise and disappointment as the club slumped to eight straight losses and a 14th-place finish.
"I made my decision so early I didn't see much point in looking back," he said. "I couldn't change it and the reasons for coming back were still all there. If I didn't have any family here I might have thought it was the wrong decision but they are still here. I still see a good future with this club. It's very exciting."
Leuluai made his Warriors debut in 2003 as an 18-year-old, becoming the youngest to play for the club, but found his way blocked by Stacey Jones and Lance Hohaia and struggled to make an impression in the NRL. He was also poorly treated by the club and opted for a fresh start with the London Broncos in 2005.
He developed a reputation as one of the best players in the Super League and enjoyed five largely successful seasons with Wigan, when he scored 60 tries in 189 games.
He has been signed by the Warriors to play in the halves but is equally comfortable at hooker and is a good defender, has a strong kicking game and returns with considerable experience. There will still be some who remember his limited contribution as a teenager and others who have seen him play for the Kiwis but the Leuluai of 2013 is a largely unknown quantity.
"You always have to prove yourself," he said. "Every time you go on the field your reputation is on the line. I am a bit of an unknown and will get judged on how I play. That's fair enough.
"I played eight years over [in the UK] and feel content about what I achieved. But I feel like a new kid on the block now. When I was here I was 17, 18. That's young, man. That's younger than anyone else playing.
"I always ask people what they were like at 18. I had some rough ones at the start but I have grown up now and don't worry about the small stuff."
