Stacey Jones commands a place among the most outstanding New Zealand athletes of his generation, or any generation for that matter. In a country that loves its sporting heroes, Jones is an undoubted favourite. He has transcended sporting codes and divides in a way only the chosen few do. Simply, he's universally admired. That it has come to this is anything but surprising. He showed in his teens that he would indeed be a special rugby league player, in just the same way his compatriot Sonny Bill Williams is doing now. In a code that revolves around its so-called go-to men, Jones is to the New Zealand Warriors what Alfie Langer was to Brisbane and Andrew Johns is to Newcastle. Indeed, it has been said more than once that he isn't just a Warrior, he is the Warriors. Carrying the well-used moniker of the Little General, he has dazzled not just opponents and spectators with his array of skills but also his own team-mates. Equally he's admired for his longevity in a game that punishes its players and yet, through all the adulation, Stacey Jones has remained as humble as it's possible for a sportsman to be. That's a principal driver in why he's so liked. Named the world's best player in 2002 - winning the Golden Boot - he has played 34 tests for the Kiwis but these days limits himself to his beloved Warriors. It's the club he started with as an 18-year-old when the Warriors first entered the then-Winfield Cup in 1995. He owns records of all types - not least the most games for his club (224).