Wes Naiqama quick to show new leadership qualities

Naiqama spent last week in Fiji being feted at receptions and street parades and, when he arrived home on Monday, Knights coach Brian Smith gave him the option of having another week off to rest after the World Cup had extended his season by two months.

But he was back in the gym in the morning then in the middle of their Mayfield training centre in the afternoon, doing skills and ballwork and acquainting himself with new faces Isaac De Gois, Ben Rogers, Jimmy Fawcett and former Dragons teammate George Ndaira.

"It has been a long season, but I was pretty keen to get back to training. Smithy said to have an extra week, but I was happy to come back today," Naiqama said yesterday.

"Brian said to me to just listen to my body. My knee pulled up OK after the World Cup and I pretty much wanted to get straight back into it."

Naiqama, 26, served periodic detention in Parramatta jail for four months last year after a fourth conviction for driving while disqualified.

But after just one season at the Knights, Naiqama is already one of the club's senior players, and Smith hoped that captaining his country would have a positive effect on him on and off the field.

"I've not been surprised by it because we see that sort of stuff in him on a day-to-day basis, but I think Wes has seen that as a great opportunity to display those qualities for everyone to see," Smith said. "I think he and everybody here are hopeful that he can get all that stuff to carry over into his life outside of football and he can grow as a person as well."

Naiqama said leadership sat comfortably on his broad shoulders and he wanted to continue showing the way at the Knights.

"It was something different for me, taking that role, but it was something I enjoyed doing, leading by example and leading the boys around the park. Hopefully it's something I can bring back to Newcastle throughout pre-season training and into next season," he said. "I think it's helped me grow as a player and a person and it will help me mature more as a footballer and as a leader, because we've got a young squad, and with Bedsy [Danny Buderus] leaving, it leaves a big hole there."

Naiqama said the week in Fiji made him realise just how important the Bati's World Cup semi-final berth meant for the people, and for rugby league, in his country of heritage.

All but injured Knights teammate Aku Uate joined him and coach Joe Dakuitoga in Fiji for a week of celebration.

"There was a massive reception when we got to Nadi last Monday," he said. "We went to a big sportsground there, and there was a couple of hundred people there, then the next day on the way to Suva, it's usually a three-hour ride, but it took us seven hours because we stopped in every village on the way.

"All the country was proud of what the boys had done. It surprised me I knew they were happy back home, but I didn't think we'd get the reception that we did.

"Even for the march, they closed down the main street of Suva, and that was massive. The Prime Minister [Voreqe Bainimarama] was there as well, so it was a big thing."

Naiqama said he would like to play end-of-season Tests for Fiji every year and, if they played more internationals, he was confident the Bati would be even more competitive at the next World Cup in 2013, whether he was still involved or not.