Good performance rates ahead of milestone
JOE Wheeler is set to rack up a milestone a few weeks earlier than expected.
The Highlanders lock will play his 50th game for the franchise if he takes the field against the Blues at Eden Park tonight.
He is named in the reserves and that moment will probably occur at some stage in the second half.
It was not something he was expecting so early in the season.
Having spent the offseason playing in Japan, the original plan had been for him to have a break in the early rounds.
While that break lasted three weeks, injury forced the selectors’ hands and he came off the bench in last week’s loss to the Crusaders.
Unfortunately, his family had made other plans for this weekend and would miss the game.
‘‘My parents are over in Sydney with my older brother watching Adele,’’ he said.
‘‘My brother will be somewhere watching Central Districts cricket and Courtney’s staying down here.
‘‘So these milestones are great. But for me you probably look back on them later on in your career and be really proud of achieving that. I just get the most satisfaction out of the team doing really well.’’
Wheeler made his Highlanders debut in 2013 and has been a popular figure in the team ever since. After winning just three games in that first year, the side has made the playoffs every year since and won the title in 2015.
Through that, Wheeler’s high work rate on the field proved just as valuable as his antics fronting Highlanders TV off it.
‘‘I think we learnt a lot from [2013].
‘‘It probably set us up for where we are now.
‘‘I think Jamie [Joseph] learnt a lot about his coaching style and probably learnt to trust the players a lot more than what he did back then.
‘‘Then Tony Brown came in and he brought a lot of excitement to our game.
‘‘Guys believed in what he was trying to achieve with his razzledazzle set piece plays that he has.
‘‘I think that was what he was trying to achieve and then I think we got our balance right with our kicking and running game.’’
Getting the balance right between being serious and enjoying themselves off the field had been important.
He said things such as Highlanders TV had been important in helping the players get excited for the weekend.
The players loved it and it was something which had seen him become wellknown per sonality off the field.
That balance was a key change after 2013 and made for a special year in 2014.
‘‘I think that 2014 season, after the terrible 2013, was really special.
‘‘Just the massive turnaround we experienced. I know we only made the quarterfinals, but to go from only winning three games in a year to become quarterfinals, I think it held us in really good stead to make that run the next year.
‘‘That was a really special time. ‘‘We had all these changes around enjoying ourselves and the leadership group did a great job. ‘‘Nasi [Manu] brought a team song in and we were having a lot of fun off the field. I think we’ve just grown and grown from then.’’
The championship in 2015 had been special, as had been seeing various players clock up 50 and 100 games.
This weekend though, his focus was on beating the Blues.
He said they were a dangerous team, but he felt if the Highlanders could put together a quality 80 minutes they would give themselves a good chance of winning.
That pretty much sums up the man. He just wants to win games and have a good time doing it.
‘‘That’s all I hope, is that the guys put on a really good performance and if I get an oppor tunity come on and play that’s great. But if I don’t and the boys get the job done, then I’m still as happy as ever.
‘‘So that’s what it’s all about for me is winning games of footy and enjoying a Speight’s after the game.’’