DANE ELDRIDGE: Stacey Jones is the unseen legend behind the Kiwi revival

Think of memorable Kiwi performances this World Cup and you think of Kalyn Ponga’s one-arm heroics and a forward pack so scary it could’ve forced the Roman Legion out wide.

There’s also Jahrome Hughes scheming in the semi, Casey McLean’s breakout, Dane Gagai seamlessly integrating like a Sorenson brother and Jamayne Isaako threading needles through cyclones with his air-bending conversions.

Once you get to James Fisher-Harris’ haunting Haka eyes and the pre-match stare-down with the Tongans, there’s no breath left to take away.

But the clearest sign New Zealand’s campaign has been blinding with star moments? We’ve almost forgotten to mention its greatest superstar of all.

The fact Ponga is the most recognisable diminutive wizard in New Zealand right now is a massive coup, and that’s because he’s playing in a team coached by Stacey Jones.

Known as ‘The Little General’, Jones is a revered name that sits comfortably on NZ Mount Rushmore alongside Ruben Wiki, Mark Graham and Benji Marshall.

Crafty, calm and tougher than a coffin nail, everybody knows the nuggety halfback best for his grand final try for the Warriors in 2002, a piece of Kiwi cinema considered as evocative as The Piano and the time David Kidwell leveled out Willie Mason.

But his impact goes deeper across a 27 year association with top level Kiwi footy, and that’s why it’s odd he’s getting less mentions in the news than a wheelie bin theft.

In Aussie terms, the 46 test veteran coaching the Kiwis to a World Cup would be like Andrew Johns guiding Newcastle to a premiership or Ray Warren coming out of retirement to win Channel Nine a Logie.

But with the team capturing all the attention, the only tough and unseen hero everyone wants to talk about is the strip of titanium in Ponga’s arm- which to be fair is probably just how the coach likes it.

Rest assured, Jones won’t retain this low profile should the Kiwis close the deal in Sunday night’s final because he’ll have earned it as much as the superstars.

Walking in to a tricky assignment when hired in 2024, Jones not only carried the expectation that accompanied being the first New Zealander to coach the national side since 2017.

His predecessor Michael Maguire had also set a high bar by getting chaired off like a triumphant kaiser in his final match after thrashing Australia in the Pacific Championships final.

Furthermore, Jones was the consolation prize to many critics who’d pleaded for supercoach Wayne Bennett instead due to his reputational sheen and probably because it’s easier as a Kiwi to blame an Aussie if things go awry.

Add the growing trend of Pasifika players defecting to the emerging nations, and there was more downside than up for the champion Kiwi.

But after appearing like he’d be simply coaching a feeder side existing solely to subsidise other countries, now he can cap New Zealand’s comeback as an international force- and there couldn’t be any man more deserving.

History shows there’s nobody who’s answered more bat signals for New Zealand than the 50 year old Aucklander.

He was there in 1995 when the Warriors were launched and remained a beacon of stability throughout 11 seasons, even despite the club undergoing more ownership changes than a Lime share bike.

He even refused a suite of lucrative deals to remain in Auckland including one from the North Queensland Cowboys he described earlier this year as “eye-watering”.

Jones also answered an SOS in 2005 by coming out of retirement to lead the Kiwis to a boilover Tri-Nations win over the Kangaroos, which was pretty special in itself until you add it was in the UK and mere days after the birth of his third child.

He pulled the boots back on again in 2009 for the Warriors - this time doing coach Ivan Cleary a solid in an injury crisis - and took the reins as interim coach in 2022 when the team was left in the lurch by Nathan Brown’s sudden departure.

A World Cup would not only further enhance Jones steepling presence in NZ folklore, it’d be fitting for all these SOS calls he’s still quietly answering when he could be resting his weary body on a fishing boat in Taupo.

Even if he’s at the back of the victory parade behind the forwards and Ponga’s arm plate.