Stacey Jones

Stacey Jones, nicknamed 'The Little General', is widely regarded as New Zealand's greatest-ever halfback, spending over a decade as the creative heart of the Auckland/New Zealand Warriors.

In the 2005 Tri Nations final in Leeds, Stacey Jones orchestrated a 24-0 dismantling of Australia that gave New Zealand their first series win over the Kangaroos since 1953 — a performance that confirmed the little halfback as the most influential playmaker the Kiwis have produced. He made his first-grade debut for the fledgling Auckland Warriors in 1995, coming off the bench to score a try, and quickly forced his way into the starting halfback role after an injury to Greg Alexander, going on to play 261 games for the club — a club record at the time. Nicknamed 'The Little General' for his diminutive stature and exceptional game management, Jones made his Kiwis debut at the 1995 World Cup and became a mainstay of the national team for over a decade, earning 46 Test caps. He starred in the Warriors' run to the 2002 NRL Grand Final, scoring a memorable 35-metre solo try in the decider, and was named winner of the Golden Boot as the world's best international player that year. Jones's finest international moment came in the 2005 Tri Nations final, where his commanding performance helped New Zealand defeat Australia 24-0 in Leeds — the Kiwis' first series win over the Kangaroos since 1953 — delivered just days after returning from the birth of his third child. He spent two seasons with the Catalans Dragons in France before a final Warriors stint in 2009, retiring as the first and only life member of the New Zealand Warriors. He was inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame in 2019, and later became head coach of the New Zealand Kiwis.

Visionary halfback renowned for game management, kicking game, and clutch try-scoring

The first and only life member of the New Zealand Warriors, and a foundational figure in the club's history

• 46 Tests for the Kiwis (1995-2006)
• Golden Boot Award, international player of the year (2002)
• NRL Hall of Fame inductee (2019)
• NZRL Legends of League inductee
• New Zealand Team of the Century