RUBEN WIKI sacrificed a mountain of cash and the chance to claim the Super League and Challenge Cup double with St Helens for a part in the Warriors' fairytale finals run.

The Sun-Herald can reveal the UK glamour club wanted Wiki to join them immediately after he was dumped to the NSW Cup in May.

However, the Kiwi turned down Saints' massive offer and forced his way back into first grade.

Wiki's show of loyalty could now reap the ultimate reward, with the Warriors only one win away from giving him a grand final send-off - 14 years after he played in his first and only decider, as a centre, with champions Canberra.

The Warriors face Manly on Saturday for the right to play in the grand final after over-running the Roosters 30-13 at Mt Smart Stadium on Friday night.

Wiki remains coy about his playing future. "I'm just concentrating on the Warriors," he said yesterday. "There's a lot of avenues. When it comes to that stage, I'll worry about it then."

The 35-year-old said he had no thought of moving on, despite the ignominy of facing Western Suburbs in a lowly NSW Cup encounter on the No.2 field at Mt Smart in May.

"I just wanted to play footy," Wiki said. "If I had to work on things, so be it. I had that game for the Vulcans and I really enjoyed it."

The Warriors have powered into the penultimate game of the season with 10 wins from their past 12 games. Should they beat Manly on Saturday night it will be just their second grand final after losing the 2002 decider to the Roosters.

The common denominator has been the form of Wiki, who forced his way back into the NRL after that one appearance for the Auckland Vulcans. Now his teammates have honoured him by trying to replicate his trademark beard.

"I don't know what's going on with the beards," Wiki laughed. "They just seem to be growing them. I don't know if that's for me."

The Sea Eagles have beaten the Warriors twice this season, including a 52-6 hammering at Brookvale Oval in round three. However the Warriors have shown a new-found resolve in recent months and Wiki is confident of his team's chances in the Sydney Football Stadium encounter.

"If we play to our potential we're capable of doing anything," he said. "It's everyone's dream to get to the grand final but we've got to go through the process. We've got a tough game this Saturday and we're looking forward to playing Manly. They've beaten us twice. The first one was pretty embarrassing and they got us at Mt Smart [20-14] as well.

"We're going through the process of trying to improve and we did that again against the Roosters.

"We've worked on [overcoming adversity]; when things go wrong we turn it into a positive."

Wiki, who flattened young Roosters centre Iosia Soliola in a brutal collision, wrote the words "carpe diem" - seize the day - on his wrist before kick-off. There will be a different message on his strapping this week against Manly.

"It changes week to week. It depends on what I'm feeling," he said.

Wiki ranked the win against the Roosters as one of the best he had been involved in but struggled to single out any one highlight from his lengthy and notable career.

"The highlight has been playing this game for so long," he said.

"Fifteen years in the NRL - it's more than anyone can ask for. I've got no regrets since I played for Canberra back in '93. Everything has happened for a reason and it's been awesome."

The Warriors were $151 outsiders in premiership betting with TAB Sportsbet after round 15 and entered the clash with Melbourne last Sunday at the juicy odds of $67 to win the competition. Their price yesterday had been slashed to $6.50 and has shortened further overnight.